Dynamics of undocumented Mozambican labour migration to South Africa

Notwithstanding the controls undocumented labour migration from Mozambique to South Africa continues unabated and deportations have been taking place almost daily. Hence administrative measures such as deportations and strict control of borders do not stop the illegal immigration into South Africa. To understand how the undocumented Mozambican labour migration to South Africa happens in terms of its dynamics the 'social capital theory' (particularly the network theory) and 'theory of cumulative causation' appear to be the most relevant. The resort to the social networks is the main feature of undocumented migrants. However some economic approaches such as the 'neoclassical theory' and the theory of 'the new economics of migration' are relevant to understand the causes of migration as well as the migration decision-making process.