The integration of migration into municipal sustainable development planning in the city of UMhlathuze

Abstract

<title>Abstract</title> Migration, as a global phenomenon, affects municipalities not only in South Africa but across the globe, therefore, it must be factored into municipal policy, planning, and budget processes. Sustainable Development Goal target 10.7.2 aims at facilitating orderly, safe, regular, and responsible migration and mobility of people through the implementation of planned and well-managed migration policies at global, national, regional, and local levels. Applying the concept of institutional liberalism to understand inclusive and democratic institutional planning, this paper explores and reports the integration of migration into municipal development planning in the City of uMhlathuze, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Following a case study qualitative approach, 20 municipal officials were interviewed, municipal documents were extensively reviewed to collect data and data were analysed using thematic analysis. The findings reveal that despite an increasing number of foreign migrants in the municipality, migration is not integrated into municipal development planning. Given that migration is directly linked to at least 11 of the 17 SDGs, this paper argues that the SDGs cannot be domesticated and achieved at the local government level if migrants are excluded in development planning processes.