Mapping Children on the Move within Africa
Map 5: the Eastern Route:339
4.1.4 The Southern Route
The Southern Route joins the East and Horn of Africa to South Africa, with Kenya being the main
hub of transit.340 Other transit countries along the route are Tanzania, Malawi and Mozambique.341
The route stretches about 4,500 kilometers.342 The route is majorly used by Ethiopian and Somali.343
Generally, the route is less popular compared to other routes and it is not well documented as
well as understood as many of the other routes out of Africa.344
According to RMMS there is relatively limited data available on movement through the Southern
route from the Horn of Africa via the Eastern Corridor through Kenya towards South Africa.345
Notably, conservative estimates point out that the number of undocumented migrants from
other African States in South Africa are in the region of 3 million – 6 million.346 There is evidence
indicating that unaccompanied minors take the journey to Southern Africa. In 2016, about 15
unaccompanied Ethiopian Children were intercepted and detained by Zambian government for
illegal entry.347
Estimates indicate that the number of people moving from the East and Horn of Africa using
the route have been on the decline. A study carried out in 2009 indicated that annually between
339
340
341
342
343
344
345
346
347
As above.
Marchand (n 312 above)p 32.
As above.
L Katy & C Jeff, In harm’s way: the irregular movement of migrants to Southern Africa from the
Horn and Great Lakes regions (2011) New issues in refugee research, Research paper no. 200.
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Geneva, Switzerland p 1.
GIZ et al, irregular Migration from and in the East and Horn of Africa (2016) p 31.
As above.
RMMS (n 272 above) p 25.
As above.
As above.
63