Editorial 
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Professor Mulugeta F. Dinbabo 

Editor-in-Chief, African Human Mobility Review (AHMR)  

University of the Western Cape 
 
Email: editor@sihma.org.za 

 
This issue consists of five articles. The first article by Aklilu Asha and Matlou Nkwana is 
entitled “Complexities in the Case Management of Unaccompanied Minors: Perceptions of 
Social Workers Practicing in the Polokwane Child and Youth Care Centres”. Using a rights-
based approach as a theoretical framework, this empirical research probes the underlying 
factors that make the administration of unaccompanied children challenging. The participants 
of the study constituted primarily social workers practicing within the two Centres, including 
the supervisors and coordinators. These groups were selected purposively because of their 
extensive knowledge of and involvement in the activities of the Centres. The findings of this 
research highlight that most of the unaccompanied minors were in dire need and lacked 
proper documentation. The research argues that a number of perilous child protection 
challenges existed in the management of the cases of unaccompanied minors. These include 
the limited capacity of social workers, lack of intersectoral integration and collaboration, and 
insufficient allocation of resources to tackle the multiple dilemmas that affect unaccompanied 
minors in the Centres. The research concludes that despite the solid international legal 
framework and South Africa having a relatively well-developed legal and policy framework 
governing child protection, there are several critical child protection gaps that exist in terms 
of the implementation of these frameworks for unaccompanied or separated foreign children, 
by government officials. 
 
The second article by Terry-Ann Jones and Tamara Last is entitled “European Immigrants 
in Johannesburg: Perceptions, Privileges and their Implications for Migration Experiences”. 
The research examines the experiences of privileged migration and strategies adopted by 
European immigrants to navigate South Africa’s immigration regime. Drawing on qualitative 
data from two independent studies on South African attitudes towards immigrants and 
European immigration to South Africa, the study also critically explores the interplay of 
social recognition and legal authorization in relation to privileged migrants. The study 
discovered that European privileges, such as international mobility and access to resources 
acquired in and by European governments, are reflected in the opinions of European 
immigrants in South Africa, which are contextualized in experiences and legacies of the 
apartheid regime. Furthermore, European immigrants' beliefs define their privileged 
experience and enable their social mobility in a deeply segregated country by exempting them 
from migration politics and xenophobia and facilitating their economic integration.  
 
The third article by Joseph Inyama is entitled “Economic and Risk Perceptions Motivating 
Illegal Migration Abroad: Port Harcourt City Youths, Nigeria”. The study adopted a 
qualitative research methodology to collect data from Port Harcourt City youths on the lived 
experiences of irregular migrants in selected countries abroad. Using the Theory of Reasoned 
Action and the Cultural Theory of Risk Perception, this study investigates the economic and 
risk perceptions related to the livelihood of male and female youths of Port Harcourt City 



about migration to Europe through the Sahara Desert and across the Mediterranean Sea. The 
outcomes of this study reveal that the prospect of a better life and a steady income motivates 
people to undertake dangerous migratory journeys abroad, regardless of the hazards. Besides, 
the survey found that the majority of teenagers who go on perilous excursions lack a thorough 
understanding of the perils of traveling through the desert and across the sea, including the 
difficulties of living abroad as undocumented migrants. This empirical study suggests that 
government agencies and international community partners work together to undertake 
long-term interventions that will strengthen youngsters' resilience to illegal migration. 
 
The fourth article by Fatima Khan and Mikhail Kolabhai is entitled “Bureaucratic Barriers 
to Social Protection for Refugees and Asylum Seekers during the COVID-19 Disaster in 
South Africa”. The COVID-19 pandemic represents a major public health challenge with 
serious economic and social impacts. This research considers the situation of refugees and 
asylum seekers during the pandemic, as well as their social protection status. The findings of 
this study reveal that decades of asylum mismanagement have left asylum seekers and 
refugees without protection at a time when they need it most. The research suggests the 
reframing of asylum administration as a critical disaster readiness infrastructure and vital 
service that could help to catalyze the significant reforms needed to protect these vulnerable 
groups and guarantee that their safety is prioritized. 
 
The fifth article by Paul Asquith and Richard Neetzow, Julia von Freeden and Paul 
Schütze is entitled “The Link between Documentation Status, Occupation Status, and 
Healthcare Access for African Migrants: Evidence from Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa”. 
With the objective to examine the link between registration status, employment or 
occupation status, gender, and (perceptions of) access to healthcare, empirical data was 
collected from three selected countries in East, West and Southern African regions. To look 
into the effects of these various traits, a variety of statistical tests and models were used. The 
findings of this research show that throughout the three sample countries, access for people 
without any documentation is lower than other groups, not only by means but also within 
the linear models. As a result, the researchers strongly propose that, even if only temporarily, 
extending regularization paths in African states would be an effective policy lever for 
improving migrants' access to healthcare and, by extension, migrants' health. They further 
note that the effects of employment status and gender on access to healthcare were more 
ambiguous, and further research in African contexts is required to clarify their impact. 
 
With effective presentations, good organization, and critical argumentation, the writers have 
created analytical and scientific research outcomes. I believe that the African Human Mobility 
Review, Volume 7, Number 2, 2021, will be a useful resource for researchers, practitioners, 
and students. 
 
Professor Mulugeta F. Dinbabo 
Email: editor@sihma.org.za 
Editor-in- Chief, African Human Mobility Review (AHMR) 
Scalabrini Institute for Human Mobility in Africa (SIHMA) 
University of the Western Cape (UWC)  
Cape Town 
South Africa 

mailto:editor@sihma.org.za