Thea de Gruchy

My chief research interest is around the development and implementation of policy in contexts in which multiple spheres of governance, from local state administration to intergovernmental and aid organizations, interact. My PhD research uses a case study of responses to issues around migration and health in Vhembe District, in South Africa, to unpack these processes.

Bordering Zimbabwe, a large number of Zimbabwean nationals arrived in the District between 2007 and 2009, fleeing either political violence or the effects of a crippling cholera outbreak. Many international organizations, including Medécins sans Frontières and the International Organisation for Migration, entered the district at this time in response to the developing crisis, and some stayed to implement interventions with identified vulnerable population groups, including migrant farm workers. Consequently, the governance and administration of the area have been informed by the constant movement of people and goods across the border and the ways in which service provision is challenged by this movement, as well as the involvement of non-state actors.

This project has allowed me to explore questions about policymaking and governance, critical humanitarianism, migration, health, and the organization of the agricultural sector in South Africa.