Transnational Family Life from the Perspective of Zimbabwean Male Migrants in South Africa

The early years of the new millennium saw a rise in the influx of Zimbabwean migrants to neighbouring South Africa. Due to the growing economic turmoil, political crisis and human rights violations in Zimbabwe many citizens from this country have crossed the border into South Africa to find employment and/or seek political refuge. Using qualitative data collected from in-depth interviews this paper seeks to gain a better understanding of the reality of transnational family life from the perspective of Zimbabwean men who have migrated to South Africa and live in the inner-city area of Johannesburg. Close family ties both ‘here’ (the country of destination) and ‘back home’ (the country of origin) were mapped. The focus fell on how the respondents sustain families across these transnational spaces and what impact their transnational experiences have on their relationship with their wives/partners and children. Moreover, attention was paid to the role high-speed information and communications technology (ITCs) play in maintaining family relationships and acting transnationally in a digital age. In light of the challenges these Zimbabwean men face on a daily basis in South Africa, where there are xenophobic sentiments and a relative high unemployment rate, the attention also fell on how these men view their multiple family commitments and the significance of remittances in maintaining a sense of self within the ambit of the family. The respondents’ reflections on family dynamics across transnational spaces show a variety of experiences and their narratives provide a window into their different lived realities as migrants with family ties across borders.