Bargaining with the body: the lived experiences of gay Zimbabwean migrants navigating survival and social integration in Cape Town

Abstract

South Africa is often viewed as a safe refuge for LGBTQ+ individuals, yet the reality for queer African migrants is marked by insecurity and exclusion. Despite strong constitutional protections, migrants from highly homophobic contexts continue to face discrimination and marginalisation. This article examines how gay Zimbabwean migrants experience and navigate violence, discrimination and marginalisation across their move to South Africa. As part of a larger study, in-depth interviews took place with five men, with a focus on legal precarity, economic exclusion and institutional bias, including housing insecurity, barriers to healthcare and reliance on survival strategies such as sex work. Participants reported sex work as a survival strategy amidst limited economic opportunities and widespread stigma. Participants' experiences reflected a process of double displacement, as they fled persecution at home only to face prejudice and exclusion in South Africa. The findings challenge narratives that position South Africa as a safe haven and instead highlight the gap between formal legal protections and lived realities. Intersectional, trauma-informed, rights-based programmes are needed to improve healthcare access and promote community support for queer African migrants.