A Mixed Reception: Mozambican and Congolese Refugees in South Africa

This research paper examines the experiences of Congolese forced migrants in South Africa, detailing their transition from a middle-class professional background in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to survivalist roles in the South African informal economy. It analyzes the demographic profile of these refugees, the social networks they form, the institutional barriers they face, and their specific niches within the urban labor market.

• Congolese refugees in South Africa are predominantly young, male, and highly educated, representing a significant influx of human capital. A 2003 baseline survey found that 47% have a tertiary education and 33% have matric, with only 4% being unemployed in their home country.
• Despite their high education levels, Congolese refugees experience severe social and economic dislocation in South Africa. Unemployment rose from 4% in the DRC to 29% in South Africa, and 50% are employed in unskilled work such as street vending, car guarding, and hair cutting.
• Congolese refugees often lack a unified community identity in Johannesburg, instead relying on tight-knit, parochial ethnic networks known as 'tribes' or 'families'. These networks provide survival assistance and act as a means of cultural preservation and resistance to assimilation.
• Refugees face systemic discrimination and institutional failure in South Africa. Despite legal rights to healthcare and education, they are often forced to pay fees or denied service; 17% of those seeking emergency healthcare were denied access, and 71% of those who applied for refugee status since April 2000 were still awaiting a decision by late 2003.
• Corruption is institutionalized within the Department of Home Affairs, where 'interpreters' (Tindikuers) often charge refugees fees to facilitate asylum applications. In the baseline survey, 29% of respondents were asked to pay to submit their applications, with a median fee of R400 for DRC nationals.
• Congolese refugees have carved out specific niches in the informal labor market, particularly as car guards and barbers, often dominating these sectors because they provide cheaper services or are more reliable than local workers.

APA

Steinberg, J. (2005). A Mixed Reception: Mozambican and Congolese Refugees in South Africa. Institute for Security Studies. https://issafrica.org/01-jun-2005-monograph-no-117-a-mixed-reception-mozambican-and-congolese-refugees-in-south-africa-jonny-steinberg/part-two

Chicago

Steinberg, Jonny. A Mixed Reception: Mozambican and Congolese Refugees in South Africa. Institute for Security Studies, 2005. https://issafrica.org/01-jun-2005-monograph-no-117-a-mixed-reception-mozambican-and-congolese-refugees-in-south-africa-jonny-steinberg/part-two.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Steinberg |first1=Jonny |title=A Mixed Reception: Mozambican and Congolese Refugees in South Africa |publisher=Institute for Security Studies |date=1 June 2005 |url=https://issafrica.org/01-jun-2005-monograph-no-117-a-mixed-reception-mozambican-and-congolese-refugees-in-south-africa-jonny-steinberg/part-two |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{steinberg2005mixed, author = {Steinberg, Jonny}, title = {{A Mixed Reception: Mozambican and Congolese Refugees in South Africa}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, year = {2005}, month = jun, url = {https://issafrica.org/01-jun-2005-monograph-no-117-a-mixed-reception-mozambican-and-congolese-refugees-in-south-africa-jonny-steinberg/part-two}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }