Migration and remittances in South Africa

The chapter draws from two data sources to describe patterns and trends of internal migration and remittances in South Africa and explore what these mean for rural households. These are the National Income Dynamics Study (NIDS 2008-17) and the South African Population Research Infrastructure Network (2000-17). NIDS data show that at a national level there are high levels of non-resident household membership. As much as 24 per cent of African rural households have a non-resident member. This reflects temporary migration, especially of young adults. SAPRIN shows that temporary migration rates remain persistent over time, while definitive migration shows a gradual decline in incidence after 2003. Some temporary migrants send remittances, mostly of money, but also clothes and food. The study shows amounts averaging R1,100 per month from female migrants and R1,500 per month from male migrants in 2017. These can play a crucial role in food security for the poorest rural households and in improving human capital in better-off rural households. What has not been explored here are costs to the household of temporary migration, which help to explain why more households do not send temporary migrants. These include financial costs, but the main two areas of concern are health and social connection.