Maart 2013: jaargang 10, nommer 1 - LitNet

LitNet Akademies Jaargang 10 (1), Maart 2013
This emigration phenomenon has received a good deal of attention in the media, with the
focus often on the socio-political factors behind the motivation to emigrate. The main reasons
regularly identified are the high crime levels, affirmative action, corruption and uncertainty
regarding the economic situation. The question, “Should I stay or should I go?” often
highlights the dilemma at the heart of these debates and is explored at the beginning of this
article.
However, in comparison little attention has been given to the psychological motivations as
well as the experiences of those South Africans who decide to emigrate. An overview of
some relevant local and international literature related to the process of emigration is
provided by the authors. This highlights the main losses linked to emigration, specifically
with regard to language, culture and personal relationships. It also describes the processes
that individuals and families go through when they emigrate from their country of origin.
The focus of this article is on some of the psychological experiences unique to Afrikaansspeaking
emigrants associated with their decision to leave South Africa. The data used for
this article formed part of a larger research project on South African emigration. The main
aim of this qualitative study was to explore the experiences and motivations of those South
Africans emigrating, as well as of those family members and friends left behind.
Furthermore, the project wanted to shed light on the impact that emigration is having on
South African family life and social structures.
Ten South African families, from different cultural backgrounds, where at least one member
of the family was emigrating, formed part of the study. A number of semi-structured
interviews were carried out with participants leaving the country and six months later with
some of the family members and friends left behind.
Questions to those emigrating attempted to cover a number of areas, such as (i) reasons for
the emigration; (ii) expectations regarding country of destination; (iii) the losses envisaged in
the process of emigration; (iv) the ways of maintaining contact with family and friends; and
(v) the manner of preparation for the emigration. A thematic analysis was carried out to
identify a number of relevant themes. The results described in this article are specific to the
experiences of those seven families in the larger research project where at least one of the
members of the marital couple was Afrikaans-speaking.
The results of this study suggest that Afrikaans-speaking inhabitants may be experiencing a
sense of alienation and loss in the "new" South Africa which may have influenced their
decision to leave. Other reasons leading to the decision to emigrate included socio-political
factors, a need for change and/or professional improvement, and wanting to provide better
opportunities for one’s children. Participants had many expectations regarding the country of
destination, often linked to the reasons for leaving, but mostly emphasising a safer
environment and better opportunities for their offspring.
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