SabsLee

Certainly wasn't suggesting you are all liars. And apologies to those who I have offended. This wasn't what I signed up for and thought the thread was to discuss good points about cape town. I will be deleting my account.

Pablo

I'm sorry, but this time I really must protest. This is not the only recent instance of someone arriving on this list, firing a few vaguely argued pot-shots, then finding that they are met with disagreement, and then retreating under the pretence that they have somehow or other been picked on, affecting to be hurt or offended. I really am beginning to think there is some commonality to these ephemeral appearances. What Daxk said is entirely true and fair. You have trivialised the experiences of others, and elevated your own, and then behave as if you have somehow been treated unfairly.

There are plenty of places where you can go and read "good news" about South Africa - there are sites (which you may already have heard of) which are devoted to that very thing. It is my opinion that at least some of those sites beguile and deceive vulnerable and ignorant people by using various lame arguments which do not stand up to examination. But whatever one thinks of those sites, the fact is that there are endless places to go where one can read up the "good news". Now, conversely, why you should have thought that a thread entitled "Anyone NOT been attacked in Cape Town?!" would not touch upon the question of crime is beyond me.

So by all means go - with my blessing and good wishes - if that counts for anything in this ghastly remote world we now live in. But do not play the tricks one finds elsewhere, and try to deceive the innocent.

Tegwyn

So you run because you don't like the responses. Here are the facts. Cape Town is a stunning city and many of those I hold dear live there. A place I had hoped to return to - to retire someday but know that the way things are going, I have a better chance of living my life where I am now. SA is a stunningly beautiful country but society and the value of life is abnormal. That is the reality and anyone that heads into that country should know before venturing there.

mike9999

I think the problem with these threads is that the majority of users posting are people who have left South Africa for a number of reasons e.g crime and you are ths recieving a very biased view on South Africa and Cape Town in particular.

I live in Cape Town, the Northern suburbs in specific and have never been the victim of any violent crime. The only crime I have come in n contact is burglary. Once our home was burgled while we were building and another time while we were on holiday. Both burglaries were minor and not much was stolen.

Yes, there is a lot of violent crime in Cape Town, but the odds are greatly in your favour that you willl not experience it, especially if you live sensibly. Crime is far more prevalent in the squatter camps are townships.

Statistics wise Cape Town is not really worse off crime wise that many large US cities.

I see previous posters mentioned living only in gated communities - This is living in fear. many gated communities still fall victim to crime for the very reason that people believe that they are perfectly safe and as such do not take proper precautions.

A lot of it is in the ind, if you feel that you will live in constant fear, you should not come here, your fear will just attract bad situations to you. Rather come here and see the positives of yyour move.

Cape Town is perfectly safe for children particularily if you live in the better suburbs. Understanding that there lifestyle will however be diffrenet that to what it would have been in England.

Tegwyn

You may want to get an unbiased view of crime statistics in SA. http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/cr...ers-per-capita I've added this link to youtube to watch an unbiased media coverage of why people have left SA. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mfVqN0XUqYs

Stanley10

Perhaps you should ask Mitsy to check on them, it seems to be a standard request when someone positive comes on. Perhaps there is a conspiracy?
Perhaps they have been treated unfairly, personally I believe they have.


Why should they go elsewhere, isn't this a site for British Expats with an interest in SA, there must be hundreds of thousands of them some of whom feel positive about the place. Why should they be hounded from this website?

I take it from your earlier post that you have not been attacked in Cape Town.

Tegwyn

Nobody is being hounded off this site. We don't agree with their opinions but that is not blowing them off. Why not substantiate their claims instead of running away when they can't argue the merits?

Stanley10

Why do they need to argue the merits?

Q: Anyone living in Cape Town?

Ans: Yep, been here 4 years, love it to bits, fantastic.

Easy.

SabsLee

Okay, I ain't going anywhere. Indeed I do feel hounded, i do feel hurt and offended. I have never ever trivialised anyones trauma. Clearly a pattern emerges that whenever anyone feels they have something great to say about SA they get slammed down with terrible stories and made to feel like they are naive and what was it an "aggressive head in the-clouder",who should go and leanr for herself just how terrible it all is..... I was even threatened with Voodoo!! That is dispicable!

'vulnerable and ignorant' people. How condescending is that?!? They may indeed be adventurous and strong willed, intelligent people who in their quest to find unbiased views of SA have had the misfortune of stumbling upon this site. Can't you do something more constructive with your time than rubbishing South Africa?

Thanks Stanley for the back-up. I would like to hear more from Brits and South Aficans living in South Africa, and a little less from those who have moved on, and seem to think they are the only ones qualified to comment.

And Pablo - I'm sorry but you only have yourself to blame for putting yourself in that situtaion, was that a necesasry journey, don't you read the papers?!

Pablo

Oh Stanley, you do love to stir up trouble. But I'm not going to be drawn.

Pablo

Not condescending at all.

I don't know what you're referring to. What journey?

Pablo

Oh please! What I have said is that in the end there is no substitute for going and finding out for oneself. I have not said "learn for oneself how terrible it is". Those are your words, not mine.

Tegwyn

SabsLee
Okay, I ain't going anywhere. Indeed I do feel hounded, i do feel hurt and offended. I have never ever trivialised anyones trauma.


Perhaps a refresher course would be in order. You will note that the op had been asking about Anyone NOT being attacked in Cape Town? Perhaps that is because she has heard from so many that have left for those types of reasons, which you in your wisdom have decided to determine are grossly exaggerated. Not only that, you have also inferred that they no longer have input because they left long ago. They do go back and see family - often, like I do so you should never assume. You have been fortunate to having a positive experience so far, and bully for you, but do NOT trivialize the extend of the effect of being subjected to a crime. Once you walk in their shoes, you will fully comprehend the impact.

Tegwyn

I know you can read Stanley. Observe title of thread. Why not argue the merits when you know glossing over some very relevant facts are intentionally being avoided. Fact. SA has a high crime rate, and needs to be noted in the choices you make. Unfortunate fact that no amount of pretty pictures can deny.

SabsLee

Tegwyn, I am very sorry for what you have experienced. And i never meant to trivialise anyone's trauma. I have had my fair share of trauma through car crashes and cancer, but i don't blame my country for them or try to make people petrified of them happening! I have also been mugged at knife point in durban. It was to me a random event, no-one was hurt and the perpetrators were caught almost instantly. I still maintain that many responses here are exaggerated. To be asked if you've packed your bullet proof vest when you talk about moving to Cape town is absurd (and destructive) quite frankly.

This is not personal Tegwyn, it's an interesting debate, but i feel like i'm getting a good dressing down from you for my opinions, and that is simply not fair.
By the way - those cirme stats you added. What proportion are british expats - just out of interest? I don't know, but i wonder if it's enough to warrant this discussion on a forum designed for their information.