Abstract: | From rural areas all over southern Africa for at least two generations (but often more) virtually 100% of the adult male population has been engaged in labour migration on at least one occasion. The question arises why the growth of industry and employment in Africa was accompanied by such a predominance of migrant workers rather than by the rapid growth of permanent urban workers. The author examines the question in 2 parts: 1) Why do men leave their rural home at all, to travel long distances to find employment; 2) Why do they return home again and eventually stay there. The answer is that the fundamental cause of migration is economic (and not the attraction of the bright city lights) because the men could not earn money at home. The bulk of migrants have been the younger men who have the greatest need for income so that they may dress well etc., and above all that they may get married. Then after saving men wish to return home in order to enjoy the savings and get married and assume their tribal rights. However, new factors are developing which hasten the development of a more permanent, wage-earning class. |