Mitzyboy

Just so everyone has an idea of who you are and what you are doing, why not post a few lines here just introducing yourself to the other SA forum members

Then get posting!

cocopops

I moved to SA when I was 7 in 1971 and left when I was 11 my dad got a job with the SA Post Office we stayed in Pretoria for 6 weeks then moved to Middelburg.We moved to the UAE Ras al Khaimah in 1976 (my dad worked for C&W) then on to Doha.Im a nurse and also qualified as a plumber last year and Im female! Im married with 3 children.I have very happy childhood memories of my time in SA and the Middle East Dubai wasnt quite so up market in the late 1970s

Daxk

Hi, Although I've been posting on here for a while I felt it only good manners to introduce myself as well.
I've left the autumn section and am now entering the Winter of my life and until 4 years ago I had experienced 2 attempted hi-jackings, 2 close calls, one mugging with a knife ,had a car stolen and a burglary while I slept the sleep of Anaesthesia and still figured I would be the one to put the lights out.
I grew up in SA and Mocambique, my playmates were friends who taught me to speak Zulu and Siswana before I learnt to speak English ( The Brit Passport was ancestral on granny's side)
I served in the SADF Citizen force for 13 years and had fun in Namibia, Angola, Rhodesia and Mocambique , I buried 13 friends, served with troops of all races ,respected them and as far as I know, earned their respect.
My friends throughout have also come from all the tribes, some SA and neither I nor my family ever supported what happened except by our silence.
And for the arrogant idiots who ask why did'nt you protest my answer is when you have walked in a white mans shoes during that time, talk to me again , for most people in South Africa of that time, of all colours, just tried to live their lives unobtrusively.
I digress.
I left SA 3 years ago , not because of the Armed Robbery/Hi-jacking, Not because they tried to drag my wife to the bushes in the yard and I was powerless, not because my child had to hide in the bushes being told if she makes a noise we will be killed, Not because my wifes pretty little black PA was kidnapped and gang raped at 7 pm from a gym in Midrand,

I left because two weeks after my attackers were arrested I was washing my classic car in the driveway one sunday morning, a car hooted , and there were 4 of my little gang, in my driveway , waving and blowing kisses to me as they each got bail of ZAR100.
The message was clear about testifying in their trial.
I have a daughter.
I have a wife.
6 months later I arrived in Ireland with 4 suitcases to start a new life as a refugee from crime.
I AM a cantankerous old man when I'm faced with idiots.
I AM an angry old man who knows that it's actually fairly simple to fix SA's problems , it will take time and a huuuge attitude adjustment "klap" for those in power and some of the old guard white citizens, it just takes discipline, accountability and a genuine spirit of sharing.
Unfortunately not in my lifetime, probably not in my daughters lifetime and my grandchildren wont care.

But I do so hate waste!

Mitzyboy

Ahhh well, suppose I'd better practice what I preach.

Lived in the Uk all my life, owned a shipping company which allowed me a lot of travel, Far East, Scandinavia, the US and Europe

Eventually sold my business, wife got made redundant, and we decided to take early retirement to somewhere we could afford to live, which turned out to be somewhere I'd only ever been once before in my life!

So Spain is where we ended up, and although its been a stressful time its beginning to settle down now. I've experienced a whole new set of challenges & problems, but I've been considerably warmer whilst I've been doing it.

I'm afraid my experience of SA is extremely limited ..... I'm just here to try and keep the peace

Redlippie

I'm too scared to!

A Zimbo, who has lived in Mozambique albeit for a few months, and who lived in SA for 15 years and then onwards to the States 10 years ago.

Love Africa passionately and most of its people (detest most of its politicians).

Left because I had 3 toddlers whose future was seriously at risk; academic and physical safety considerations played a huge part in the decision - as well as wanting them to be raised in a country that is not as racially divided as S.A. is.

Mizz Teapot

Hi,

We left SA 7 years ago. We only left because hubby recieved a job offer "out of the blue", and decided to give Canada a go. I think if he didn't receive the job offer we would be still in SA. Still loves SA a lot, think it is the most beautifull place in the world.
Canada is OK, the winters are the worst so long , but at the moment we are happy here, the kids are safe and have a future ahead of them.

Tegwyn

Hi, I'm a Welsh, Canadian, African, American! I left South Africa in 1982 although I still go back and forth for business and family interests. The business part is coming to an end as I just don't want my dosh there anymore. Family there runs successful armed response companies but it's getting rather pointless anymore.
Spent my youth in Zambia, Kenya (short spell),Zims (even shorter spell) South Africa in between bouncing back to motherland. Then married a Scotsman and moved to Canada and ended up here in the States. Had entertained going back to retire but I've seen enough to know that I have better odds of seeing old age here.

Donna Allan

Hi, I came to SA in 1982 at the age of 12 with my folks. I have had a good life in SA and can say I've been one of the lucky one's who has never yet been hi-jacked or had a sort of major crime effect my life, however I do live in constant fear of this happening. I think it's a crime in it's self that we have to life in daily fear. Yesterday my 11 yr old son was playing in the front garden and suddenly he came flying in the front door locking the security gate, I asked him what was up and he said a group of guys who looked like a gang were coming down the road. I felt so bad as my nervousness/alertness has obviously rubbed off on him. We (OH and I) made a decision last year November to pack up and move back to the UK, OH is South African but he's keen. Our house has been on the market since April this year and we are battling to sell. I'm living day to day in the hope that we will sell soon so that we can move on and start our second phase of our lives in the UK. Trying to stay positive but it's VERY hard.

Offshore IFA

I moved to Cape Town a little over a month ago, from the UK. I work with people in planning their offshore finances hence the screen name! I love it here, I like the standard of living, I like the area etc, to be truthful I plan to stay certainly for a good few years.

TigerOC

Born and educated in Bulawayo (CBC). 3rd generation Southern African on my fathers side. Descended from a very long line of Cornish miners on both sides.

Obtained a Pharmacy degree from Rhodes University in Grahamstown. Worked in the Rhodesian Health service as a Hospital Secretary/Pharmacist for 4 years. Decided I did not want to work for or be governed by Bob Mugabe and headed South in January 1980.

Owned and ran retail pharmacies in Pietermaritzburg, Natal for nearly 20 years. Held various senior elected positions within the Pharmaceutical Society of South Africa between 1989 and 1998. Lack of business security/crime/pension viability made us decide to emigrate to the UK in 1998.

Becoming a grumpy old man. Fed up with neo-liberals telling me how to think, raise my kids and live my life.

Tegwyn

Hello Tiger and welcome. Interesting threads you have posted there, and I see one more highly educated individual that joined the exodus to more secure environs. Southern Africa's loss.

TigerOC

Cheers Tegwyn. South Africa has had a major brain drain. In the field of pharmacy they have lost 50% of the pharmacists registered in 1994 either through emigration or leaving the profession.

Redlippie

Bunches working here in the States

TigerOC

Yep; in the period '96 - '98 they were going to the States at the rate of 10/week. There were only 9500 pharmacists registered in the RSA in 1994 so this was a serious loss. I had two mates from 'maritzburg go over to San Diego. The downside was that their wives were not permitted to work in terms of their entry. In both cases the women folk couldn't handle the boredom and came back to the RSA and they ended up divorced. Happened a lot apparently.

South African pharmacy qualifications after 1968 ('71 RSA left the Commonwealth) are not recognised in the UK and anyone wanting to practise here has to go back to varsity here and re-qualify.

Redlippie

Interesting about that last bit. So, did you have to re-qualify then? How many years do you have to take, or do you have to do the full course?