OIDA International Journal of Sustainable Development
Open-access peer-reviewed journal
https://doi.org/10.64211/oidaijsd190719
Opening Borders in Africa: Economic Development, Socio-Economic Rights, and the #PutSouthAfricaFirst Discourse
Katlego Arnold Mashego 1,* ,Tshilidzi Knowles Khangala 2
Department of Law, Safety and Security Management, Faculty of Humanities, Tshwane University of Technology, Pretoria, South Africa
*Corresponding authour: kat.vsp@gmail.com
Volume 19, Issue 07, Pg. 253-260, 2026.
Abstract: Debates around the opening of borders in Africa have intensified in recent years, particularly in relation to economic development, migration, and the enforcement of socio-economic rights. Proponents argue that the free movement of goods and people can enhance intra-African trade, promote skills transfer, and support economic growth. Critics, however, caution that open borders may place additional pressure on public services, labour markets, and already strained socio-economic rights systems in certain countries. This paper examines the relationship between the opening of borders, economic development, and the enforcement of socio-economic rights in Africa, with a specific focus on South Africa. It analyses South Africa’s constitutional framework for socio-economic rights and compares it with selected African constitutions. The paper further considers the role of institutions responsible for enforcing these rights, including the courts, the South African Human Rights Commission, and non-governmental organisations. Using the #PutSouthAfricaFirst discourse as a point of reference, the paper explores public resistance to migration and the perceived impact of cross-border movement on access to housing, healthcare, education, food, water, and social security. The analysis demonstrates that while regional integration remains an important long-term goal, the effective enforcement of socio-economic rights is closely linked to domestic economic capacity, institutional effectiveness, and governance. The paper argues that, in the current context, strengthening national economies and socio-economic rights frameworks remains a critical priority.
Keywords: Africa, Borders, economic development, constitution, socio-economic rights
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