British Expats - to do list

Morning. Here's a more sensible / useful reply than the earlier one...

Make at least 5 copies of every major document you have - driving licence, passport, wedding certificates, visas etc. You will need certified copies when applying to open bank accounts etc. SA Police stations will do this for you - you need the copies and the original, and they will do it for free.
Get a PO Box opened at the post office. Cheap and easy, and convenient. Make sure it is somewhere close to where you live / work! If you let me know where this is I can point you in the right direction.
Get something "official" (utility bill, letter from a bank / utility co) delivered to your residential address as soon as you can. You will need proof of residential address when applying for pretty much anything. Get one delivered in your partners name too. You won't believe how this will help.
Your appliances will work here (including TV) - but you will need to change plugs. The easiest way is to buy a load of 4-gang chargers (extension cables with 4 or more UK sockets) and then change the plug - then all your UK electrical stuff can get plugged into those, and the extension into the wall.
DSTV is a must - local telly is crap. A HD PVR (their laughable equivalent of Sky+) will cost R2000 plus installation. Monthly subs are R600 a month but it's ok. Lots of UK programmes available.
When dealing with home affairs, understand they are moronic halfwits and you will be sent all over the place. Go to the Randburg office - the only shining light of competence in a mighty dunghill of shite. Take a book, patience and a sense of humour
Get your UK licence converted to an international driving permit before you leave. Trust me on this. the licencing department make home affairs look like NASA.
You can get most UK provisions here, so don't bring food or drink. Customs get a bit grumpy when you do
Keep a UK bank account open - speak to HSBC or Investec to see if you can have an international account. It's much easier to arrange in the UK than here
Keep a residential address in the UK (friend or family member is fine - just get some post delivered there every so often). It will help if / when you go back
Get a letter from your car insurance company with a NCD certificate. They are accepted here.
The DVD region is the same, so no worries there.
If you are an Ipod user, keep your UK itunes account - load it with cash before you leave (although you can load it here, IP addresses can be a bit sticky as Apple don't have a licencing agreement for itunes in SA)

That's all I can think of. Let me know if you have any specific questions.

Good luck,

Ed