moving to Durban Balito

[Loyiwe]

ok i dont know much abt the city......so thats something new for me i got to find out...but what to do now that we have alredy bought a house?

[Loyiwe]

yes dear iam happy with all advances so i just find out today how to reply on this chat line sorry dear its not that i was being unpolite with yr. reply...but are you s.african?

[Halo]

Originally Posted by Loyiwe

ok i dont know much abt the city......so thats something new for me i got to find out...but what to do now that we have alredy bought a house?

#
You bought a house there.....?? Where are you from?

[Loyiwe]

yes iam african but danish citizen......lived in Europe for 21yrs and could like to settle in SA and thats why we bought a house in Balito

[Halo]

Why not live Denmark? Its like a real country.

[Zimtony]

I agree with Halo - Durbs is a dump nowdays. In fact, if God was going to give South Africa an enema, I bet it would be stuck in Durban!

[Loyiwe]

ok but in any case that dont change our mind to sell our house in Balito............gud knows what will happen to that time we wish to move down there to S.Africa mean while HOPE

[anirac]

I agree Durban is definitely not the best city to live in If you are going to work in the private sector (there is a medi-clinic in Pietermaritzburg) or netcare, your salary can be anything from R 8000 to R 10 000 if you are a registered nurse. Assistants or staff nurses earn much less. The government hospitals pay more than the private sector, but unfortunately the work conditions are not very good. Healthcare in the government sector is poor and peopl often have to wait in cues for treatment, just to be sent home again. Hospitals are mostly understaffed and have very limited supplies. If you are going to be the only earner in the house and you don't have substantial savings to come over with, you are going to battle to make a living.
Crime is high in Durban, I would not recommend Durban city centre - It is a scary place Balito is nice
Do your homework first before coming otherwise you might be disappointed.

[Ericak]

Hi. I currently live in Ballito. So, let me give you the real facts and not some stories from people who've past through... know Durban etc. Ballito is nothing like Durban. We moved to Ballito from Johannesburg because we wanted to get away from crime. This is our experience of this wonderful town -

We don't worry about crime - yet we are still careful (as you would be anywhere in the world)
Our kids are safe and leave their bikes etc outside - (but we live in a secure estate)
I have not heard of any murder/rape etc - (any serious crime since we've been here or of any such crime in the last 5 years)
There are burglaries, but once again no serious violent crime combined with it.
It is a town where people really care - especially if you become involved in the community. We have no family here and people have been wonderful.
It is not a small town anymore (like other posts might have implied) there has been major developments in Ballito
Ballito has the newest Netcare hospital in South Africa - it beautiful!
There is a huge demand in SA for nursing staff - be it in the private sector or the government sector
With regards to your wedding dress company - there isn't a company such as this in Ballito or close by - so I think you would do well. You can contact me should you require more info (I have some personal info about this which I'll share with you) Most of the people here are entrepreneurs and make their own way. Some are really wealthy and others not really (but we'd rather have less here than more in New York, London or Johannesburg)
It is expensive to live here - food / services / schooling etc.
Apart from that the weather is great - it gets a bit warm in Feb but the winters are wonderful
It is a wonderful place to retire! I know many people who have retired here - in fact my parents are considering moving here.

So bottom line - I've lived other places in the world. Yes Africa has it's problems, there's crime, corruption etc etc. But ... the people are warm and kind. Africa has something special in it's soil. It calls for it's children. If you want to be happy here, you would be. Please contact me when you visit again and I'll introduce you to some of the locals - we'd love to meet you! Trust the decision you made! We've never regretted moving here!

[Daxk]

Hi Erica,
Yes Ballito has certainly Grown, so very different from my Youth staying in Peace Cottage down at the Beach.
I'm glad to hear its safe, your local SA Police Station is still Umhlali if I recall?

The 2008 to 2009 stats are'nt out yet but I see there were 155 Murders ,250 odd rapes, 65 Carjackings, 633 Robbery with aggravating Circumstance (ie with a weapon ,176 last year)
and the one we all fear the most, 78 Home invasions of which 62 were 2007-2008 in the last 5 years
.
Source:
http://www.saps.gov.za/statistics/re...df/umhlali.pdf

Now I will agree with you that Ballito,Chakas etc are preferable to Johannesburg and a lot safer , but felt I needed to point out a few things,

The poster will have to do at least one if not two years Community service, before she can work at the new Private Netcare Hospital ( Google SA Health Professionals)

Secondly,I am very happy that you live in a secure Estate and can leave your Bicycles out,
Is the House the Poster has bought also in a secure Gated Estate?

I dont care wether the poster does or does not move to SA, no skin off my nose.
Just as long as they do it with their eyes open and all the facts.