What are the main causes of rural-urban migration in South Africa: Concept of rural-urban migration: in South Africa, people move out of rural areas due to negative factors in the rural areas, for example:
- unemployment,
- poverty,
- poor services
These negative factors are referred to as push factors. The positive factors in urban areas, which attract people to cities are called pull factors.
The challenges that rural-urban migration cause in South Africa
The influx of people to urban areas poses great challenges to the government and it’s resources allocation process, such as:
- increased population-growth in urban area
- increased housing infrastructure challenges.
Causes and consequences of rural depopulation on people and the economy:
- Young adults move away and more so young men
- Elderly, women and children are left behind
- Productivity in rural areas drop
- Income declines
- Services close down as they are not supported anymore
- Poverty increases
- More people leave the rural areas
- Displacement of families and social problems
Solutions to rural-urban migration in South Africa
The following are the solutions to the rural-urban migration challenges in South Africa, which the government can apply:
- Job creation projects in rural areas
- Decentralisation of industries
- Development corridors
- Improved basic services in rural areas
- Skills development in rural areas
- Farming related industries in rural areas
- Improved transport, health, education services
- Retirement villages in rural towns to attract people there
- Incentives for professionals and employers to settle in rural areas
- Development of eco-tourism through conservation of natural habitats and thus creating income opportunities for the local population
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