The Socio-Legal Impact of Nigerian and South African Migrants in Gauteng Province (Johannesburg) of South Africa and Lagos State in Nigeria Respectively.

Order Description
This research will be centred on the socio-legal impact of Nigerian migrants in Johannesburg, Gauteng Province and their South Africans counterparts in Lagos.

The research will contribute to scholarship in the areas of peaceful conflict resolution as it relates to Nigeria and South Africa, particularly as it relates to the bilateral relationship between the two countries, and the fallout of the same relationship on the migrants. For example the rippling effect of the fairly recent death of some South African citizens in the Synagogue church in Nigeria and the 9.3 million dollars smuggled into South Africa by the Nigerian Government on the migrants, as well as the xenophobic attacks.

This research will point out the benefits both countries tend to derive by allowing migrants from both countries to socially integrate, be it normal migrants or as it relates to Mode IV of the World Trade Organisation trade in services -the presence of natural person in other countries or irregular migrants in search of greener pastures-. It will also review the “love- hate” relationship between the citizens of both countries, while highlighting the mutual benefits the countries derives from each other, as it relates to migrants investment both in short and long-term investment.

This research will also allay the fears of the migrants, as well as citizens of both countries by striving to make facts and figures known to the public on what both countries stand to gain when migrants are properly integrated and lose in the face of continued animosity and violence towards each other.

The research will also touch on the effect of consolidated efforts by both countries at cementing long-term relationship.

This research is important also given the fact that African migration patterns are generally believed to be south to north basis, but research has shown even that African migration are becoming increasingly important for African migrants, given that 5% of African migrants heads towards Europe or North America but a whooping 92% migrate within Africa itself. This is particularly evident in the number of Nigerians found in other Africa countries, especially South Africa. While discussing this, visa regime will be looked into as regards the frustrations faced by each other’s migrants. Also South African migrants in Nigeria, particularly in Lagos will also be brought to focus here, as it relates to their social integration, contributions to the economy, and treatment meted to them vis -a- vis their Nigerian counterpart in Johannesburg. .

The expected result of this research is to ascertain(what: the living conditions?)_ the Nigerian migrants in Johannesburg , particularly as it relates to their social integration in the areas of permanent residence and work permits, marriage, jobs and job security, health care, housing and social benefits, as well as remittance, both formal and informal.

The proposed arrangements for conducting this research in order to ascertain the allusions above will be to conduct survey in terms of interview with the affected people.

This will range from successful professional(s), businessmen, shop-owners, destitute individuals, students on campus, the home country eateries, entry port officers and the Nigerian High Commission. This will be balanced on the scale of the enabling migration laws, both regional and international, as well as the enabling treaties and bilateral agreements both in Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the Economy Community of West African States (ECOWAS), that surrounds international migration.