Campbells

Thats the BBC for you - makes good news story so we all get shocked in the UK. No -one and i mean no-one has a car that shoots out fire and burns peoples legs off.[/QUOTE]

NO BUT --------------------

Dear Fellow Residents,

SUPERMARKET ROBBERIES DURING THE DECEMBER PERIOD: Please be aware of the
following important crime related information


Monday 20 December 2004 - Approx 06H10: Jukskei Park SPAR Robbed by armed
gunmen

Shortly after entering the store this morning, management became aware of a
Black Male and a Black Female (both wearing SPAR uniforms) who were standing
outside the closed entrance doors and asking to be let in. The manager
opened the doors to see who they were and the 2 suspects then produced
firearms and forced their way into the store. Mnangement and staff were held
up and an undisclosed amount of money was stolen. We understand that a
futher 3 black armed males were also outside at the time.


Sunday 12 December 2004 - Approx 15H00: Armed Robbery at Boskruin Shopping
Centre

In a business robbery at a shopping centre in Boskruin, four shops and
restaurants were robbed by various men with firearms. A security guard was
shot in the process. The robbers also took personal belongings from the
shoppers and patrons. The suspects fled the scene in a light blue Opel
Ascona, maroon VR6 Golf and a white old shaped Toyota Corolla. West Rand
Serious and Violent Crime Unit are investigating and the Investigating
Officer is Insp. Porra Nel who can be contacted on 082-412-8928 if you were
a witness or have any information.

(Source: Homeydew CPF)

BOTH CHUBB AND ADT HAD MARKED VEHICLES WHICH WERE PARKED OUSIDE THE
SUPERMARKET CONCERNED AT THE TIME OF THE ROBBERY. BOTH PATROL OFFICERS WERE
UN-ARMED BY THE ROBBERS AND TAKEN INTO THE STORE!

An eyewitness sent RAC the following account of the Boskruin incident:

Hi there

My cousin and his son were in the video shop yesterday afternoon when armed
gunmen ran in demanding cash. They robbed the Pick n Pay, Ninos (where they
fired shots) as well as the Nandos. My cousin and his son hid behind the
counter in the video shop until they saw the thieves drive away, whereafter
they left. They are pretty shook up. They didn't get a look at any of the
robbers - it all happened so fast.

I've seen no reports in the paper about yesterdays incident and I'm not sure
how many people know. Apparently there was an ambulance on the scene - do
you know whether anyone was hurt ?

Regards
Resident

melaniee

Anyone know anything about mozambique as a place to live? I agree with a lot of the comments on SA and have had my eye opened. Would anyone recommend anywhere else in Africa to live instead?

G'Day

What kind of living standard did you have in mind? I think Zambia's a great place, but do watch out, Africa is a very politically unstable continent and I would reconsider before I moved anywhere on that continent.

The Druid

The whole of Africa sucks especially North of South Africa, South Africa is paradise compared to North of the border, the everyday people are a lot friendlier but the officials are super corrupt to the point where if you say boo to them they can and will make you dissapear, the countries are lawless, I was in Maputo Mozambique last about 8 years ago its one big sewer, the Poros from South Africa that used to be in Mozambique before the last civil war are all slowly returning to get away from the crime in RSA, bit of a communist feel to the place

There is a big expat society in Nairobi but same again its one big sewer, the country is run by Indian crime and drug lords, the expat society seem to do well, I was there for a couple of months living with an expat who has spent his whole life there, he was happy and was adamant he would not return to the UK the palce still has a "Colonial" feel to it, I actually enjoyed it but not a place for my wife and kids, unless thay had actually grown up there.

Namibia is probably the most prosporous and safest at the moment, the economy is doing well, and the black governement is now letting whites back into government, this must be saying somthing, big german community thriving.

On second thought maybe you stick to Australia !!

Campbells

That gets my vote too! If I thought there was a remote possible that there was somewhere "decent" to go in Africa we would consider but as The Druid said most of the African countries you can make $$ BUT it's not a place for families.

We are looking to get back to civilisation and for us that means getting right outta Africa in total. I really don’t think that Africa as a whole or otherwise will become “first world�.
Technology blah blah blah does not make first world status, cause we got it all right here and there are just too many people that don’t want to , don’t care to, are not interested to etc etc use the tools to develop & progress.

Here in SA major infrastructures are falling apart at the seams, the majority of our municipals are bankrupt and as I said before, I (& everyone else) could write books.

Bottom line:
If you live in a multi-story vibe in Manchester & you don’t see light at the end of the tunnel then yes this will seem like paradise as it would be a whole new experience having your own garden (I say that as no insult) etc, BUT believe me those things wear off and reality comes knocking at your door and interrupts your Hollywood movie. Not saying that everyone is on that buzz but it is very easy to be seduced by the GREAT weather, nice home etc etc.

Where we are at now is that I’ll be happy to get a job as a postman and live somewhere where I can relax a tad about my wife & child’s safety.

In my twenty odd year in Africa I too have experienced the extreme abuse of power which normally starts at government levels and filters all the way down so in fact it seems to become the norm so if you care to join them, hop on the train but prepared to get on for the ride.

For me I wouldn’t buy a ticket to anywhere in Africa.

melaniee

Gave up on that idea and now back in the UK!

The Druid

Gave up on Africa now also back in the UK, gave up on the UK weather, now waiting patiently for Aus visa, arriving sooooooooon I hope

melaniee

Good luck. We are not sure if the Uk will be for us forever either but the choice is, where will be!

GMDW

hi Chris,

i know what you mean about Hermanus, it's a lovely little place-just terrible traffic in season.

I think a good start for you would be to read a few of the posts here (take some with a pinch of salt!!) and then maybe look at the following link;

www.southafricahouse.com

I have family in and around Cape Town and have visited there 6/7 times over the last 20 years and totally love the place. For what it's worth i don't know anyone directly who has been affected by violence in Cape Town but it does happen of course. But then so show me any city in the world with a diverse culture and wealth classes where violence isn't a major issue...

I would love to live in Cape Town and am starting to look into it after some serious consideration on leaving the UK for good....

Feel free to ask any more questions and good luck with your research.

GMDW

Hi Stuart

Interested by your posts on life in Cape Town..sent you a PM.

Regards,

The Druid

Visiting Cape town for couple of weeks a year and living there is two completely different things, I lived in South Africa for 10 years if the crime doesn't kill you the frustration level will, my ex-holiday home in Plettenburg bay is now in the middle of a govt sanctioned squatter camp "Flushing Meadows" it was beautifull over looking the bay, now it has been gutted, the people who I ended up giving it too were chased away by violent crime.

THEY TOO WERE FRESH LIBERAL MINDED BRITS, THEY ARE BACK IN THE UK NOW, LASTED 2 YEARS AND HAVE NOTHING TO SHOW FOR IT, LOST EVERYTHING.

I met up with other fresh Brits in Johannesburg in 1998, they were suckered into buying a house South of Johannesburg for R750,000.00, this too was taken over by "Flushing meadows" and was sold for R100,000.00 they now live in a R100,000.00 town house complex and have nothing to show for it but a huge mortgage and a 20% interest rate.

melaniee

A story I keep hearing time and time again.

Campbells

Greetings all,

Some news that folk may not be aware of and is extremely serious for ANYONE considering to move to South Africa.

In Nov last year I found out that I would have to take up a SA passport for traveling in & out of the country and when I looked into the reasons why I was told that SA is no longer going to accept SA Citizenship (green ID book) for entry to SA. I was told by the dept of home affairs that I would HAVE TO apply for a SA passport, being who I am have never enjoyed being told I HAVE TO so I did some research before submitting the application.

It turns out that as of Oct this year SA will no longer allow dual citizenship and needless to say that I have since submitted a form to renege my SA citizenship which was actually automatically given to me in the eighties as in these days they may just have needed me on the Angolan border so in fact it was something that I never requested. Needless to say and at the absolute horror of the staff at the home affairs I have now reneged my SA citizenship as there is ZERO question of choice between UK & SA passports.
Although I’m not a gambling man I would put a good sum on how many Brit (& other nations) are not going to give up their passport for an SA one. This sounds like a course of events that happened in other countries in Africa.

I have also heard that there has been a whole lot of land seizure in the Northern Province so if this is the case the *%$## has already started to hit the fan here. We are so very happy to be getting out of here and it seems as if it is just in time.

With regards to Hermanus I must admit that they do have reputation of growing some of the best doobie and stress factor zero or rather when there is more than ten cars there is traffic chaos and I’m sure that the career prospect are vast. Truth be known, if I was single, no responsibilities blah blah blah, I’d go there with my Discman & Bob Marley collection and watch the whales for a few months and think, I’m hungry, what now?

Hakunamatata.

Campbell

G'Day

Thanks for that bit of useful information. We've heard that is was a very difficult process to achieve dual citizenship anyway so we were giving ours up for Australia instead of going through all the rigmarole. This puts it all in a different perspective. I don't like being told what to do either.

Hermanus is no longer the haven it used to be, my mother recently sold our family home there and moved to JHB, which she considers to be safer. She's certainly been burgled less in JHB ;-)

melaniee

Do you know where in the Northern Province? I heard it was happening Eastern Cape too.