I usually resist wading into these types of discussions, but seriously, if you want to compare 3rd world with 1st world, don’t be surprised by the content.

I’m a South African (Married an English rose). You cant beat SA for quality of life, but the standard of living is very different. Cape Town is indeed in a bubble compared to most other cities for a number of political and socioeconomic reasons.

You take the same precautions in SA that you would take in any other foreign country. Are the risks of being exposed to violence higher? Of course, but lets not throw proverbial baby out with the bathwater. There are horror stories in every area, in every country.

Go, make the most of it. Don’t take the security issue for granted, but don’t let it overshadow you experience of one of the most diverse and beautiful countries in the world.

You cant beat SA for quality of life

If you’re rich and/or white, by the sound of it.

There are horror stories in every area, in every country.

Nothing like the volume or intensity you keep hearing about Joburg though!

If it makes you feel any better, I wouldn’t move my family to a number of places, SA is just one.

Go, make the most of it. Don’t take the security issue for granted, but don’t let it overshadow you experience of one of the most diverse and beautiful countries in the world.

That would be my response if the question were about a short term placement.

RSA is a fantastic place to visit, I’d never have gone if it hadn’t been for work but I’m going back for a holiday. I wouldn’t move there permanently.

I read the local press from time to time and it seems the sheer violence involved in some of the crimes seems unique to SA. Women are routinely raped whilst husbands are forced to watch after robbers have broken in to their ‘secure’ homes. People leave the place in droves it seems. I can’t understand anyone moving out there, especially with a family.

Wow,certainly a lot of bollocks been said there by many (not all !). I lived there for 20 years and is an amazing lifestyle, still go back for a good month every year and not happy when ‘home time’ comes round. ‘Irelanst’ who told story re shooting wrong guy, what a load of cr@p, that hasnt happended, is a nice entertaining myth that people tell all over the world and is just bad publicity. Granted JNB is (as nearest city to northern borders etc) does attract a mixed bunch, a lot are desperate hence some crime. Likely you would want to head to Durban or Cape Town anyway for mtb’ing where the hills are, I know of loads of it across there and is massive. Cycling too. As I say a great lifestyle, yeah you have to keep your wits about you, be able to afford somewhere fairly nice, not wonder into Hillbrow (ala Soho in London or many other parts of many other cities in UK) at midnight swinging a fat wallet, but the rewards are abundant ie. the sun and colourful surroundings ! Generally a great buzz ! Go for it, you only live once !! (no follow on gags please to that last remark ). Over the years have taken loads of UK pals back to SA for holiday and cant think of one that hasnt said was the best holiday they ever had, too many things to do (outdoors !) to list. 😀 😀

Flashsa what part of JNB did you live in?

Interesting reading this thread, I used to live there 40 years ago and still have family there.

So to summarise, everyone on this thread but two says dont go there.

Lived in Durban, cracking place, Drakensberg Mountains couple hrs away, endless biking (not dissimilar to Alps).

Trimix, to be fair most people with bad things to say about place have no first hand experience, their view is via ‘stories, ‘I heard it from a friend’, ‘someone told me about this guy’ blah blah blah

Am not on commission for the SA tourist board by the way… 😀

I’m not a South Africa expert, I only spent 3-4 weeks there. I grew up and worked in dodgy and shitty places, so I think I have a higher tolerance for risk and discomfort than many. Based on my feelings about how heavy the towns got at sunset and from the stories I read in the press and by people I met, there is no way I would move to South Africa to live. I find the comparisons to Streatham and Soho ridiculous. (Everyone I met was nothing less than lovely to me – another difference to the UK).

I fully respect anyone who says that this is ignorant nonsense based on anecdotal twaddle.

Its worth going just to see people standing on the back of trucks, swigging beer on the way home from work on the motorways . . .

I travel to J’burg and Cape Town a lot. Love visiting both, especially CT, but would not move my family there (despite talks yesterday for such a move!). Crime is a real issue and that makes life challenging to say the least. Plus I find places like Sandton sterile even if they are relatively safe. Having said that the closest I have been to getting mugged in Africa was in Cape Town (near the waterfront!!) and Mombassa.

I have 2 south african friends, both from Joberg and both women.
1 was car jacked at her cousins and the other was robbed in her own home, left with a head injury and her husband made to watch the beating.
As a result, Joberg would not be on my list of places to move to….interesting it was the husband that was made to watch who insisted on leaving the country

I find the comparisons to Streatham and Soho ridiculous.

Depends on the experience in either……….

Apart from the terrible reputation for crime, I rode with a chap from SA and he said he prefered riding in the UK. Generally the temp in SA was way too hot for mountain biking. They used to do all their rides at the crack of dawn and finish by 8.00 am.

I’m not sure if the rumoured way that the locals think is a cure for AIDS is true or not.
I will spare you the details but its not nice.

Apart from the terrible reputation for crime, I rode with a chap from SA and he said he prefered riding in the UK. Generally the temp in SA was way too hot for mountain biking. They used to do all their rides at the crack of dawn and finish by 8.00 am.

I rode the Argus in cape town the other week from 8.00 am until 12.15 am and hardly broke sweat . . .

and in their winter it would be fine anytime of the day.

admittedly after 12pm it does warm up considerably in the summer

That’s Cape Town though innit.

Programme on radio 5 in the next day or two talks to South African athletes and sportsmen and women about their experiences on day to day life in SA. Suffice to say from the trailer it seems most of them would concur with the general tone of this thread.

SA has it’s own page on wikipedia about how bad violent crime, particularly rape, car jackings and murder are. If you look at the other statistically similar countries, half of them are war zones or places with little meaningful government. That alone would put me off going to live in one of the more violent cities in the country.

It’s true that all cities have their dodgy areas, I know a guy grew up in an area of Durban called Westgate Gardens, made Syria sound tranquil!!!

Article from the beeb

http://m.bbc.co.uk/sport/21829741

It’s true that all cities have their dodgy areas, I know a guy grew up in an area of Durban called Westgate Gardens, made Syria sound tranquil!!!

Like Tivoli Gardens, that sounds like a delightful place to live!