Zimbabwean migrant entrepreneurs in Kempton Park and Tembisa, Johannesburg: challenges and opportunities

Abstract

The study explores the lives of seventeen Zimbabwean entrepreneurs studied in Tembisa and Kempton Park, Johannesburg in 2012. It analyses the structure of opportunity available to these entrepreneurs and argues that although migrants can create employment, they do not necessarily benefit the local populations because their businesses are too small and also because of their reluctance to employ locals whom they consider lazy and troublesome. Zimbabweans originally migrated to South Africa in search of good salaried jobs rather than selfemployment. Self-employment is largely a result of dissatisfaction with theconditions of employment, inability to get desired jobs and having a bettercommand of human and social capital. These migrants have a short history inself-employment and are the first to establish such economic ventures in their families. Their businesses thrive because of hard work, engaging in activities that they are familiar with (thus they do not venture into complicated, unfamiliar territory) and relying on the neighbourhood which serves as a market. All the entrepreneurs studied view South Africa as a land of opportunities where one can establish himself/herself and survive, although the environment is riddled with xenophobia. However, most can be classified as survival entrepreneurs.