Social integration of immigrants and social capital building to improve social cohesion in Gauteng communities

Abstract

Global population migration shows that, the rate at which people are moving from one country to the other, or one region to the other, is always increasing. However, when people move to new countries, regions or destinations, integrating into their new communities is always a challenge. In South Africa, for example, such a challenge present itself in multiple with the intended revisions and approval to which people are cooperative, within and across group boundaries (Burns et al., 2018). It is also relevant to understand social relationships between those who are viewed as ???insiders??? and those considered as ???outsiders???. Unlike in other countries where high levels of immigration raise policy concerns about governance of immigration and social cohesion (Demireva, 2019), in South Africa public policy predominantly focuses on diversity, skills for development and social cohesion. However, persisting hostilities between South Africans and immigrants emanate from varied sources of discontent among affected sectors of groups and communities especially in townships and informal settlements in the urban areas. They include widespread denunciations of social disorganisation and depleted social fabric in already fragile and disadvantaged communities in South Africa linked to illegal activities (trafficking of children and young girls for sexual exploitation, drug trafficking, property crimes and trading illegal goods) by documented and undocumented foreign immigrants. While mistrust and xenophobic violence are the epitome of nationals-foreigner dissonance in South Africa, there is evidence gap in how members of different nationalities can be supported to contribute to sustainable neighbourhoods with shared values that encourage positive social interaction and cooperation.