I want to live in Sa. How?
Discussion
Hi just a bit of background about me, I've always been strangely linked to SA, seems a lot of my friends are either from there, or family are from there or live there, also from about 16 (when I started working) I realised I had no desire to live in this god forsaken country any longer than I had to.
I spent a lot of my life in France so that was always an option, but although I can speak French, and have been doing from an early age languages don't come naturally to me, and I still feel an outsider, I don't realistically think I would ever feel French.
Australia and New Zealand were considered but both have very strict entry rules, and something just didn't feel right.
America was one of the closest but I don't honestly have anything to offer to go down the Green card scheme, however the life is about perfect for me.
But the one that really seems to fit for me is SA, the life seems to fit mine nicely, the climate is perfect, I get on well with people, including the humour, I understand the negatives and frankly am prepared to just get on with it and work hard for my living.
So my questions are:
I know SA is in the commonwealth, how do you go about living in SA? Do I need to acquire a job first?
Is there a service which assists foreigners with obtaining work? Trade wise I am in engineering, building and restoring specialist and classic vehicles mainly. But anything Engineering wise or practical works for me.
Which areas of SA would be good to look to live, obviously relatively safe, preferably somewhere not too far from the coast, near a large town/city, decent roads, reasonable services.
How much is property out there?
Bringing a car across? Practical? Do you get nailed with import duty even if it is your own personal vehicle? How much are cars? How much is fuel? Do you have MOTs, tax etc. How much is car insurance?
Really anyone with any advice or help would be much appreciated, I'm 26 soon to be 27 and frankly want to get something sooner rather than later.
I spent a lot of my life in France so that was always an option, but although I can speak French, and have been doing from an early age languages don't come naturally to me, and I still feel an outsider, I don't realistically think I would ever feel French.
Australia and New Zealand were considered but both have very strict entry rules, and something just didn't feel right.
America was one of the closest but I don't honestly have anything to offer to go down the Green card scheme, however the life is about perfect for me.
But the one that really seems to fit for me is SA, the life seems to fit mine nicely, the climate is perfect, I get on well with people, including the humour, I understand the negatives and frankly am prepared to just get on with it and work hard for my living.
So my questions are:
I know SA is in the commonwealth, how do you go about living in SA? Do I need to acquire a job first?
Is there a service which assists foreigners with obtaining work? Trade wise I am in engineering, building and restoring specialist and classic vehicles mainly. But anything Engineering wise or practical works for me.
Which areas of SA would be good to look to live, obviously relatively safe, preferably somewhere not too far from the coast, near a large town/city, decent roads, reasonable services.
How much is property out there?
Bringing a car across? Practical? Do you get nailed with import duty even if it is your own personal vehicle? How much are cars? How much is fuel? Do you have MOTs, tax etc. How much is car insurance?
Really anyone with any advice or help would be much appreciated, I'm 26 soon to be 27 and frankly want to get something sooner rather than later.
I left SA 14 years ago and despite my parents and other family being there I have no desire to go back. However, family members have moved over here, hoping for a better life, and have ended up returning to SA after not very long (one of my cousins has been in Glasgow for a year and has just announced she's going back to Johannesburg, and cannot wait to go), so there must be something very good about living in SA!!!
There's a lot on your list I can't help with because I've been gone too long, but what I can offer is as follows:
For info on living in SA talk to the SA Office of Home Affairs. Not a lot of info itself on their website, but it's a start. http://www.southafricahouse.com/Consulate/Foreign....
As a Commonwealth benefit, I was able to get a 2 year "working holiday" visa when I first came to the UK but I'm not sure what the reciprocal agreement is for Brits going to SA.
Info on taking your car (and other worldly goods): http://www.southafricanremovals.com/import-restric... You have to have a car in SA. Public transport is not a great option in most cities. SA is like America in this respect - lots of space means lots of distance between things, therefore quicker to drive!
I agree you should go for the coast, although Johannesburg is the commercial capital of South Africa. Cape Town and Durban are the two biggest centres on the coast. I'm from Durban but if I ever was to return I would head to Cape Town.
Houses. One of SA's premier estate agents is Pam Golding www.pamgolding.co.za . There's also www.aida.co.za which is a national chain. Google will turn up a few more no doubt. I remember one in Durban called Rose Deubler (she was a neighbour) who dealt mainly with properties in the Morningside/Berea area of Durban - the best areas IMHO.
It might be a good idea to join an SA based forum or two to get a feel for your area of speciality. As my bias is towards yank cars I was once quite active on the SA Corvette Club forum and do occasionally look at the Mustang Club's site. http://www.corvette.co.za and http://www.mustangwc.co.za/.
Classic cars are very expensive in SA and I don't know how big the market is. Certainly I do know that a lot of cars get bought up and brought to the UK as they're not usually full of rust (except those from Durban!). VWs are very popular/common throughout SA.
That's all I can think of for now. Not a lot, but I hope it helps in some way. I was 24 when I felt like doing something different and so came over here, intending to stay a year or so. Opportunities came my way and I've had so many adventures since. I consider it to be the best "big thing" I've ever done.
Good luck.
Shel
There's a lot on your list I can't help with because I've been gone too long, but what I can offer is as follows:
For info on living in SA talk to the SA Office of Home Affairs. Not a lot of info itself on their website, but it's a start. http://www.southafricahouse.com/Consulate/Foreign....
As a Commonwealth benefit, I was able to get a 2 year "working holiday" visa when I first came to the UK but I'm not sure what the reciprocal agreement is for Brits going to SA.
Info on taking your car (and other worldly goods): http://www.southafricanremovals.com/import-restric... You have to have a car in SA. Public transport is not a great option in most cities. SA is like America in this respect - lots of space means lots of distance between things, therefore quicker to drive!
I agree you should go for the coast, although Johannesburg is the commercial capital of South Africa. Cape Town and Durban are the two biggest centres on the coast. I'm from Durban but if I ever was to return I would head to Cape Town.
Houses. One of SA's premier estate agents is Pam Golding www.pamgolding.co.za . There's also www.aida.co.za which is a national chain. Google will turn up a few more no doubt. I remember one in Durban called Rose Deubler (she was a neighbour) who dealt mainly with properties in the Morningside/Berea area of Durban - the best areas IMHO.
It might be a good idea to join an SA based forum or two to get a feel for your area of speciality. As my bias is towards yank cars I was once quite active on the SA Corvette Club forum and do occasionally look at the Mustang Club's site. http://www.corvette.co.za and http://www.mustangwc.co.za/.
Classic cars are very expensive in SA and I don't know how big the market is. Certainly I do know that a lot of cars get bought up and brought to the UK as they're not usually full of rust (except those from Durban!). VWs are very popular/common throughout SA.
That's all I can think of for now. Not a lot, but I hope it helps in some way. I was 24 when I felt like doing something different and so came over here, intending to stay a year or so. Opportunities came my way and I've had so many adventures since. I consider it to be the best "big thing" I've ever done.
Good luck.
Shel
Edited by Shellz_Mach1 on Wednesday 18th June 21:34
Actually met you at goodwood shel!
Thanks thats a good start, the target I have set is a new life elsewhere by 30, got 3 years to get sorted, gone and settled. Have 2 options left out of my list, one is short term money orientated (saudi) the other is long term living orientated (SA) it seems strange as I know a good few ex saffas who would never consider going back, yet I kind of feel similar about Britain wherever else in the world I am I feel more at home than I do in the UK. I think what does it for me is the constant shafting from every direction the UK, the goverment shafts you, the business shaft you, customers shaft you, yet there are no pay backs like gorgeous weather and relaxed life, in the UK if I'm not going to be self employed to earn a good living I have to work 12hours a day 6 days a week, giving me the daily life of get up, work, come home tea,shower,bed.
I've not got rose tinted glasses about SA, I know about the crime and violence out there, and the cartels and the government, but to look past all that what a life.
Thanks thats a good start, the target I have set is a new life elsewhere by 30, got 3 years to get sorted, gone and settled. Have 2 options left out of my list, one is short term money orientated (saudi) the other is long term living orientated (SA) it seems strange as I know a good few ex saffas who would never consider going back, yet I kind of feel similar about Britain wherever else in the world I am I feel more at home than I do in the UK. I think what does it for me is the constant shafting from every direction the UK, the goverment shafts you, the business shaft you, customers shaft you, yet there are no pay backs like gorgeous weather and relaxed life, in the UK if I'm not going to be self employed to earn a good living I have to work 12hours a day 6 days a week, giving me the daily life of get up, work, come home tea,shower,bed.
I've not got rose tinted glasses about SA, I know about the crime and violence out there, and the cartels and the government, but to look past all that what a life.
I thought so Oliver, but when I looked at your profile to check I saw "Yorkshire" and decided not to mention it in case I'd remembered the username wrong!
I know what you're saying about the constant shafting. I loved the UK when I first got here but now it's a real drag, money doesn't go as far as it used to, crime rate is rising, a decreasing working population is supporting an increasing retired/non-working population. Ugh. We've talked about going to New Zealand to try and find a good work/life balance but it's so far away! No weekend breaks in Monaco and that sort of thing (not that the budget stretches that far at the moment, but I have fond memories!).
I don't think you can beat the hospitality and outdoor living in SA. After time I think you get used to and stop seeing the electric fencing and CCTV everywhere. I was there for 10 days in March and sitting outside at restaurants (so cheap, not worth cooking at home!) was just superb. During the day we'd walk down to a friend's pizzeria and just sit in the sunshine chatting to everyone who came by. At the end of the 10 days I'd made loads new friends and had a great tan!
I know what you're saying about the constant shafting. I loved the UK when I first got here but now it's a real drag, money doesn't go as far as it used to, crime rate is rising, a decreasing working population is supporting an increasing retired/non-working population. Ugh. We've talked about going to New Zealand to try and find a good work/life balance but it's so far away! No weekend breaks in Monaco and that sort of thing (not that the budget stretches that far at the moment, but I have fond memories!).
I don't think you can beat the hospitality and outdoor living in SA. After time I think you get used to and stop seeing the electric fencing and CCTV everywhere. I was there for 10 days in March and sitting outside at restaurants (so cheap, not worth cooking at home!) was just superb. During the day we'd walk down to a friend's pizzeria and just sit in the sunshine chatting to everyone who came by. At the end of the 10 days I'd made loads new friends and had a great tan!
wildoliver said:
I've not got rose tinted glasses about SA, I know about the crime and violence out there, and the cartels and the government, but to look past all that what a life.
We've a member of staff in our office who left SA for the reasons above whose parents will also be leaving as soon as they can arrange it. Hearing some of the stories is a real eye opener but then again I hope they haven't got rose tinted glasses about Britain!Gassing Station | South Africa | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff