Safety of Sandton and surrounds - advice please

[edwardnkathy]

Dear members,

I realise that crime and safety questions arrise all the time and I have read many threads regarding the issues, but as a married man with three young children I need to be positive before I move to Joburg.

Therefore, if anyone has some advice they could give on the following, I would be really grateful.

How safe are the affluent areas of Sandton? Do criminals venture into family burbs looking for opportunities?

Would my wife be safe driving to the local mall during the day?

Is the lifestyle pattern going to be - go to work (bryanston) straight back to my gated, electric fenced house?

What is the comeraderie like in gated or secure housing community?

Are there any members who are from the UK and have made a similar transition? My wife obviously has many questions and would love to be able to chat further.

Thank you for your help and please no sarcastic ('you could get mugged in your own country') comments this is very imortant to us so constructive advice would be really kind.

Ed

[Stevan]

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worth a look to compare with where you are now.

[csh]

Edward- we are in the same boat as you- moving to South Africa- Sandton area. I am very concerned that me and my family will not be safe and after looking at the info. Steven sent- i.e. statistics- I am horrified to think I may be exposing my children to this kind of violence. I will be actively trying to talk my husband out of moving here- it just isn't worth the risk of something happening to us. If anyone out there can prove otherwise please post.

[Stevan]

Originally Posted by csh

Edward- we are in the same boat as you- moving to South Africa- Sandton area. I am very concerned that me and my family will not be safe and after looking at the info. Steven sent- i.e. statistics- I am horrified to think I may be exposing my children to this kind of violence. I will be actively trying to talk my husband out of moving here- it just isn't worth the risk of something happening to us. If anyone out there can prove otherwise please post.

Nobody can prove otherwise, as nobody can prove you will be safe anywhere in the world.

[Thatch22]

Originally Posted by edwardnkathy

Dear members,

I realise that crime and safety questions arrise all the time and I have read many threads regarding the issues, but as a married man with three young children I need to be positive before I move to Joburg.

Therefore, if anyone has some advice they could give on the following, I would be really grateful.

How safe are the affluent areas of Sandton? Do criminals venture into family burbs looking for opportunities?

Would my wife be safe driving to the local mall during the day?

Is the lifestyle pattern going to be - go to work (bryanston) straight back to my gated, electric fenced house?

What is the comeraderie like in gated or secure housing community?

Are there any members who are from the UK and have made a similar transition? My wife obviously has many questions and would love to be able to chat further.

Thank you for your help and please no sarcastic ('you could get mugged in your own country') comments this is very imortant to us so constructive advice would be really kind.

Ed

Why live in Santon? There there is more crime happening, because there is really something to get. Big houses and the more rich live there, so thy have more nicer things in the house, so the houses are really like a fort!

And then to go to Bryanton....traffic jam twice a day! Go and live in Bryanston then, is my advice! Traffic in and around Jo'burg in the morning and evening is terrible, so live as close as you can near your job!
Or Dainfern, there are living a lot expats over there!

Would my wife be safe driving to the local mall during the day? Of course!!

Is the lifestyle pattern going to be - go to work (bryanston) straight back to my gated, electric fenced house?
No, visiting malla, restaurante, theathers, having breakfast or lunch at a nice spot and so more. Visit the country it self, go to Gold reef city in Jo'burg with the kids.

What is the comeraderie like in gated or secure housing community? I really do not know. Becauce we do not live like that! We have bought our own plot with house, great the space we have here!

We like living here, so much, the weather, the people, the country. No we donot want to live in de Eu no more!

Yes you have to learn some safety things, but that is no reason not to live here.

Good luck with everything.

greeting from sunny Kyalami

[edwardnkathy]

Thank you to all for your replies, very useful.

[edwardnkathy]

Originally Posted by csh

Edward- we are in the same boat as you- moving to South Africa- Sandton area. I am very concerned that me and my family will not be safe and after looking at the info. Steven sent- i.e. statistics- I am horrified to think I may be exposing my children to this kind of violence. I will be actively trying to talk my husband out of moving here- it just isn't worth the risk of something happening to us. If anyone out there can prove otherwise please post.

I think the problem is that I don't have enough first hand feedback - if I do get some, I will share. I really want to move there for the job and for a certain standard of life but I always have this niggling worry of taking the family. Please let me know if you get any other information.

Ed

[Stevan]

Edward

Have you ever been to south africa or the area you intend to stay?

[Beachi]

Originally Posted by edwardnkathy

I think the problem is that I don't have enough first hand feedback - if I do get some, I will share. I really want to move there for the job and for a certain standard of life but I always have this niggling worry of taking the family. Please let me know if you get any other information.

Ed

Edward and Kathy
A previous post about being close to your work in Bryanston is valid. Although, depending on your exact location, the traffic from Sandton to Bryanston is certainly not as bad as from Bryanston to Sandton. Bryanston is about as safe as Sandton and there are some great places to live in Bryanston, but I'm uncertain about how many gated communities there are in Bryanston. There is one that I know though which is superb: Riverclub. It's a golf club culture and quite posh.

The advantages of living in a gated community are that if you've got kids, they will be able to ride their bikes in the street without fear of an accident on a busy road, and without fear of having their bikes stolen away from them. You and your wife will also feel more secure - so perhaps this is best for you. Also, when you return from a restaurant late at night, you will be want to be returning home to a guarded entrance, if you're apprehensive. - The good security offered at many of these 'gated communities' may seem strange at first, but you'll become accustomed to it. At times it can even become an irritation as your dinner guests will be subjected to scrupulous security checks. They are worthwhile though and the advantage is that you feel safe in your home.

As I'm sure you already know, South Africans are incredibly friendly people, but also respectful of your privacy. You may well be invited around by neighbours for a 'braai' and will feel immediate warmth and instantly be subjected to good ol' SA humour.

Yes, your wife will be able to drive to the mall and in 2 or 3 months she will be asking 'what's all the fuss about?'. You should however always remain aware and never become blaze. Chatting on your mobile phone at the street lights (or robots as they're called in SA) is asking for trouble and you'd be inviting hijacking or 'smash and grab' for example. You'd be advertising your 'unawareness' to any would be criminals. Also, a large flashy watch and big diamonds are best covered up, when driving, shopping etc. - At least until you've become more 'tuned in', and then, still be careful.

Driving in Johannesburg can be daunting and while a GPS system is great, I'd caution against relying on this totally. There are certain areas in Jozi (Johannesburg) that are more dangerous than others. Stick to what you know until you're properly aclimatized.

Some advice about a car for your wife. A flat tyre on the road can be dreadful for us girls, but in a new country, where crime can be an issue, you may want to consider drive flat tyres, allowing you to continue to a safe place to stop, before changing the tyre.

Onto a more pleasant topic:

You will be able to drive for 2 or 3 hours and find yourself in a great big 5 private game reserve, experiencing the african bushveld in luxury.
In 6 hours you can get to the Kruger National Park
In 4 hours you can drive to the Drakensberg mountain range. Hike up the mountains, soak up the scenery and have the most unforgetable holiday with your wife and kid/s in great accommodation.
In 3-4 hours you can drive to Clarens and spend a quiet weekend at a B&B wondering around art galleries
In 5-6 hours you can be in Durban, swimming in the warm Indian Ocean.
And all this costs NOTHING when you're earning foreign currency. Even by SA standards it's value for money.

The restaurants, cafe culture and shopping are not bad. - I can help with some recommendations if you like?

The birdsong in the mornings and the secretive birdlife that will visit your garden is just magical.
The lush greenery, beautiful gardens, the smiling face that will help you fill your car full of petrol, endless blue skies, the long warm summer days (remember he suntan lotiion!) and crisp Joburg winters. (Never much colder than 2 degrees in the early morning).
Joburg thunderstorms are stunning!!
In all likelihood you will enjoy a wonderful relationship with the housekeeper you're likely to find to help with the running of the home. You should try and find someone through a contact, so that you know what you're getting here.
The schools are great and the medical care in SA is fabulous. (I fly back to SA to be treated there).

and... SA speak - some of it anyway...
robots = street lights
takkies = trainers
howzit = hello, how are you doing?
I'm coming just now = I'm coming when I'm ready and that could mean in 5 minutes or in a good few hours.
eeeish = holy manoly, whew, geeez

You should absolutely go and discover this beautiful, crazy land, and I wish you both the very best. I'll be there in November, and am happy to help with anything at all. Your wife is very welcome to call me too. Let me know if you'd like my contact details.

[edwardnkathy]

Originally Posted by Stevan

Edward

Have you ever been to south africa or the area you intend to stay?

Unfortunately until the job is confirmed everything is pot luck via web information so if my knowledge is a little wobbly my appologies.