ABSTRACT
The history of Southern Africa, like that of the whole of the continent, is characterised by migration, settlements, intergroup relations and interactions, identity diffusion, conflicts and collaboration. Southern African countries have a shared history as well as linguistic and cultural ties. Thus, it is not incidental that the present political economy of Southern Africa is linked to the historical trajectory of the area. The present and the future scenario of regionalism in Southern Africa can be, to some extent, approached and understood in the context of the past. The rise of intraregional labour migration and market facilitated greater cultural ties and identity diffusion in the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) region. The vision of the SADC is to create amongst all the “countries and peoples of Southern Africa, a vision of a shared future, a future within a regional community”.
