Page 13 - Dainfern Precinct Living Issue 7_2023
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MY CHILD HA S "I read somewhere that airports he experience of many South 000 South Africans emigrated in the
MY CHILD HAS
African parents left behind
decade from 1995 to 2005. According
are story making factories:
after the emigration of an
to City Press, between 2006 and 2016,
People waiting to watch their Tadult child resonates with
another 102 793 emigrants left South
EMIGRATED
TED
EMIGRA loved ones walk further and the above quote. The average age Africa. Although the figures are not yet
of the emigrants is between 25 and
available, it is expected that the number
further away from them until
29 years old, resulting in a growing
of South Africans living abroad will
generation of parents having to adapt
have reached one million by the end of
they can no longer be seen.
Today is my turn... you with a their lives, to accept that their children the 2018, resulting in a disheartening
and grandchildren are not living in
number of parents remaining behind in
backpack filled with dreams on close proximity, not even on the same South Africa.
your way to another continent, continent. Among all the changes human beings
and me with my memories These parents inevitably become part must face throughout their lives, few
bidding you farewell, not of a transnational family. are as wide and complex as those that
take place during migration. This is true
knowing when I will see you MIGRATION STATISTICS not only for the emigrant but also for
again. I wanted to paste a red Statistics from the United Nations those left behind.
show that the number of international
and white ‘Fragile: Handle with migrants worldwide has continued to Emigration is a systemic interactional
Care’ sticker like a band aid grow rapidly in recent years, reaching phenomenon that never really ends –
258 million in 2017, up from 220 million
for both parent and child. The ‘drama’
plaster over my heart to ease the in 2010 and 173 million in 2000. South of migration generally begins long
pain." -Sulette Ferreira Africa is no exception and has lost before the physical act of leaving and
many former citizens to emigration, unfolds in various stages. The prologue
especially over the last two decades. to migration begins when the first
The South African Institute for Race concrete moves are made by family
Relations estimates that around 800 members toward a commitment to
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DPL issue 7 2023
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