Would you move to Cape Town?

The references to the "white capital" and "Afrikaans capital" are just weird and possibly borderline offensive but I can't quite put my finger on it.

White car guards are a thing but obviously much less so than black and as someone else said, fairly rare in the more affluent parts of Cape Town/southern suburbs. I've seen white car guards in the Northern Suburbs though.

@ZarZarGabor out of interest, what area roughly are you living in? if my dad sends me one more pictures of his morning walk at the foot of table mountain, looking all glorious, I might have to move back myself!

Next time I go to my shopping centre I'll attach a photo for you. There's defo white car guards. More black ones than white, but then there is more black people than white.
Wth is an Afrikaans capital.

@TizerorFizz I'm from the Free State, Bloemfontein was my nearest big city. My family are still there and I visit yearly.

So what if there are regions where white Afrikaners live? They're entitled to exist and live in their own country.

@JudgeAnderson It’s research on white population attitudes. Not neat political boxes. There are still very many white Afrikaners there. SA is great for holidays but you need a certain ambivalence to live there. A resigned attitude that you cannot do much to help others who live in corrugated tin shacks. The ultra rich don’t seem to see this as a priority. Nor the government.

When in SA we always listen to the radio. Phone in programmes give you a real insight into SA. Child deaths under 5 - atrocious. Maternity provision - poor. Loo blocks built without doors - awful. The legacy of Aids. Lots of issues the uk never has to think about in the same way. My recommendation is to listen and learn, even if you are on holiday. If you go snd live there - look the other way.

Quite right, and they would need the money to be able to do so. The exchange rate is poor therefore it’s not a like for like move and people start from the bottom again after emigrating which lots of SA-er’s don’t want to do.

@TizerorFizz It isn't the Afrikaner capital at all, there's no such thing now. Majority Sotho speaking region in fact.

I know a few South Africans, love them, but what they've told me about SA, big no.

@JudgeAnderson Afrikaner capital then. I’ve read decent research on attitudes here.

As of 5 August 2024, South Africa has reported 24 mpox cases and three deaths. Twenty-two of the 24 cases were reported between 8 May and 6 July 2024

Was SA having monkey pox surge when op asked for advice a year ago??

The OP is vanishingly unlikely to invite a migrant from Central Africa into her home to shag or share towels with so I reckon she'll be good on the mpox front.

At the moment I'd be concerned about mpox spreading there. I could add positive and negative stories (sorry OP but more negative) but no point as OP is there now. If no-one mentioned the car jacking risk perhaps I'd cover that.

Never seen a white car park guard. Anywhere. Not been to the white capital though.

As I said, common in Bloemfontein. Unlikely in Southern Suburbs Cape Town as it's affluent.
What the white capital?

Never seen a white car park guard. Anywhere. Not been to the white capital though.

Glad it’s working out for you OP!

I’m aware South Africans see giving employment to black people as a social service (car park guards are never white)

The majority are not white but some are. It's common in Bloemfontein to have white car guards at the malls and supermarkets.

OP thanks for coming back and updating! I hope you're loving it there.

Parts of South Africa are 100% no go areas! Have you actually seen some of the living conditions? It’s absolutely not London. We aren’t talking about Americans and London. Tourists 100% have no go areas in SA.

My dentist in South Africa last week was concerned about my safety when visiting the UK because of the riots. This illustrates how stories and perceptions are very different to the lived experience on the ground.

Exactly this. Some Americans believe parts of London are no-go areas.

I think it can feel draining to even think about having to guard your car. I’m aware South Africans see giving employment to black people as a social service (car park guards are never white) but its also draining to see the vast difference in living conditions. Many South Africans employ cooks and cleaners and gardeners to keep black families employed. The schools are very keen on social service and employing families over decades who need some money is what happens. They helped these families through the aids crisis.It’s not a way of life most Brits experience.

I think it feels like a relief to come to other countries where there aren’t rough townships and the state has functioned sufficiently well to lift people out of corrugated huts with toilet blocks.

Great for a holiday when you can pass on by, but living there comes with greater issues to face up to. A new government really has its work cut out!

Just sharing my experience. Thanks for sharing yours.

Oh op I’m so glad you moved. I will say people seem very much hopeful with the new coalition government. I went back in July and started discussing moving back.

Also yay for no load shedding but as you say you get used to it!

Our best friends were out there ( but Durban area) for 12 years- they came back 2 years ago - she is South African - when they first went out they said it was a bit hairy but doable but since about 2018 they found it just awful- they had rioters within 500metres of the house, could never go out at night safely without the car and hadn't planned for having the kids in private school and health costs that totally rocketed. They did like the weather, the nice big houses, the pool- but they said that the other things just soured the experience and another big issue was no one actually wanted to visit them as it wasn't on their lists of places people wanted to spend hard earned holiday time and cash on given the shit going on- so they found it quite lonely. Friends they made early on were all leaving.

I wouldn't say don't do it- but just go into it well prepared . It's an experience that ended up costing them £40k .

We were in SA in February and stayed in the Camps Bay area for a few days. At no point were we followed on the beach or harassed in any way by beggars.

@ZarZarGabor wow, amazing! Am so glad you are enjoying it!

@Balletdreamer I appreciate you didnt like your time in SA but things like car guards which you see as "demanding money to look after your car in car parks" actually misses the point. It is completely normal and a good way for unemployed people to "earn" a living. Interactions with car guards are often extremely pleasant and fun - they tend to be high energy and genuinely make an effort to make parking easier. Crime is an issue so you do get to keep your car safe etc.

I think it was on this thread that someone asked about some of the cultural differences and this was one I highlighted but if you didn't see that it might have been in a pm conversation I had with a poster on here who was planning a holiday and did subsequently go (and enjoy it).

They moved! There are vast numbers of South Africans here. Wimbledon being very popular. My DDs went to school in SA. We did meet SA families. Many did leave. However as it was boarding, these families were well off. Constant worries about security was all they talk about! And sport. And finding competent staff when quotas were enforced. How their farms were attacked and in one case, DF murdered and in another an attempted kidnap of DC. It’s the topic at any SA dinner party! Every day someone tells you how to be safe in SA.

Look at the security around houses! You have a generator to keep your security going! Look at the razor wire, security gates, glass shards on walls and gated enclaves. Security staff in your grounds. Panic buttons. Private security guards. Security dogs etc. Some people don’t like living like that. Great for a holiday. Cape Town isn’t the worst for security - are you going into the shanty towns to have a look around? No. Probably not. Any SA person will tell you not to. No go areas are everywhere. Enjoy the sun, sea and sand, but don't be fooled into complacency.