SOCIO-ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL FACTORS FOR IRREGULAR MIGRATION TO REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA: THE CASE OF SHONE TOWN IN HADIYA ZONE OF SOUTHERN NATIONS NATIONALITIES AND PEOPLES REGION, ETHIOPIA

Abstract

This study was conducted in Shone administrative town, in Hadiya Zone of Southern Nations Nationalities and Peoples Region. The primary aim of this study was to examine socio economic and cultural factors contributing for irregular migration to RSA. So, to attain the intended objectives, both qualitative and quantitative method of data collection was used. Quantitative data was collected from 141, registered returnee in Shone administrative town. Furthermore, data was collected qualitatively through in-depth interview from government official‟s returnee and migrants‟ household heads and FGD held with religious leaders and elders in the study community. In-depth interview was held on 12 informants and 18 discussants were participated in FGD, So as to supplement the data collected through quantitative methods. A total of 171 respondents participated in this study. The collected data were analyzed by SPSS version 20 which is presented by using frequency and percentages. Were as, qualitative data obtained from in depth interview and FGD analyzed through careful interpretation and content analysis. The findings of the study indicated that socio-economic factors like: - failure to succeed in educational endeavors, low profit in trade at place of origin, low level of income at place of origin, engaging in low wage occupation at place of origin and income inequality created by remittances at a place of origin were identified as socio economic factors motivate youth migration to RSA. Furthermore, the findings of this study identified social network between migrants, the social value attached to migration to RSA, the role of religion migrants affiliated and surrounding communities on individual decision to migrate as a socio cultural factors which drive youth to migrate illegally to RSA. Based on the research findings, conclusion and recommendations were mentioned that would help to minimize the existing factors which motivate people to migrate illegal