He spends months at a stretch apart from his family and, if he is working illegally, is constantly at risk of being exploited by unscrupulous employers or deported. Life abroad can be lonely, and prostitutes tempting. Many pass it on to their wives back home. But despite these woes, most migrants like migrating. This should come as no surprise.
Migration is usually voluntary.
The closest big war to South Africa is in Angola, over 1,000km away. Those who cross South Africa's borders do so mostly because they expect to better themselves. Remittances from South Africa make a big difference to neighbouring economies. In Lesotho, miners' remittances account for almost a tenth of GDP, although this wobbles with the gold price. In rural villages in Lesotho, the biggest brick house often belongs not to the chief, but to a miner.