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Deadclown
Aug 1, 2014

I am South African , and in the last few years I have travelled extensively to all parts of the globe including North America and Europe. Speaking to people on my travels , I realized that there are allot of misconceptions that exist regarding South Africa. Most notably that it is unsafe for travel and that lions and elephant roam our streets.

If you are planning a holiday to South Africa (or even sub Saharan Africa where I've also travelled extensively) or are even just interested in our Politics, Economy, Travel destinations, Emigrating, Studying, things to do, cost of living and traveling etc. ask me and I'll do my best to answer your question

I have foreign friends visit me on a regular basis, so I believe I'm qualified to answer most of your questions.

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tbp
Mar 1, 2008

DU WIRST NIEMALS ALLEINE MARSCHIEREN
WHat's the most beautiful city in South Africa? From like an architectural standpoint I mean

December Octopodes
Dec 25, 2008

Christmas is coming
the squid is getting fat!
Is it true that you don't stop at red lights at night? Is this just large cities, or is this a common problem throughout?

Deadclown
Aug 1, 2014

tbp posted:

WHat's the most beautiful city in South Africa? From like an architectural standpoint I mean

I would have to say Cape Town. Both from a natural standpoint as well as from an architectural standpoint. The Castle of Good hope (which was built by the Dutch in the 1660's) still exist today.
There are also many nice examples in the smaller towns surrounding cape town.

Sandton ((close to Johannesburg) is our premier business center where most of the large companies have their headquarters where you will be able to see more modern architecture.


Sandton
Johannesburg also has some nice architecture but in my opinion it's an ugly city.


Johannesburg

Deadclown
Aug 1, 2014

December Octopodes posted:

Is it true that you don't stop at red lights at night? Is this just large cities, or is this a common problem throughout?



Hijacking is a big crime in South Africa and these normally happen at traffic lights.

There was a myth that a few years back that the police will not arrest you if you skip a red light after a certain time at night, this was definitely not the case though.

In the Cities just like any big City there are places you definitely want to avoid at night, and I wouldn't be in those places at night in the first place, but should I find myself there though I would definitely be skipping some traffic lights(after slowing down and looking obviously)

In the suburbs it is usually a bit safer but I still find myself looking around for people approaching my car.

One of our investigate journaling tv shows did a documentary where they found that most Hijackings in South Africa are actually pre planned. The thieves track your movements because they have an order for your specific make and model of car. Once they learn your routine they will try and Hijack your car.

caberham
Mar 18, 2009

by Smythe
Grimey Drawer
Do you say "ja ja"? All the time?

Where is the best biltong?

How was Leonardo DiCaprio's accent in Blood Diamond?

RocknRollaAyatollah
Nov 26, 2008

Lipstick Apathy

caberham posted:

How was Leonardo DiCaprio's accent in Blood Diamond?

He was supposed to be Rhodesian fyi.

Deadclown
Aug 1, 2014

caberham posted:

Do you say "ja ja"? All the time?

Where is the best biltong?

How was Leonardo DiCaprio's accent in Blood Diamond?

Hahahah no not at all very much an exageration.. much like the gday mate australian thing.

No such thing as bad biltong so your question makes no sense.

It was pretty lovely actually.. i mean i could hear that he was trying.. but i haven't heard anybody speak with that acccent in South Africa. We do have quite a pronounced accent though.. especially when afrikaans people "try" and speak english

Deadclown
Aug 1, 2014

RocknRollaAyatollah posted:

He was supposed to be Rhodesian fyi.

If I remember correctly he did in fact play a south african working in Rhodesia.. I couldn't get through that movie.

Saladman
Jan 12, 2010

Deadclown posted:

If I remember correctly he did in fact play a south african working in Rhodesia.. I couldn't get through that movie.

He played a Rhodesian working in Cote d'Ivoire or something as a smuggler.

Are there any particular differences between white Zimbabweans and white South Africans, accounting for the differences between British and Afrikaners? Or is it like non-Quebecois Canadians vs. Americans where the people are essentially indistinguishable even by natives?

Saladman fucked around with this message at 10:53 on Aug 9, 2014

caberham
Mar 18, 2009

by Smythe
Grimey Drawer

RocknRollaAyatollah posted:

He was supposed to be Rhodesian fyi.

Yeah, but still afrikaans speaking

Deadclown
Aug 1, 2014

Saladman posted:

He played a Rhodesian working in Cote d'Ivoire or something as a smuggler.

Are there any particular differences between white Zimbabweans and white South Africans, accounting for the differences between British and Afrikaners? Or is it like non-Quebecois Canadians vs. Americans where the people are essentially indistinguishable even by natives?

Huge differences, especially concerning accent and culture. Zimbabwe is to South Africa as Mexico is to the USA.

mobby_6kl
Aug 9, 2009

I'm considering going around Christmas-new year. The very early plan is to fly to Johannesburg, rent a car, and make a counterclockwise circle through Zimbabwe (maybe), then Botswana, Namibia and get to Cape Town around new year, while hitting the parks, waterfalls and all the other cool stuff on the way. How does that sound?

A couple of questions:
  • How's people feeling wrt. ebola
  • What's the cheapest I could realistically get a car for
  • On a scale of Saudi Arabia to Norway, how expensive is fuel
  • Would it be crazy to go alone if I fail to convince any friends

Deadclown
Aug 1, 2014

mobby_6kl posted:

I'm considering going around Christmas-new year. The very early plan is to fly to Johannesburg, rent a car, and make a counterclockwise circle through Zimbabwe (maybe), then Botswana, Namibia and get to Cape Town around new year, while hitting the parks, waterfalls and all the other cool stuff on the way. How does that sound?

Hey that sounds like a great trip. An absolute must see is obviously the kruger national park so I would personally budget at least a week there in one of the camps.

mobby_6kl posted:

How's people feeling wrt. ebola

Hasn't much affected people in the suburbs. I believe in some places up in africa they are taking it quite seriously though
The airports are taking measures though to stop Ebola coming into South Africa.

http://thenewage.co.za/134674-1009-53-South_Africa_takes_precautions_on_deadly_Ebola_virus

mobby_6kl posted:

[*]What's the cheapest I could realistically get a car for

B Class model cars (4 door sedan) typically go for around R1500 per day which is around $95. There are cheaper options available if you are renting the car for an extended period of time though. I suggest Avis car rental as they are pretty much everywhere. You will obviously need a 4x4 to get to some places in africa and you will also require special permits and insurance. The car rental company and the Automobile Asociation of South Africa can assist you with this.

mobby_6kl posted:

[*]On a scale of Saudi Arabia to Norway, how expensive is fuel

Fuel is quite expensive in South Africa. Work at around $1.5 per litre. To drive from Johannesburg to Cape town is about R1500 in fuel one way which works out to $95. Obviously this will be more expensive if you drive in a 4x4.

mobby_6kl posted:

[*]Would it be crazy to go alone if I fail to convince any friends

Not really, but these trips are obviously more fun with friends. Luckily people from South Africa are known for their hospitality so it won't take long to meet people and make friends here.

Even if you cut out Zimbabwe,Namibia and Botswana out of your trip you will have a great time in Johannesburg and Cape Town. Once you are here you can definately drop me a PM and i'll show you some nice spots over a weekend.

mobby_6kl
Aug 9, 2009

Thanks Deadclown, that's extremely helpful. Looks like I'll need a backup plan if I can't get enough people on board - no way I can blow several grand on just the car and fuel by myself. Maybe just sticking to South Africa only as you suggest would work of now, but we'll see.

Saladman
Jan 12, 2010

mobby_6kl posted:

Thanks Deadclown, that's extremely helpful. Looks like I'll need a backup plan if I can't get enough people on board - no way I can blow several grand on just the car and fuel by myself. Maybe just sticking to South Africa only as you suggest would work of now, but we'll see.

Since it sounds like you'll be there for at least a couple months, you could just buy a car. A friend of mine did that in Cape Town and went around all of Cape and most of Namibia over a month or so. It was a lovely car and it was expensive as a down payment, but after dealing with the hassle of buying and reselling it, it basically just cost the price of fuel for the entire period.

mobby_6kl
Aug 9, 2009

I was aiming at around a month, but none of this is nailed down yet so I'll consider this option too.

Deadclown
Aug 1, 2014

mobby_6kl posted:

I was aiming at around a month, but none of this is nailed down yet so I'll consider this option too.

Another option is "rentawreck" you can Google them. They rent out cheap cars for longer periods like a month etc

BlueBull
Jan 21, 2007
You should be able to rent a normal car for substantially less than advised below, R 300 / Day will EASILY get you a VW Polo or something similar through a normal car rental company with no hassles, the R 1500 per day is bullshit, even if you want unlimited km / cross border and so on.

Just go to Budget/Avis.co.za and price it yourself.

Buying a car here on a holiday Visa will make for some entertainment, as you'll need a Traffic Register Number in order to be able to license the car, and you will need proof of residence to get a TRM. TRM can take up to 6 weeks to process, then another week or so to license your car. The only way this is going to be an option is if you can license the car to a South African you know here.

http://www.services.gov.za/services/content/Home/ServicesforForeignNationals/drivingforforeigners/trafficregisternumber/en_ZA

If you want to be mobile, cruise around the country to see things like the Garden Route, why not rent an RV? R 1500 to R 2000 per day will be about right, but as you got your accommodation with you, it balances out nicely. Spots in Camping grounds cost peanuts and you can have an awesome time in Sodwana Bay for example for some Scuba and travel the whole coastline through Durban, South Coast, Garden Route all the way to Cape Town for a monster new years party.

http://www.wickedafrica.com/
http://www.helderbergcamperhire.co.za/

Deadclown
Aug 1, 2014

BlueBull posted:

You should be able to rent a normal car for substantially less than advised below, R 300 / Day will EASILY get you a VW Polo or something similar through a normal car rental company with no hassles, the R 1500 per day is bullshit, even if you want unlimited km / cross border.

Hey Bluebull,

I was referring specifically to 4x4's. You are not going to drive to Namibia in a fw polo.

Edit: Nvm I see I accidentally said sedan in first post.

Saladman
Jan 12, 2010

BlueBull posted:


Buying a car here on a holiday Visa will make for some entertainment, as you'll need a Traffic Register Number in order to be able to license the car, and you will need proof of residence to get a TRM. TRM can take up to 6 weeks to process, then another week or so to license your car. The only way this is going to be an option is if you can license the car to a South African you know here.


I guess that's how my friend did it then. She knew a bunch of people in Cape Town so it was also not difficult to find a lovely car. Going there as a tourist without knowing anyone and looking for reasonable second-hand cars actually sounds like a huge pain in the rear end and a great way to lose several days of your vacation with stress and I take back any recommendation of it unless you know people in the area.

You can also most definitely drive to and through Namibia in a VW Polo, you're just not going to go on the sand dunes.

Deadclown
Aug 1, 2014

Saladman posted:

I guess that's how my friend did it then. She knew a bunch of people in Cape Town so it was also not difficult to find a lovely car. Going there as a tourist without knowing anyone and looking for reasonable second-hand cars actually sounds like a huge pain in the rear end and a great way to lose several days of your vacation with stress and I take back any recommendation of it unless you know people in the area.

You can also most definitely drive to and through Namibia in a VW Polo, you're just not going to go on the sand dunes.

Guess it very much depends where you want to go.

website with some useful info on road conditions in Namibia.
http://www.resafrica.net/namibian-roads/report.htm

mobby_6kl
Aug 9, 2009

Rental cars tend to be surprisingly capable offroaders, in my experience :) I found a couple of interested people on a local travel site so I might still make this work. Thanks for the suggestions everyone.

Deadclown
Aug 1, 2014

mobby_6kl posted:

Rental cars tend to be surprisingly capable offroaders, in my experience :) I found a couple of interested people on a local travel site so I might still make this work. Thanks for the suggestions everyone.

Haha I guess that's true. Keep us updated on your plans.

Geriatric Pirate
Apr 25, 2008

by Nyc_Tattoo
Going to Cape Town in September to run 42km. Have about 6 days there but that includes the run which will tire me out. Have been there before, visited Robben Island, Table Mountain, Cape of Good Hope etc etc. and have been to South Africa many times (so a safari near CPT is a bit pointless after Krueger) so, might as well ask here: any suggestions on things to do? I'll be crippled up about half my stay because of the marathon.

Looking for cheap things, nightlife, things that have changed since 2007 (football stadium?), things to see with my parents who'll be there for half the time who've also been to SA many times. The running and my parents complicate my usual CouchSurfing plan, but I guess I'll stay in a hostel for most nights.

Also I'm flying into JNB, will probably book flights from there to CPT but any thoughts on taking the (cheaper) train instead?

Geriatric Pirate fucked around with this message at 15:21 on Aug 18, 2014

AtomD
May 3, 2009

Fun Shoe
Hi, I'm local to Durban and can probably help with any KwaZulu Natal specific questions.

Geriatric Pirate posted:

Also I'm flying into JNB, will probably book flights from there to CPT but any thoughts on taking the (cheaper) train instead?

I wouldn't really take the train, to be honest. It'll take a day and a half to get there, and it only runs three times a week. It's okay as an experience, but as a means to get from point A to point B, not so much.

Deadclown
Aug 1, 2014

Geriatric Pirate posted:

Going to Cape Town in September to run 42km. Have about 6 days there but that includes the run which will tire me out. Have been there before, visited Robben Island, Table Mountain, Cape of Good Hope etc etc. and have been to South Africa many times (so a safari near CPT is a bit pointless after Krueger) so, might as well ask here: any suggestions on things to do? I'll be crippled up about half my stay because of the marathon.

Looking for cheap things, nightlife, things that have changed since 2007 (football stadium?), things to see with my parents who'll be there for half the time who've also been to SA many times. The running and my parents complicate my usual CouchSurfing plan, but I guess I'll stay in a hostel for most nights.

Also I'm flying into JNB, will probably book flights from there to CPT but any thoughts on taking the (cheaper) train instead?

Check out computicket.co.za for shows happening during your stay. Also check out long street in Cape Town for some awesome restaurants clubs and bars. Then there is also the V&A waterfront, but I assume you have been there.

Geriatric Pirate
Apr 25, 2008

by Nyc_Tattoo

Deadclown posted:

Check out computicket.co.za for shows happening during your stay. Also check out long street in Cape Town for some awesome restaurants clubs and bars. Then there is also the V&A waterfront, but I assume you have been there.

Ah good call on Long St, didn't really go there properly last time but wanted to. Thanks.

goku chewbacca
Dec 14, 2002
Describe the security measures you employ to protect your home and family. Personal firearms, security alarm, private security forces, walls and gates around your home. Do you live in a primarily white, affluent suburb? Is your entire neighborhood walled/gated with private entry? Do most middle class whites live in neighborhoods like this? Do most middle class people carry concealed firearms when out in public?

Is white poverty a major issue, or have most managed to maintain a first world standard of living in the post apartheid era?

Have you ever experienced violent crime or property crime like a break-in or carjacking?

Have you considered emigration to a first world nation? How many of your friends and family have emigrated?

goku chewbacca fucked around with this message at 00:33 on Aug 21, 2014

Saltin
Aug 20, 2003
Don't touch
What are your thoughts on South Africa's pretty much world leading youth unemployment rate? I've visited your country twice and aside from how every white person seems to live buttoned up security-wise, the lack of jobs for young people is what really stands out to me.

AtomD
May 3, 2009

Fun Shoe

goku chewbacca posted:

Describe the security measures you employ to protect your home and family. Personal firearms, security alarm, private security forces, walls and gates around your home. Do you live in a primarily white, affluent suburb? Is your entire neighborhood walled/gated with private entry? Do most middle class whites live in neighborhoods like this? Do most middle class people carry concealed firearms when out in public?
Gated communities aren't nearly as common in the Durban area, but crime isn't as bad here as in Johannesburg and Pretoria. For what it's worth I'm massively annoyed by them whenever I go to Johannesburg for work because it makes driving with GPS a pain in the rear end. Most middle-class homes will be at least walled and gated, but a lot of them will have alarms and rapid response security as well. I know of one person who carries a concealed weapon, and it's certainly not the norm, as far as I know. It's difficult to tell in public because in SA, if someone can tell you're carrying at all you're breaking the law. Getting a weapon legally is a pain in the rear end which requires affidavits from character witnesses and the like.

goku chewbacca posted:

Is white poverty a major issue, or have most managed to maintain a first world standard of living in the post apartheid era?
It's starting to become something of an issue, but it's dwarfed by the general poverty issue. Most whites are far better off than most blacks, for sure. Broad Based Black Economic Empowerment (BBBEE) is a set of affirmative action policies which is supposed to help reduce this disparity. A big gripe amongst whites is that, in some instances, instead of taking advantage of economic growth to grow the black middle class, it relies on displacing whites. That's not at all sustainable, of course. It's not as big an issue as a lot of whites will make it out to be, though.

goku chewbacca posted:

Have you ever experienced violent crime or property crime like a break-in or carjacking?
Our house got broken in to about 5 times while I was growing up. I have some friends who suffered more violent crimes.

goku chewbacca posted:

Have you considered emigration to a first world nation? How many of your friends and family have emigrated?
Eh. I'm very fond of South Africa's multiculturalism. I don't think id like living in a country where there's a clear dominant culture, at least permanently. One of my friends immigrated to New Zealand but immigrated back after a year. It's a common story.

Saltin posted:

What are your thoughts on South Africa's pretty much world leading youth unemployment rate? I've visited your country twice and aside from how every white person seems to live buttoned up security-wise, the lack of jobs for young people is what really stands out to me.

As far as I can tell, SA is trying to be an economy in the vein of the USA and the UK, but the vast majority of the country doesn't have access to the educational resources required to get into service-based industries. Though universities aren't USA expensive, they're certainly not cheap in relation to the average household income. Government inefficiencies are loving these people over royally as well. Last year there was about a 6 month delay in getting high school textbooks delivered to an entire province. IT infrastructure is pretty good, but exceptionally expensive, so the more accessible tech industry you usually get in liberal market economies isn't growing nearly as fast as it could.
poo poo's hosed, to be honest. I'm upset about it and I'm not really bearing the brunt at all. As a pipe dream, I'd love to see a manufacturing industry following a more worker-owned model and catering to the socially conscious first world.

BlueBull
Jan 21, 2007

goku chewbacca posted:

Describe the security measures you employ to protect your home and family. Personal firearms, security alarm, private security forces, walls and gates around your home. Do you live in a primarily white, affluent suburb? Is your entire neighborhood walled/gated with private entry? Do most middle class whites live in neighborhoods like this? Do most middle class people carry concealed firearms when out in public?

Is white poverty a major issue, or have most managed to maintain a first world standard of living in the post apartheid era?

Have you ever experienced violent crime or property crime like a break-in or carjacking?

Have you considered emigration to a first world nation? How many of your friends and family have emigrated?

I live in a free-standing house in Johannesburg North (Bryanston to be exact) and am quite security conscious. I have a perimeter wall around my property with an automatic gate to access. Used to have electric fence, but I have removed it as it was a giant pain in my rear end and am busy putting my wall higher.

My house has security beams 360 degrees which I turn on at night, and they go out to around 10m or so. I have interior motion sensors which I turn on at night (non-bedroom zones) or whenever I leave the house (full house). I have cameras covering the entire outside perimeter of the house as well as my gate.

Wife and I both have mobile panic buttons on our gate remotes, and all of this is linked to ADT acting as armed response. They have a code for a keypad by my gate, and an armed guard comes here to do a full inspection of the house within less than 5 mins usually.

I also keep dogs (Ridgebacks & GSDs, more than I am allowed to according to by-laws at present which is a problem)and carry a hand-gun 24/7. However, note that I love both dogs and guns, and only few of my friends for example carry a gun every day, as a matter of fact it's quite rare to see, to me at least.

I disagree with the poster above in terms of it being difficult to obtain a firearm permit, it's a matter of going to a range for 2 hours on consecutive Saturdays to complete a competency test a 6 year old could complete, and some money to buy a gun, that's it. Even the waiting periods have decreased, to me it's never been easier to obtain a permit.

Outside of me carrying a firearm, the above security measures are stock-standard in the area where I live, and a few of the people in my street have their own dedicated guard houses for example. Every single one of my neighbours, with zero exceptions, has a perimeter wall, gate etc. There are loads of non-white families living in my area, and the Bryanston Country Club has a good mix of ethnicities these days, although I won't deny that the majority of members is still white.

I've had some security problems in the past, none violent. Plenty people I know however have been victims of violent crime, including murder and rape, and every person in South Africa will have some of these stories.

White poverty exists, but anyone trying to compare it against black/indian/coloured etc poverty is talking utter crap, it's just simply a very small blip if taken in context of how the white minority generally lives here.

I actually immigrated to South Africa 20 years ago (Just after first democratic elections) from Germany, and am only a permanent resident here. I am married to an Afrikaans / German white woman and have kids here, both of whom also have German citizenship.

They would have to drag me by my hair kicking and screaming back to Germany or anywhere else in the EU, the life I live here far surpasses anything I could ever hope to achieve in the First World. I live like a king here compared to how I would manage in Germany at my income level, the crime situation is literally the single down-side to me, and to me it's manageable. Different strokes for different folks...

AtomD
May 3, 2009

Fun Shoe

BlueBull posted:


I disagree with the poster above in terms of it being difficult to obtain a firearm permit, it's a matter of going to a range for 2 hours on consecutive Saturdays to complete a competency test a 6 year old could complete, and some money to buy a gun, that's it. Even the waiting periods have decreased, to me it's never been easier to obtain a permit.


Thanks, I was misinformed then. I've never looked into owning a weapon myself so I was going on second hand information.

caberham
Mar 18, 2009

by Smythe
Grimey Drawer
How is the Cape Town goon scene? I love this thread

Oh and what do you think of this guy and song? Is it good?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LtSJMehG54w

caberham fucked around with this message at 16:47 on Aug 21, 2014

Deadclown
Aug 1, 2014

caberham posted:

How is the Cape Town goon scene? I love this thread

Oh and what do you think of this guy and song? Is it good?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LtSJMehG54w


Never heard of him.. and now that I have, I sortoff regret it. But that's probably just me. I listen to very little South African music.

Deadclown
Aug 1, 2014

BlueBull posted:



I disagree with the poster above in terms of it being difficult to obtain a firearm permit, it's a matter of going to a range for 2 hours on consecutive Saturdays to complete a competency test a 6 year old could complete, and some money to buy a gun, that's it. Even the waiting periods have decreased, to me it's never been easier to obtain a permit.


Also 100% agreed. I own 2 firearms myself and will one day inherit another 5 from my Father. There is a bit of added red tape, and the proccess sometimes takes months, but eventually if you follow the right proccess you will get a firearm.

My security setup is very similar to Bluebulls and I also stay in a fairly "well off" area. I also have many friends that have been victims of violent crime.

I will not leave South Africa for any ammount of money in the world though.. unless it's for an oportunity to go to NYC, but that's a different story all together.

Saladman
Jan 12, 2010

BlueBull posted:

[Description of security measures]

Holy poo poo. I grew up in Memphis which has been top 5 for crime in the US for like 19 of the past 20 years, and we only had an attempted burglary once (probably someone at the loving taxi company we called to take us to the airport). But then our alarm system went off and they scattered, leaving only footprints in the mud by the time the cops came.

I knew a handful of people [in the US] who got burgled, and a couple who got robbed at gunpoint, but Jesus, you guys' descriptions make South Africa sound like one of those 1980s dystopian future Robocop/Escape from NY scenes.

Phaeoacremonium
Aug 7, 2008

Saladman posted:


I knew a handful of people [in the US] who got burgled, and a couple who got robbed at gunpoint, but Jesus, you guys' descriptions make South Africa sound like one of those 1980s dystopian future Robocop/Escape from NY scenes.

No poo poo. The violent crime situation here is well out of hand at the moment. The worst thing in my area lately has been the ambushes on the major highway between the Cape Town airport and the city/outlying areas. Criminals force people to pull over by either putting poo poo down in the road or by chucking a brick through their windscreen. If you can't keep going on your rims, you better hope it's just a little stabbing.

I've always been very positive about this country but the relentless cycle of stupidity and brutality during the last few years have worn me down. If you're planning a trip, it's still a lovely place to visit and I maintain that if you're prepared to be fairly sensible while you're here, you'll be fine.

BlueBull
Jan 21, 2007

Saladman posted:

Holy poo poo. I grew up in Memphis which has been top 5 for crime in the US for like 19 of the past 20 years, and we only had an attempted burglary once (probably someone at the loving taxi company we called to take us to the airport). But then our alarm system went off and they scattered, leaving only footprints in the mud by the time the cops came.

I knew a handful of people [in the US] who got burgled, and a couple who got robbed at gunpoint, but Jesus, you guys' descriptions make South Africa sound like one of those 1980s dystopian future Robocop/Escape from NY scenes.

I can see how one could arrive at that conclusion, again, every South African has a violent crime story to tell, but to me the benefits of living here far outweigh the risk of meeting a violent end. And unlike most South Africans I am in a position where my entire family has German citizenship, and I have the financial means to move my family plus all my worldly possessions to the EU on essentially 48H notice, especially as I maintain a business there, speak the language and so on.

The bottom-line however is that the standard of living I enjoy here is simply unachievable in Germany unless you either come from serious family money, or got very lucky and made millions in online porn or whatever. And considering how many foreigners from especially the EU are busy buying property in places like Cape Town every day, I am hardly the only one who feels that way.

For shits and giggles, have a look at what ZAR 7Mil (EUR 500k) buys in JNB, DBN or CPT, and then compare to what it buys in Germany or whatever on https://www.property24.com.

Again, different strokes for different folks.

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Senor P.
Mar 27, 2006
I MUST TELL YOU HOW PEOPLE CARE ABOUT STUFF I DONT AND BE A COMPLETE CUNT ABOUT IT

BlueBull posted:

I can see how one could arrive at that conclusion, again, every South African has a violent crime story to tell, but to me the benefits of living here far outweigh the risk of meeting a violent end. And unlike most South Africans I am in a position where my entire family has German citizenship, and I have the financial means to move my family plus all my worldly possessions to the EU on essentially 48H notice, especially as I maintain a business there, speak the language and so on.

The bottom-line however is that the standard of living I enjoy here is simply unachievable in Germany unless you either come from serious family money, or got very lucky and made millions in online porn or whatever. And considering how many foreigners from especially the EU are busy buying property in places like Cape Town every day, I am hardly the only one who feels that way.

For shits and giggles, have a look at what ZAR 7Mil (EUR 500k) buys in JNB, DBN or CPT, and then compare to what it buys in Germany or whatever on https://www.property24.com.

Again, different strokes for different folks.

Not to sound like a douche, but what about Namibia? I have not been to SA, but Namibia striked me as rather clean and having low crime. And being pretty drat affordable.

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