Abstract:
ABSTRACT
This paper analyses what has arguably become a salient feature of a ‘just city’ and social
development on an international level, namely social justice. Specifically, it focuses on the
role of the Johannesburg’s civil society organisations in promoting greater social justice for
forced migrants (refugees and asylum seekers) living in the downtown Johannesburg. For this
purpose, a case study was carried out, particularly with Africa’s forced migrants living in the
inner city of Johannesburg (in Hillbrow and Yeoville). The research makes use of in-depth
interview and participant observation methods to uncover the perspectives of a group of
refugees and asylum seekers and members of seven civil society organisations, working with
forced migrants in Johannesburg. The main research question that the study addresses is:
What role can civil society organisations play in facilitating greater social justice for Africa’s
asylum seekers and refugees living in the inner city of Johannesburg?
I have concluded that Johannesburg’s civil society organisations have the potential, which
may allow them to bring social transformation and create a just city by promoting a greater
social justice for forced migrants living in the inner city. To achieve this goal, they should
play a reformative and transformative role in the inner city, by challenging government
exclusionary policies and decisions relating to the forced migrants; and, at the same time, they
should mediate between the government and forced migrants at the local and national levels.
To conclude this report, I recommended civil society organisations to develop strong
collaboration with the city’s planners for a better improvement of the quality of life of forced
migrants in the inner city. I also recommend the national government to decentralise its
decision-making power on international migration issues by conferring to the provinces and
local governments certain power which can allow them to develop internal structures (taking
into account the context of each province), which can allow them to protect the basic rights of
refugees and asylum seekers, such as the rights to work, to study, and to access free health care.
