From Strong Ties to Weak Ties: Social Networks and Precarity among Undocumented Zimbabwean Waitrons

Social networks are an integral part of migrant city life in the absence of the legal and moral obligation to care that formal citizenship provides, which is unavailable to labour migrants. Social networks serve as recruitment tools for employees and migrants, and their use is visible in the hospitality industry, where employees are exposed to precarious work. The study used narrative interviews to examine how undocumented Zimbabwean waiters in Johannesburg use social networks to mitigate economic precarity. The study found that Zimbabwean waiters working in Johannesburg’s precarious hospitality sector rely on social networks. I found evidence demonstrating the importance of social networks; however, these networks are not only strong social connections but also weak ties, religious networks, and – perhaps most importantly – overt patterns of disconnections. While social networks can play an important role in migrants’ (and others’) success, they are not without potential risks. In light of this, this study sought to systematically investigate the role of social networks in mitigating precarity. This study adds to the emerging field of social networks among marginalised groups and to a growing literature on migrant integration in the social and economic environments of the global south.