Life as struggle: a narrative of coping strategies of elderly refugees in South Africa

Abstract

In Africa, the social displacement resulting in migrations has caused different levels of vulnerability for the refugees and governments of host countries. In South Africa, with one of the highest numbers of refugees in Africa, contention for socio-economic space and cultural differences occasionally result in violence between refugees and local people. For the elderly refugees, risk exposure and hardship have generated interest from scholars and officials. This article focuses on the narratives of coping strategies of elderly refugees in Post-Apartheid South Africa, specifically focusing on the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. Using qualitative data gathered from refugee communities in the Eastern Cape Province, the study found that most elderly refugees lack access to social support, exposing them to different levels of risk and vulnerability. This context foregrounds the narratives of alienation and suffering and the coping strategies against these challenges.