DOCUMENTING THE EXODUS: THE DIMENSIONS AND LOCAL CAUSES OF BECHUANALAND WOMEN'S MIGRATION TO SOUTH AFRICA, 1920–1966

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Abstract
While research on southern African women's migration has been building since the early 1980s, virtually nothing has yet been written on female migration from Bechuanaland. Contrary to much of the past (and popular) thinking of Botswana's history, Tswana women did migrate to South Africa. This paper fills a gap in the literature by examining the post-1920 migration of Tswana women to South Africa. This period witnessed an abrupt change in the character of Tswana women's migration. Whereas most early migrants were married women working on western Transvaal farms, the post-1920 movement witnessed soaring numbers, new urban destinations, and new types of migrant. The paper addresses the dimensions and local causes of migration, pointing out, at the same time, the difficulties of getting an accurate reading of the dimensions and directions of women's migrancy.