Advice needed from Uk people who have emigrated to SA please :)

[d123]

Originally Posted by XxkayyyxX

Thanks for that. Any other black townships I should be aware of? On another post someone suggested Botswana to me-its 6 hours from Benoni .

Definitely another "need more research", Botswana is an independent country to the north of the RSA, you would need to research immigration requirements to Botswana if that was the case.

You would also probably not be able to live in Botswana and commute to work in the RSA without somehow getting the legal right to live and work in both countries.

[mac_mac74]

Originally Posted by d123

Definitely another "need more research", Botswana is an independent country to the north of the RSA, you would need to research immigration requirements to Botswana if that was the case.

You would also probably not be able to live in Botswana and commute to work in the RSA without somehow getting the legal right to live and work in both countries.

Botswana also has it's share of problems. If your intention for moving here is to be with family, well then JHB it is, if your intention is to live in sunny skies, then perhaps Australia. I cannot figure out why someone would move from a first world country, to a third world country that really has gone backwards over the last few years. Ever heard the saying 'Africa is not for sissies'? Do some research on countries further up north, this should give a reasonable indication of where South Africa is heading over the next couple years.

[XxkayyyxX]

Originally Posted by mac_mac74

Botswana also has it's share of problems. If your intention for moving here is to be with family, well then JHB it is, if your intention is to live in sunny skies, then perhaps Australia. I cannot figure out why someone would move from a first world country, to a third world country that really has gone backwards over the last few years. Ever heard the saying 'Africa is not for sissies'? Do some research on countries further up north, this should give a reasonable indication of where South Africa is heading over the next couple years.

The move is sort of to be closer to family but also to experience different cultures and countries. I however do not want to put my child in harms way and from what the majority of people say on here,its a rubbish violent country,would be mad to move here etc hence I am close to saying no to Jo'burg and the move to SA.

I want to move from the UK because imo it is getting worse for crime-gun violence and gang crime is on the up, violence and mugging is also on the up-I dont live in such a dangerous place and yet near me a shop was raided by armed men,we have had many robberies on the estate, we found a sawn off shotgun down the jitty and so much more-my brother in law has been battered and my husband was also beaten up a year before I met him. So I am in all honesty looking for somewhere safer-I know there will never be a place 100% safe but I fear for my childs future in the UK. When I joined this forum I had no idea on how bad SA and the other places are-I was only going on what I had been told by my husband so forgive me for seeing things very naively-I have never been to SA either.

I would just like to mention I have not read one bad thing about botswana on the net-every expat story has been positive so far-of course it has its problems but more nice things seem to be said about there than Jo'burg for example. It has also been said they have one of the lowest crime rates and they seem to be more tolerant of white people.

I am doing research-no place is set in stone yet. The whole point of me joining this forum was to get info from people who have made the move and either regret or love it. So far all I have got is regret which makes me already guess what sort of state the country is in

[XxkayyyxX]

Originally Posted by d123

Definitely another "need more research", Botswana is an independent country to the north of the RSA, you would need to research immigration requirements to Botswana if that was the case.

You would also probably not be able to live in Botswana and commute to work in the RSA without somehow getting the legal right to live and work in both countries.

I have already researched immigration requirements and we can get into the country for a stay for up to 90 days without requiring a visa. Also sort of understand how to get a works and residential visa. Obviously if we did choose botswana we would seek work there and not Jo'burg or anywhere like that. I am also aware its an independent country-done a bit of my research on that place pretty much all of today,crime stats etc so far it is seeming the better place should we decide to emigrate to Africa/South Africa

[mac_mac74]

Originally Posted by XxkayyyxX

The move is sort of to be closer to family but also to experience different cultures and countries. I however do not want to put my child in harms way and from what the majority of people say on here,its a rubbish violent country,would be mad to move here etc hence I am close to saying no to Jo'burg and the move to SA.

I want to move from the UK because imo it is getting worse for crime-gun violence and gang crime is on the up, violence and mugging is also on the up-I dont live in such a dangerous place and yet near me a shop was raided by armed men,we have had many robberies on the estate, we found a sawn off shotgun down the jitty and so much more-my brother in law has been battered and my husband was also beaten up a year before I met him. So I am in all honesty looking for somewhere safer-I know there will never be a place 100% safe but I fear for my childs future in the UK. When I joined this forum I had no idea on how bad SA and the other places are-I was only going on what I had been told by my husband so forgive me for seeing things very naively-I have never been to SA either.

I would just like to mention I have not read one bad thing about botswana on the net-every expat story has been positive so far-of course it has its problems but more nice things seem to be said about there than Jo'burg for example. It has also been said they have one of the lowest crime rates and they seem to be more tolerant of white people.

I am doing research-no place is set in stone yet. The whole point of me joining this forum was to get info from people who have made the move and either regret or love it. So far all I have got is regret which makes me already guess what sort of state the country is in

Yes your comment on Botswana with low crime rate is correct, I know of two people who live and work in Botswana, they moved there as they were fed up with JHB.

To be honest, I love SA, the weather, the people. The unfortunate thing is that its just becoming another African country and I would rather be upfront with people than BS them into coming here and then seeing it for themselves where things are going.

My hope for SA one day is that the people can vote for a government that is interested in the people, not a government that is interested in lining their own pocket first. Pick any African country, they pretty much all are run like that. Dont misunderstand what my comment was about, no im not wishing for a white government. The word unified nation and patriotism is something that does not exist in huge quantities in SA, who knows where we would have been economically had apartheid not happened, but we would certainly be in place with less hatred and I believe people who would stand together (black or white) for the sake of improving this country and stand up against a government such as the one we have now.

[MaidenScotland]

To be honest it looks to me as if you are looking for reasons why not to emigrate to SA rather than reasons to and if this is the case then perhaps you should tell your husband that you really don't want to move

Maiden

[XxkayyyxX]

Originally Posted by mac_mac74

Yes your comment on Botswana with low crime rate is correct, I know of two people who live and work in Botswana, they moved there as they were fed up with JHB.

To be honest, I love SA, the weather, the people. The unfortunate thing is that its just becoming another African country and I would rather be upfront with people than BS them into coming here and then seeing it for themselves where things are going.

My hope for SA one day is that the people can vote for a government that is interested in the people, not a government that is interested in lining their own pocket first. Pick any African country, they pretty much all are run like that. Dont misunderstand what my comment was about, no im not wishing for a white government. The word unified nation and patriotism is something that does not exist in huge quantities in SA, who knows where we would have been economically had apartheid not happened, but we would certainly be in place with less hatred and I believe people who would stand together (black or white) for the sake of improving this country and stand up against a government such as the one we have now.

Let's hope one day it will happen I have not misunderstood what your comment meant-it would be glorious for the white and black people to unite together and help get the country back to how great I assume and imagine it used to be

[XxkayyyxX]

Originally Posted by MaidenScotland

To be honest it looks to me as if you are looking for reasons why not to emigrate to SA rather than reasons to and if this is the case then perhaps you should tell your husband that you really don't want to move

Maiden

That is far from the case-I have asked for good and bad about SA yet I have only had bad things said about it and so far nothing positive. I am grateful for every opinion being shown on here as its the truth from people who have experienced it. I have not experienced it so only have my husbands and everyone on heres word for what it is truely like. It would be nice to hear any positive things about the place though

[MaidenScotland]

I just had a quick look on the SA embassy website.. trade and investment seems not to have been updated since 2005 and there is very little other information about the country other than geography. It's calender not updated since 2010.

[d123]

Originally Posted by XxkayyyxX

Let's hope one day it will happen I have not misunderstood what your comment meant-it would be glorious for the white and black people to unite together and help get the country back to how great I assume and imagine it used to be

Sounds utopian, (and if I'm honest, would wish for it too), unfortunately it is still in the interests of the ANC to demonise whites, if everything is the fault of the white man and apartheid they are able to cover up their own deficiencies.

Perhaps in 50 years.....