Back to South Africa forum

To anyone thinking of moving to South Africa.

Posted in South Africa forum

I hve noticed a good few people posting that they are thinking of moving here. DONT DO IT!!!
I moved here in 2005 and I can honestly say it was one of the worst decisions of my life.
I came here to be with my wife and the mother of my son as we were unable to move back to the uk after we were married. As a uk citizen marrying a non citizen it is a hell of a lot simpler (and cheaper) to live as a married couple outside the uk for five years. I had never been to SA and liked what I saw when I got here. My brother in law had a building company here and offered me a position as a foreman (I am a bricklayer to trade). This only lasted about 12 months and he shut the business down. Since then I have been scratching around looking for work! Thank god my wife has had a constant job since we got here!
I saw on a post from a couple of days ago someone was asking about the anti-white employment legisltion that we have here. IT EXISTS AND THEY KEEP AMENDING IT!!! We started with B.E.E (black economic empowerment)targetting white men as personna non grata. Now we have B.B.E.E (broad based black empowerment)targetting all white people, male and female as being unemployable!! If you are a white male then stay where you are, you wont get work here! If you are a white woman, same rules apply! Unless you have independant financial means do NOT consider SA as an option! Should you be lucky enough to have the means then ber in mind that the thieves target rich white people, even poor white people are crime victims. I have been robbed at gunpoint three times in the last three years, had my house broken into twice and my wife has been hijacked twice!!
There are those out there who would tell you I am being a drama queen. Suit yourself!! I wouldnt take the risk! No doubt you are wondering why we dont go back to the uk? Simple. My wife's salary only just covers our living costs with nothing to spare, so where must we find the money to go abroad?
Hope everyone heeds the advice of someone who has been here a while and knows how damn difficult things are being made for us here!

  • posted by  in South Africa forum 

    Petrol just went up by 93c. How on earth must the poor live. Food etc will all increase now. Did you guys see how the police shot and killed those innocent miners?

  • posted by  in South Africa forum 

    Dear Jordan
    You should not hide behind the rose and make such a big lie. You said I quote:
    YOU "The approach of the government about AA BEE etc is plain racist. The apartheid government never had such strict racist applications”.
    ME. We all know the truth
    YOU “Employers are FORCED to employ a certain percentage of blacks. A friend who is an attorney, runs his business by himself without any employees, yet is constantly harrassed by authorities as to why he has not employed any blacks” !!!
    ME. He will prefer to employ a white foreigner instead of giving the opportunity to a black South Afrcan
    YOU. “In apartheid time there were jobs for everyone, although some jobs were never open for blacks and coloureds”.
    ME. Another big lie, No real Job or education was open to blacks.
    YOU “Now, white men are the losers all the way round”.
    ME. Nothing is permanent except change. Things have to change and please give black people who are the majority to get the chance or equal opportunity. People have to create opportunities fr themselves. I have my consulting practice. I do not ask or expect anything from the government.
    “No wonder so many have left to work overseas where their qualifications are acknowledged. The joke about this is that many of these come to work in South Africa on contract with international firms, and then they earn way more than they would have if they had been employed in South Africa”.
    ME. I studied in Germany, did my PhD, and never expected anything from the German or South African Government. Hard working people can earn what they deserve. It is not the problem of black or white.
    ME. Borther or sister, come back home, there is nothing for you in Germany. I am at the moment in Germany on ontract as consultant, I am also earning more and I will bring it home.
    Lets work for out country and continent and stop crying. Stop the black and white things

  • arum jourdan

    posted by  in South Africa forum 

    What is stated above - each one gives a valid point. Not every day is the same in South Africa. Not every place is the same. So what one person experiences will not be the same as the other person´s experiences.
    South Africa has a terrible crime problem, the government laughs it off and tries to sweep it all under the mat.
    Problem is: the government is incompetent, incapable of getting things sorted out, schooling, municipal problems, electricity and CRIME.

    The approach of the government about AA BEE etc is plain racist. The apartheid government never had such strict racist applications. Employers are FORCED to employ a certain percentage of blacks. A friend who is an attorney, runs his business by himself without any employees, yet is constantly harrassed by authorities as to why he has not employed any blacks !!!

    In apartheid time there were jobs for everyone, although some jobs were never open for blacks and coloureds. Now, white men are the losers all the way round. No wonder so many have left to work overseas where their qualifications are acknowledged. The joke about this is that many of these come to work in South Africa on contract with international firms, and then they earn way more than they would have if they had been employed in South Africa.

    We are presently living in Germany. We left because of over 20 break-ins on our property, the worsening economic situation and because we feared for our daughters´ saftey. Rape incidence is far too high to dismiss it as a joke, as some politicians do. My life here is not utopia, I also struggle to find work, people are also racists here, stuck up and think they know better.

    I cannot wait for our pension so that we can return to SA and settle in a small town near my family in the Western Cape, which is the only province that is functioning properly. We will have to do some sort of work to keep our heads above water. Handiwork, baking or gardening. In South Africa it is much easier to get odd jobs than in Germany. Even delivering pizzas brings in some welcome cash.

    And is one has learned a trade, Rob Vaughan, then one can look for jobs or offer one´s services on gumtree for example. One has to lower one´s standards and take what one can get. One or 2 weeks of renovating someone´s bathroom is better than sitting at home and lamenting one´s fate. At least the weather is better in SA than in the UK. No heating costs. But, on the other hand, you can go on the dole in the UK, in SA not.

  • posted by  in South Africa forum 

    Hahahahahah you must be from Jupertor os venus.
    Suadi
    qatar
    yemen
    indonesia
    malaysia
    etc
    etc
    etc
    You tel me the percentage of crime in those countries.
    South Africa is moving backwards as far as crime is concerned and the judicial system is a joke.

  • posted by  in South Africa forum 

    My friend Josias,
    I have nothing personal with you, but let me teach you that crime is everywhere. I am at the moment in Germany one of the most safest country in the world, but in Berlin and other sates they are petty crime. All over in Africa crime exist. There is not safe place in the planet as Abdul said.
    We held the world cup and other major events in South Africa despite worldwide criticism about crime in South Africa, but all these events went on safely.
    You cannot from one incident stigmatize a country. Africa has always been stigmatized by people like you. If you are not proud to be here go to a safe place that is your freedom. Really I have nothing personal against you, but it irritates me to hear that all the time from brothers.
    Brother, think before you write if you are a proud African. Africa is always hell while other part of the world are heaven.
    Any with good plan can live well in South Africa and this land and continent welcome every one not like Europe or other country. A black African man is not welcome even in other poor countries out of Africa.
    Thanks

  • posted by  in South Africa forum 

    Hi every one. Last week my nieces husband was on his way home. Near his home, a taxi cliped the rear of his car on the side. He then stopped to acess the damage and the taxi drove off. Furios he followed the taxi for about 3 kilometers. The taxi eventualy stoped and he slowed towards the taxi. As he aproached, the driver came around the front pointing a gun at him. With shock he drove on and a shot was fired. The bullet narrowly missed him embeding in the dashboard. A LIFE, window, broken dash later. I DO NOT THINK ITS WORTH LIVING HARE AND WHE PREACH A ONDERFULL COUNTRY

  • posted by  in South Africa forum 

    Hi, my name was used in the previous letter. I am born South African, but have to admit we are moving backwards.
    1. No more free schooling.
    2. No more free health.
    3. Wages very low.
    4. Food very expensive.
    5. Electricity exorbitant
    6. Petrol very expensive.
    7. No real transport system
    8. poverty all over.
    9 . unemployment very high.
    10. NO apprentice ship any longer
    11. old age grants a very low
    12. safety very very worrying
    13. the country has moved backwards since 1994. If you sit back and you compare the quality of life is not the same.
    I do not know where you grew up but most probably not in south africa.
    caio!

  • linda elle

    posted by  in South Africa forum 

    Enough said, how many south africans are returned back to SA at the UK airports. U lucky you still in the why complain, first understand where the country its from. Why didn't you move to the US after marrying your wife. No offence

  • posted by  in South Africa forum 

    Stop blaming South Africa from doing what is practice in your country.
    What I have noticed is all western foreigners expect South Africa to be different by treating white foreigners differently. I will say there is opportunity for everybody in South Africa, but no opportunity for people looking for jobs black people can do. You do expect African to do cleaning job in your country and you came to Africa wanting to do highly paid job, or what they can so that they remain jobless. In Europe doors are not widely open for black and Africans, discriminated for everything, Job, housing, paper I can name them. If you respect the requirement to stay, work, make business in South Africa, no one will discriminate against you. It is not correct what Redewaan Josiasfor is saying, there is completion, if he is qualified he will get the job instead of sabotaging his country.
    Today in south Africa most companies are owned and led by whites, It is not easy for a black qualify South African to get jobs if it is not AA or EE, worst for many black African foreigners living here. Most of these companies give preference to white foreigners than African foreigners. Some preferences even go to less qualify white foreigner than black qualify African foreigners.
    If you are legal in the country, you will enjoy it you will do what you want. It is rare in South Africa to stop a white and ask for papers, but if you are black look different, the SAPS will stop most of the time. In the west, they stop black and non white all the time.
    Stop blaming South Africa from doing what is practice in your country.

  • Go to Rob Vaughan's profile

    posted by  in South Africa forum 

    There is always someone in every chatroom who will say "things are not that bad" etc, ad nauseum! Not going to argue the point, by the sounds of it you are of retiring age? Congratulations! Now try starting out under the CURRENT situation here!! As I was reading your reply I was waiting for you to tell me "there are no unemployed people here, they are there by choice", did I mention ad nauseum? As for there being plenty of legitimate work? Please tell me, sounds like you know a lot more about the employment situation here in Joburg than I do. Things are very different in PE than here! As for living in a "quiet farming area". Love to! Must be nice to have those kinds of choices!

Post a reply