Moving to SA- Would love to get your advice.

[WhenweB]

Originally Posted by satori

I don't think an electric gate is essential in some areas , but they are convienient!

We had one years ago in Jo'burg before CT started using them.


I'm with everyone above about having the children on the top floor or on the same floor as you are, that would be my preference too.

I feel for you & WhenweB, having young children makes things more complicated. I came to the UK with a 6, 7 and 11 year old. At the time it was a huge shock for them - they had a fantastic younger childhood splashing about in the pool, enjoying lot's of sunshine and living active outdoor lives. I hope your children will have these benefit's too...it's a lovely life for children.

Mine are very happy here now and totally integrated young adults all living their own lives to the full - but it is hard to think of leaving them even though I plan to straddle the UK & SA if I can.

Guess it is not easy either way...but of late I do wonder if I have done the right thing because now my family will be fragmented again...*sigh*

Can only hope they will come to us for holidays and that somehow we will make it work as best we can...I'm sure we will find a way forwards.

Guess what I am trying to say (badly) is it is never easy when it comes to one's children - one can only do what one feels in ones heart is best and then go from there.

Absolutely and I am sure that your children who are now adults are very close to you because they know you always did what you felt was right for them and it has worked out for you all which is wonderful. I know what you mean about having a fragmented family but you know - I honestly don't think that distance is the issue when it comes to closeness of family members. My husband's family are an hour away and we hardly ever see them because they are so wrapped up in their own lives. My mom lives in Cape Town whilst I am in UK and we see her every year when she comes here (much cheaper to fly her here than for us to go to SA as a family during school holidays) and every alternate Christmas when we go to Cape Town to see her and my brother. We are very close and text most days and if you are all on Skype you will find communicating in the months that you are in different countries quite easy. My daughter is much closer to her gran in CT than to her Nan in Uk purely because Granny is more interested in her and spends quality time with her rather than make an occasional effort when we do get in-laws to see us on Mothers' Day, Birthdays etc or whenever my husband's brother and sister aren't around to keep them entertained!!! Gosh no psychosis there at all is there??!!! Anyway good luck with your move and I do hope it works out for your family. They will love having holidays in SA I am sure and you will be back here before you know it for your "UK months".

[RAVB]

Hi,

I have been following several forums and have got a lot of information which has been very helpful....thank you.

I was born in jo'burg and moved to India when i was 4.I still hold a south african passport. I am now planning to move back to SA and settle down in cape town. I have been there several times (including during the world cup ) and have enjoyed the place alot.

I plan to start a fashion clothing/fabric business as i have a lot of experience in that field.

My biggest concern (like many other people) is safety.
I know that it is not as crazy as people make it out to be. Ive never had any bad experiences during my previous visits.

what are the safest places to live, near the beach.?
I have been looking at houses/apartments in camps bay which i plan to go see during my next visit.Is it safe?
what are the safest areas to work?

I would appreciate any advise.

Thank you
RAVB

[kingofthecastle]

Originally Posted by RAVB

Hi,

I have been following several forums and have got a lot of information which has been very helpful....thank you.

I was born in jo'burg and moved to India when i was 4.I still hold a south african passport. I am now planning to move back to SA and settle down in cape town. I have been there several times (including during the world cup ) and have enjoyed the place alot.

I plan to start a fashion clothing/fabric business as i have a lot of experience in that field.

My biggest concern (like many other people) is safety.
I know that it is not as crazy as people make it out to be. Ive never had any bad experiences during my previous visits.

what are the safest places to live, near the beach.?
I have been looking at houses/apartments in camps bay which i plan to go see during my next visit.Is it safe?
what are the safest areas to work?

I would appreciate any advise.

Thank you
RAVB

Anywhere in Cape Town other than a shanty town is pretty safe. Hardly anywhere by that description is cheap though.

[WhenweB]

Originally Posted by RAVB

Hi,

I have been following several forums and have got a lot of information which has been very helpful....thank you.

I was born in jo'burg and moved to India when i was 4.I still hold a south african passport. I am now planning to move back to SA and settle down in cape town. I have been there several times (including during the world cup ) and have enjoyed the place alot.

I plan to start a fashion clothing/fabric business as i have a lot of experience in that field.

My biggest concern (like many other people) is safety.
I know that it is not as crazy as people make it out to be. Ive never had any bad experiences during my previous visits.

what are the safest places to live, near the beach.?
I have been looking at houses/apartments in camps bay which i plan to go see during my next visit.Is it safe?
what are the safest areas to work?

I would appreciate any advise.

Thank you
RAVB

Cape Town safest in places like Stellenbosch or the Atlantic Seaboard (Milnerton / Table View / Blaauberg) rather than Southern Suburbs (Wynberg / Claremont etc). I would do a lot of research into the viability of the clothing industry - when I went to CT in December the Chinese had totally saturated this market with cheap clothing. I was told the idea behind selling it so cheap was to crash the SA clothing industry, get the monopoly then increase the prices when they had the market share - not sure how true this is just something you may want to investigate before moving there. Camps Bay quite safe but very expensive and quite commercialised / touristy. Nice area though. Good luck.

[vegasboy]

Originally Posted by WhenweB

Cape Town safest in places like Stellenbosch or the Atlantic Seaboard (Milnerton / Table View / Blaauberg) rather than Southern Suburbs (Wynberg / Claremont etc). I would do a lot of research into the viability of the clothing industry - when I went to CT in December the Chinese had totally saturated this market with cheap clothing. I was told the idea behind selling it so cheap was to crash the SA clothing industry, get the monopoly then increase the prices when they had the market share - not sure how true this is just something you may want to investigate before moving there. Camps Bay quite safe but very expensive and quite commercialised / touristy. Nice area though. Good luck.

The golden rule is to do your homework well. There are places that are outright a no-no, i.e. Parklands near Table View etc.

I have read the OP's post and although some on this forum, including me, discourage people to move to South Africa, you should remember that it is our opinion based on many factors, some personal experiences. We want to inform people so they can make an informed decision.

I sensed a fear in the OP's post and would like to encourage you not to After long and thorough consideration you have made the decision to move to South Africa, and you alone know what the best decision for you and your loved ones are. If you follow the general rules, and don't become blazé over time when it comes to issues like safety etc. you should be o.k.

Living in Somerset West and having to travel to Cape Town daily is not a good idea. I would rather look at the southern suburbs. Many (Afrikaans) people live in the northern suburbs where real estate is generally cheaper than the southern suburbs. There are very nice and upmarket areas in the northern suburbs too, but the southern suburbs would be my preference. Enjoy.

[WhenweB]

Originally Posted by vegasboy

The golden rule is to do your homework well. There are places that are outright a no-no, i.e. Parklands near Table View etc.

I have read the OP's post and although some on this forum, including me, discourage people to move to South Africa, you should remember that it is our opinion based on many factors, some personal experiences. We want to inform people so they can make an informed decision.

I sensed a fear in the OP's post and would like to encourage you not to After long and thorough consideration you have made the decision to move to South Africa, and you alone know what the best decision for you and your loved ones are. If you follow the general rules, and don't become blazé over time when it comes to issues like safety etc. you should be o.k.

Living in Somerset West and having to travel to Cape Town daily is not a good idea. I would rather look at the southern suburbs. Many (Afrikaans) people live in the northern suburbs where real estate is generally cheaper than the southern suburbs. There are very nice and upmarket areas in the northern suburbs too, but the southern suburbs would be my preference. Enjoy.

That's interesting Vegasboy - what is wrong with Parklands? Not arguing just that was one of the areas we were considering as the International School is near there so I am keen to hear why it's a no-no area please. My brother is in Sanddrift / Milnerton and seems okay there but I haven't been to Parklands and don't actually know what its like. Thanks.

[RAVB]

Hi WhenWeB,

Thank you very much for the information.I appreciate it .

I am planning a trip to cape town in the next couple of months to study the viability of the clothing industry.I will then take a call.

Thank you once again

[samsings]

Originally Posted by RAVB

Hi WhenWeB,

Thank you very much for the information.I appreciate it .

I am planning a trip to cape town in the next couple of months to study the viability of the clothing industry.I will then take a call.

Thank you once again

My two cents. The S.A government is heavily taxing clothing imports to ewncourage local textiles to rejuvinate. Add to that in china and India the workers are demanding higher wages and less working hours and there is much discontent in that arena. I think you won't do badly with your plan to start a clothing line here at all.

[vegasboy]

Originally Posted by WhenweB

That's interesting Vegasboy - what is wrong with Parklands? Not arguing just that was one of the areas we were considering as the International School is near there so I am keen to hear why it's a no-no area please. My brother is in Sanddrift / Milnerton and seems okay there but I haven't been to Parklands and don't actually know what its like. Thanks.

I have family living in Parklands who recently sold their house and another family member trying to get out.

WhenweB, I prefer not to give my personal opinion on the state of affairs in Parklands, but read through these posts from another unrelated forum to get an idea. It is referred to as Little Lagos and other names.... CARforums.co.za - View topic - Att off CapeTronites

[DonoZA]

My advice: don't do it. An entire generation of the white population (who have left since '94, more in the last few years) can't be wrong.