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Makhanda, South Africa: A Case Report of Refugees in Towns
The Makhanda case report compares the experiences of migrants integrating to a small African town named Makhanda (formerly Grahamstown) to the experiences of those living in South Africa’s major urban centers like Johannesburg, Cape Town, and Durban. It explores how perceptions of insecurity from xenophobic, racist attacks vary from major cities to small towns; migrants’ economic and social impact on the town of Makhanda; and how the limited presence of migration management offices in small towns can both benefit and make difficult the integration attempts of migrants. It draws from the experiences of the author, a Zimbabwean migrant who has lived both in Cape Town and Makhanda, South Africa.