Immigration and Domestic Politics in South Africa: Contradictions of the Rainbow Nation

Abstract

The region of Southern Africa has been part of the glob­ al capitalist system since its inception in the late 1 5th century, when Portugal i ncorporated Angola and Mozam­ bique into its empi re . I n 1 652 the Dutch East I ndia Com ­ pany established a " refreshment station " at the Cape of Good Hope for sh ips travel l ing between Europe and the Far East . 1 From that time the region has experienced several periods of deepening incorporation i nto the glob­ a l system . Since the dismantl i ng of the system of white suprem ­ acy known as apartheid i n 1 994, The Republic of South Africa's h istoric position as the hub of the regional econ ­ omy has continued , and today it is a lso vying for eco­ nomic leadershi p of a l l of sub-Saharan Africa . A system of migratory labor which operated th roughout Southern