My view on South Africa
 

Hi,

I'm new to the forum (and thinking of moving to Portugal), but I would like to say a few things about SA that people may find useful.

SA is a beautiful, friendly, clean country, when I returned to the UK from the Western Cape in 2006 it was literally like stepping off the plane into a black and white film, everything seemed dismal and grey!

Of course, the UK has its own beauty, but I do find that it is generally much dirtier, scruffy, unfriendly and run-down. Yob culture (in all walks of life) is celebrated and I would say that petty crime and anti-social behaviour on the streets is more prevelant than SA. Also, it seems that the UK is the only country in the world where the criminal, stupid, and lazy are rewarded.

I know that serious crime is much higher in SA (I've had my moments!), but the only place i've been really nervous is in the UK.

Mick

Re: My view on South Africa
 

Hi Mick, welcome to BE.

I agree with most of your views. The difference here is that if you are a victim of crime in the UK (and I was, several times), it is mainly simply unsettling and inconvenient.

If you are a victim here (and, touch wood I haven't been in 9 years), it can cost you your life....

It's 15 degrees here today in Jo'burg - bloody chilly. But colourful!

Good luck with your move to Portugal if it goes ahead.

Re: My view on South Africa
 

Mick I agree completely. I moved here from Pretoria in September and I hate it. Dismal, boring, unbelievably ugly towns and miserable people. The people are incredibly lazy because the system awards laziness. There are massive problems in SA and we moved here for the ususal reasons-were not affected by crime but concerned about the government and future for kids in the country. That said what is better-do you live in a place which you hate or in a place which is beautiful, exciting but dangerous?!
I'm either back to SA or to Oz asap.

Re: My view on South Africa
 

'Rewards' perhaps?

Go for the dangerous.

Re: My view on South Africa
 

Let me guess, you moved to London or surrounds?

You seem to have forgotten SA, the criminal, stupid and lazy aren't just rewarded, they become President, Cabinet Ministers, MPs, CEO of parastatal companies like Escom?

Re: My view on South Africa
 

Yup, but the sun shines.........:sneaky:

Re: My view on South Africa
 

I totally agree!

Re: My view on South Africa
 

This was sent to me today....old, but worth repeating :D

Diary OF A POMMIE IN NORTHERN KARIBA

August 1
Just got transferred with work from London, UK to our new home in Chawara , Northern Kariba .
Now this is a town that knows how to live!
Beautiful, sunny days and warm, balmy evenings.
I watched the sunset from a deckchair by our pool yesterday.
It was beautiful.
I've finally found my new home.
I love it here.

September 1
Really heating up now.
It got to 31 today.
No problem though.
Living in air-conditioned home, driving air-conditioned car.
What a pleasure to see the sun every day like this.
I'm turning into a sun-worshipper - no blasted rain like back in London !!

September 15
Had the back yard landscaped with tropical plants today.
Lots of palms and rocks.
No more mowing lawns for me!
Another scorcher today, but I love it here.
It's Paradise !

October 1
The temperature hasn't been below 35 all week.
How do people get used to this kind of heat?
At least today it's windy though.
Keeps the flies off a bit.
Acclimatizing is taking longer than we expected.

October 15
Fell asleep by the pool yesterday.
Got third degree burns over 60% of my body.
Missed three days off work.
What a dumb thing to do..
Got to respect the old sun in a climate like this!

October 20
- Didn't notice Kitty (our cat) sneaking into the car before I left for work this morning.
By the time I got back to the car after work, Kitty had died and swollen up to the size of a shopping bag and stuck to the upholstery.
The car now smells like Whiskettes and cat shit.
I've learned my lesson though: no more pets in this heat.

October 25
- This wind is a bastard.
It feels like a giant ****ing blow dryer.
And it's hot as hell!
The home air conditioner is on the blink and the repair man charged $200 just to drive over and tell me he needs to order parts from ****ing JHB .......The wife & the kids are complaining.

October 30
- The temperature's up around 40 and the parts still haven't arrived for the ****ing air conditioner.
House is an oven so we've all been sleeping outside by the pool for 3 nights now.
Bloody $600,000 house and we can't even go inside.
Why the hell did I ever come here?

November 4
Finally got the ****ing air-conditioner fixed. It cost $1,500 and gets the temperature down to around 35 degrees.
Stupid repairman.
****ing thief.

November 8
- If one more smart bastard says 'Hot enough for you today?'
I'm going to ****ing throttle him.
****ing heat!
By the time I get to work, the car radiator is boiling over, my ****ing clothes are soaking ****ing wet and I smell like baked cat.
****ing place is the end of the Earth.

November 9
- Tried to run some errands after work, wore shorts, and sat on the black leather upholstery in my car.
I thought my ****ing arse was on fire.
I lost 2 layers of flesh, all the hair on the backs of my legs and off my ****ing arse.
Now the car smells like burnt hair, fried arse and baked cat.
****. ****. ****.

November 10
-- The Weather report might as well be a ****ing recording..
Hot and sunny.
Hot and sunny, Hot and ****ing sunny.
It never ****ing changes!
It's been too hot to do anything for 2 ****ing months and the weatherman says it might really warm up next week.
****!

November 15
- Doesn't it ever rain in this damn ****ing place?
Water restrictions will be next, so my $5,000 worth of palms might just dry up and blow into the ****ing pool.
The only things that thrive in this ****ing hell-hole are the ****ing flies.
You don't dare open your mouth for fear of swallowing half a dozen of the little bastards!

November 20
- Welcome to HELL!
It got to 45 ****in' degrees today.
Now the air conditioner gone in my car.
The repair man came to fix it and said, 'Hot enough for you today?'
I wanted to shove the ****ing car up his ****ing arse.
Anyway, had to spend the $2,500 mortgage payment to bail me out of jail for assaulting the stupid prick.
****ing KARIBA!
What kind of sick, demented ****ing idiot would want to live here!

December 1
- WHAT!!!! The FIRST day of Summer!!!!
You are ****ing kidding me!

Re: My view on South Africa
 

LOL Ed, :rofl: I still seek out my place in the sun whereby I will never feel like a soggy chip again (UK) or a shriveled up lizard (Highveld, or whatever fancy name it has now). Just happy to be in a place where we don't have to donner each other stukkend for a tenner. ;) Mind you, we have had a few carjackings around here but fortunately all got caught. One or two had a bullet up the *** and the other in the leg when a pissed off police officer could not get them to listen. A wee reminder for them that it hurts to misbehave.
Always appreciate your very lekker sense of humour Ed.:thumbsup: