A SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE PERSPECTIVE ON MIGRATION

From time to time reports about xenophobic attacks on foreigners make news headlines in South Africa. As recently as September 2012 the Mail and Guardian reported on the distribution of letters to foreigners living in Mayfair, Johannesburg, threatening them with death because they are foreign (Parker, 2012). The phenomenon of migration, refugees and citizens fleeing their country of origin to settle in another country is an internationally recognised phenomenon and one that is relevant to social work practice. The social work profession strives to improve the quality of life of all as well as promoting social justice, inclusive of immigrants and refugees, without getting involved in the political or ideological struggle associated with the country’s foreign policy (Hepworth, Rooney, Rooney & Strom-Gottfried, 2013:4). Social workers intervene in migrant-related issues during the course of their day-to-day practice