South Africans in Oz

[Ikes]

Hi all

 

I am new to the site, am English, married to a South African, and we've been back in the UK for three years after living in South Africa for six years. OH has visa application lodged (has taken six months so far) and it is now with a decision maker.

 

I know this is PomsinOz, but I was wondering if any of you know of any South Africans living in Oz, and how they compare it to South Africa, as I am wondering if we are doing the right thing now (pre-nerves!).

 

Thanks, Irene:nah:

[Bod]

Hi all

 

I am new to the site, am English, married to a South African, and we've been back in the UK for three years after living in South Africa for six years. OH has visa application lodged (has taken six months so far) and it is now with a decision maker.

 

I know this is PomsinOz, but I was wondering if any of you know of any South Africans living in Oz, and how they compare it to South Africa, as I am wondering if we are doing the right thing now (pre-nerves!).

 

Thanks, Irene:nah:

 

All South Africans I have met have settled really well. There are a few hear.

I do believe there have been a few South Africans on site.

Every one has pre nerves.

 

Good Luck

 

John

[Guest deebbzz]

Hi all

 

I am new to the site, am English, married to a South African, and we've been back in the UK for three years after living in South Africa for six years. OH has visa application lodged (has taken six months so far) and it is now with a decision maker.

 

I know this is PomsinOz, but I was wondering if any of you know of any South Africans living in Oz, and how they compare it to South Africa, as I am wondering if we are doing the right thing now (pre-nerves!).

 

Thanks, Irene:nah:

hi

I was born in SA and moved to uk 13 yrs ago. most of my family live in the uk however i do have a sister in oz and she to is from SA.

my gran still misses SA however when she visits oz she says it just like SA the lifestyle every thing the only diffenerence is the crime. she says it is so much safer then SA, and it just feels like home.

so if you are missing the lifestyle and the way of life from SA then you will love OZ and you will feel much safer.

hope this helps

debs

[nikci]

Hi all

 

I am new to the site, am English, married to a South African, and we've been back in the UK for three years after living in South Africa for six years. OH has visa application lodged (has taken six months so far) and it is now with a decision maker.

 

I know this is PomsinOz, but I was wondering if any of you know of any South Africans living in Oz, and how they compare it to South Africa, as I am wondering if we are doing the right thing now (pre-nerves!).

 

Thanks, Irene:nah:

 

 

Howzit Irene,:smile:

 

Yip there are loads of South African's on this site. OH and I are both South African and have been here almost 18 years now off to NSW as soon as visa comes through. Have 3 children all Brits and also have been suffering with the pre-nerves and "am I doing the right thing by the children?" Long and short of it is that when I consider all the pros and cons think I am - sure there will be loads more pre-nerves.

 

Wishing you all the best in your move.

 

Nikci :v_SPIN:

[Guest John Sydney]

The Suburb of St Ives in Sydney is full of South Africans - they started comming in about 20 years ago in droves

[Ikes]

The Suburb of St Ives in Sydney is full of South Africans - they started comming in about 20 years ago in droves

Howzit? and thanks to all of you, dankie!

 

I was wondering why we left South Africa, and when OH submitted the application for Oz kept thinking that a miracle would occur and we would be back in SA, where the sun would shine for long enough to hang out our washing and in an hour be dry, where we could sit out each evening under the stars, and during the day the sky would be so blue but seem so far away. I loved our lifestyle, I love the Afrikaans and Zulu music.

 

It all came to an abrupt end when we went out for a meal with family in Durban and let our guard down, on the way home we stopped for a few drinks! We never did know exactly what happened, but I woke in our bedroom to my OH having been stabbed three times in the back, and he now had his foot wedged against the door trying to stop his attackers getting back in to finish him off! We were so lucky as we came out of it alive, unlike the unfortunate couple up the road who had their throats slit!

 

So, thanks to all of you who responded, and good luck to you all, Debs, the Ellis family, and Nikci, who are all struggling to get a better life for themselves and their children in oz. Thanks to John who is on his way back to live in Essex, Good Luck to you, and thanks to John Sydney who let us know that scores of South Africans went to live in St Ives in Oz.

 

To those of you who have to get South African police clearance (as we did) it is bloody frustrating, but persevere as you will get there in the end. It cost my husband 75quid for Fedex to pick up our docs and deliver them to the UK.

 

Good luck to all of you!

 

We'll keep you posted

[Guest chellynel]

My Hubby is from South Africa (Joberg originally) and when we came here on holidays a few times before we moved he was amazed at how similar it was to SA ! The Lifestyle is exactly the same but you don't have to be looking over ur shoulder like you do in SA ! We just had family visiting and they were AMAZED that we didn't have a fence around our townhouse & that everyone's BBQ's annd outdoor furniture wasn't bolted down !! LOL !

 

What you will just have to get used to not having the home help that you have in SA .... We used to be able to afford a cleaner when we were living in London but not here !! boo hoo it's my new job ha ha !

[Guest chellynel]

Howzit? and thanks to all of you, dankie!

 

I was wondering why we left South Africa, and when OH submitted the application for Oz kept thinking that a miracle would occur and we would be back in SA, where the sun would shine for long enough to hang out our washing and in an hour be dry, where we could sit out each evening under the stars, and during the day the sky would be so blue but seem so far away. I loved our lifestyle, I love the Afrikaans and Zulu music.

 

It all came to an abrupt end when we went out for a meal with family in Durban and let our guard down, on the way home we stopped for a few drinks! We never did know exactly what happened, but I woke in our bedroom to my OH having been stabbed three times in the back, and he now had his foot wedged against the door trying to stop his attackers getting back in to finish him off! We were so lucky as we came out of it alive, unlike the unfortunate couple up the road who had their throats slit!

 

So, thanks to all of you who responded, and good luck to you all, Debs, the Ellis family, and Nikci, who are all struggling to get a better life for themselves and their children in oz. Thanks to John who is on his way back to live in Essex, Good Luck to you, and thanks to John Sydney who let us know that scores of South Africans went to live in St Ives in Oz.

 

To those of you who have to get South African police clearance (as we did) it is bloody frustrating, but persevere as you will get there in the end. It cost my husband 75quid for Fedex to pick up our docs and deliver them to the UK.

 

Good luck to all of you!

 

We'll keep you posted

 

So sorry to hear about ur experience :no: it is so sad that it is happening all the time and goes virtually unreported....e have unfortunately had close family that have had similar experiences - shootings and hi-jackings. Thankfully Australia is a fairly safe place to live...I definately feel safer than I did in London !

[ottg]

There are many SA'ffrs in Oz and on this forum. Been now 3 years in Perth. Love it to pieces. Perhaps you would like to visit the SA forum at: SAAustralia Forums (Powered by Invision Power Board)

Unfortunately some comments may be in Afrikaans but 80% will be in english.

In general everyone fits in well. There are now quite a few on a 457Visas who has been retrenched due to the economic downturn - and could not find a new sponsor in 28-days and had to return. Less than 1% wants to return, not to say that they don't miss their families and loved ones, but we realise that being able to immigrate is a previllige...and will do almost anything to make it work.

Let me know how I can help!

[Guest heidi1234]

Hi( new to this forum too)

 

Have had quite ally of our own SA experiences. I'm just so glad we got out of there when we did. I think the most terrifying experience was when I was home alone with my 2 babies holding them tight in my bedroom while men roamed the garden trying to get into the house. Luckily the street security guard jumped our wall and the men ran off. That was the last straw for us. I don't think I could ever take my children back there and it's really sad as it is such a beautiful country. I'm sure we all feel the same. That's why we going on the 175 visa. I don't want any excuse to be sent back there. We have lived in the uk now for 7 years but we are so gatvol of the kids in the streets that cause so many problems. We now have cameras up an spot lights. Living the way we did in SA. It's so unfair.

 

I hope not too many of you have had bad experiences in SA or worstly lost family of friends there as we have. To live with those memories are horrible, but please feel free to share them. We've been vctims of hijacking, robberies, guns pointed, rape, and lost of close family and friends I gun shots.

 

HJ

[Guest chellynel]

Hi( new to this forum too)

 

Have had quite ally of our own SA experiences. I'm just so glad we got out of there when we did. I think the most terrifying experience was when I was home alone with my 2 babies holding them tight in my bedroom while men roamed the garden trying to get into the house. Luckily the street security guard jumped our wall and the men ran off. That was the last straw for us. I don't think I could ever take my children back there and it's really sad as it is such a beautiful country. I'm sure we all feel the same. That's why we going on the 175 visa. I don't want any excuse to be sent back there. We have lived in the uk now for 7 years but we are so gatvol of the kids in the streets that cause so many problems. We now have cameras up an spot lights. Living the way we did in SA. It's so unfair.

 

I hope not too many of you have had bad experiences in SA or worstly lost family of friends there as we have. To live with those memories are horrible, but please feel free to share them. We've been vctims of hijacking, robberies, guns pointed, rape, and lost of close family and friends I gun shots.

 

HJ

 

Hi Heidi,

We were in London for 13 years (me) and 10 years hubby respectively....once we had kids we decided thats not where we wanted to be anymore !

You will still get the odd yobs in Australia as well ...but you shouldn't have to live in fear as you had to in SA and some parts of UK ! Life is too short isn't it !

Let me know if you need any help with the visa stuff ...I still have all the paperwork from my hubby's application (hoarder) ....the best tip is the more info the better !!

ciao for now

M x

[Guest safferinSydney]

Hi Irene,

I couldn't help but respond. I left SA in 98 for London. Lived there for 3 yrs before moving to Dublin for another 3 yrs. That's where I met and married my Aussie husband. We moved to Sydney in 2004, so been here 5 1/2 yrs now.

It is such a nice part of the world. Just like SA but without as much crime or worries. I miss SA every day as I have no family here, but now with my daughter (aged 2 1/2) I don't know if I could live in SA.

I'm sure that if you did move here you would love it!!

Liesel

[olly]

Hi all.,

 

I am new to the site, am English, married to a South African, and we've been back in the UK for three years after living in South Africa for six years. OH has visa application lodged (has taken six monthss o far) and it is now with a decision maker.

 

I know this is PomsinOz, but I was wondering if any of you know of any South Africans living in Oz, and how they compare it to South Africa, as I am wondering if we are doing the right thing now (pre-nerves!).

 

Thanks, Irene:nah:

 

There are plenty of S/africans here, and particularly in Melbourne. It is not a cheap to live here as it is in SA, so be careful of that one, however there are other good things (i.e. we don't live behind barbed wire and security, and don't need a 'car guard' in the shopping centreto mind the car either! You can go window shopping and can get into the shop without a guard letting you in to have a look at the products).

Some of the weather is similar of course, and fairly similar lifestyle outdoorwise, you should be fine.

[moirclan]

lots of south africans here in perth too, in the northern suburbs its Butler, Mindarie, and ocean reef

[Guest shirlw]

Hey Irene,I am unfortunate to still be in SA and have been here for 17 years from Scotland.Sadly SA is no place anyone in their right mind given the opportunity could comfortably call home anymore.Certainly not a place to bring up children especially if you are considered to have been "previously advantaged"!

 

It would be suicidal to ever come back here in the current state of this country where anarchy reigns and policing is non-existent.

 

Go to Australia.........do not pass go(SA)..........Collect your golden ticket(pink visa thingy)!Get out of jail FREE!

 

Also check out www.sa2oz.org and www.saaustralia.org for Saffer updates !

[Guest Hearne_Family]

Hey,

 

Im not South African, Im Pommie. I just wanted to say how interesting it was to read this thread, I knew SA has problems but it makes it more 'real' to read it on here for some reason, it makes me realise how lucky I was to be raised in a safe place in the UK (Isle of Wight). I would hate to live in constant fear and be worried sick about my family all of the time. Australia is a great place, I cant compare it to SA as I have never been but I know SA's here who love the long summer evenings and the great outdoors and the social side of things (not the gas BBQ's though!? Braai??) they all comment how its like 'home' just a lot safer.

 

Good luck to everyone looking to get here especially if you are moving away from places and memories like that, no one deserves to live in fear, come here, enjoy, explore and relax.

 

Sorry to gatecrash!

 

Terry

[olly]

Hey,

 

Im not South African, Im Pommie. I just wanted to say how interesting it was to read this thread, I knew SA has problems but it makes it more 'real' to read it on here for some reason, it makes me realise how lucky I was to be raised in a safe place in the UK (Isle of Wight). I would hate to live in constant fear and be worried sick about my family all of the time. Australia is a great place, I cant compare it to SA as I have never been but I know SA's here who love the long summer evenings and the great outdoors and the social side of things (not the gas BBQ's though!? Braai??) they all comment how its like 'home' just a lot safer.

 

Good luck to everyone looking to get here especially if you are moving away from places and memories like that, no one deserves to live in fear, come here, enjoy, explore and relax.

I

Sorry to gatecrash!

 

Terry

 

Yes Terry I had heard about it then got a bit of a shock when I went there, especially when I said I wanted to go to a couple of shopping centres - my guide said they were very pleased to inform me that this particular shopping centre was pretty safe to go to as they had now enclosed the shopping centre in a large fence, with barbed wire and security guards letting people in and out so my car would probably not get stolen. I decided to go to a famous restaurant in J'burg and in the reception is a sign : 'please leave your firearms in reception' (yes, please do, I don't want my head accidentally shot off while eating my antelope's testicles!). :shocked: A few of us had piled into the back of an open Ute to go to the restaurant, riding on a main highway, no seatbelts or anything, doing 120kms when I said to the driver "what if the police stop us" well he just laughed, then he said 'never mind about that, hold on to your bags or someone will nick them at the traffic lights.:arghh: At the next place we went to a person got carjacked just down the road from us, heard it on the radio and though 'heck we just came from that place'.

However, the beer and wine is good, as is most of the service, and it is definitely worth a visit, even if you do have to swerve to avoid a pack of monkeys crossing the road to help themselves to stuff at the local supermarket! What a place!

[Guest shirlw]

It is a beautiful country in principal and the tourist areas are generally kept clean and crime free-ISH but one must never become complacent.I and my family have fond memories of life here and some down right scary nightmares which outway the former.S.affers do well in Australia because it is a very similar lifestyle without the violence.

Unfortunately greed and power struggles will continue as it was during apartheid and still is unfortunately now tenfold by the current regimen.During the apartheid era the government skimmed the cream from the top of the milk but currently they are drinking the whole pint for themselves.The worst thing SA did was to give apartheid a name because it is alive and kicking in many other countries without the dreaded label.

 

Sorry for getting on my soapbox just my 2 cents due to frustration of being stuck here for the time being:wink:

[Guest Lincslass]

It is a beautiful country in principal and the tourist areas are generally kept clean and crime free-ISH but one must never become complacent.I and my family have fond memories of life here and some down right scary nightmares which outway the former.S.affers do well in Australia because it is a very similar lifestyle without the violence.

Unfortunately greed and power struggles will continue as it was during apartheid and still is unfortunately now tenfold by the current regimen.During the apartheid era the government skimmed the cream from the top of the milk but currently they are drinking the whole pint for themselves.The worst thing SA did was to give apartheid a name because it is alive and kicking in many other countries without the dreaded label.

 

Sorry for getting on my soapbox just my 2 cents due to frustration of being stuck here for the time being:wink:

 

 

Good luck and hope your plans move on quickly, we have family/friends in SA/Zim and wish they were able to get out, but can't. From all of the people that I have spoken to ...they have settled well in OZ. I can't wait til our move in the summer.

[Guest Labonica]

Howzit Irene,:smile:

 

Yip there are loads of South African's on this site. OH and I are both South African and have been here almost 18 years now off to NSW as soon as visa comes through. Have 3 children all Brits and also have been suffering with the pre-nerves and "am I doing the right thing by the children?" Long and short of it is that when I consider all the pros and cons think I am - sure there will be loads more pre-nerves.

 

Wishing you all the best in your move.

 

Nikci :v_SPIN:

I am new to this. Never been on a forum before, so etiquette may be lacking. Your post caught my eye because we have similar history. I am left SA in 1993 and have lived in the UK ever since. I am a UK citizen. I have two young Kids, 5 and 3 and just don't like the life that they are living and the decay of UK society. I also don't like the weather. We have been toying with the idea of emmigrating to Oz, Melbourne in particular, but don't know whether it is the right thing to do. Are you happy with your decision?

Thank you.

[SD_MOA]

I am new to this. Never been on a forum before, so etiquette may be lacking. Your post caught my eye because we have similar history. I am left SA in 1993 and have lived in the UK ever since. I am a UK citizen. I have two young Kids, 5 and 3 and just don't like the life that they are living and the decay of UK society. I also don't like the weather. We have been toying with the idea of emmigrating to Oz, Melbourne in particular, but don't know whether it is the right thing to do. Are you happy with your decision?

Thank you.

 

Hello Labonica,

There are lots of South Africans who end up in Australia via the UK. I am one myself and know of quite a few others.

 

I am now based outside of Melbourne on the coast and love it here.

 

Regards

[Paul1Perth]

We have several South African friends and all seem to have settled particularly well in Perth. We've had many stories about South African homes with Barbed wire on the walls and SA problems. You would find Perth a nice quite backwater after that.

 

The climate and lifestyle seem to suite most SA families that we know.

 

Good luck.

[neilharrison_253]

Just thought i'd add my two cents. Both my wife and I are Saffa's. My son was born in the UK. We have been in the UK for 6 years now and also heading off to AUS (Can't handle this UK weather and lack of good old sun!!). Brisbane is where we liked it most when we visited a few years ago. Think it's exactly like SA but woithout all the issues. Wish with all i am that i could go home to my family but know there is a very limited future for my son there..

[nikci]

I am new to this. Never been on a forum before, so etiquette may be lacking. Your post caught my eye because we have similar history. I am left SA in 1993 and have lived in the UK ever since. I am a UK citizen. I have two young Kids, 5 and 3 and just don't like the life that they are living and the decay of UK society. I also don't like the weather. We have been toying with the idea of emmigrating to Oz, Melbourne in particular, but don't know whether it is the right thing to do. Are you happy with your decision?

Thank you.

 

 

Hi there....

 

Sorry I haven't answered sooner have friends staying with me right now and seem to be running about like mad woman... TO answer your question .... yes am very happy with our decision to move to Australia... having said that it is not an easy thing to do even though you have made the move before (SA to theUK) it is still difficult to re-establish yourself, start again from scratch... if you can do that an embrace Australia then you will be fine ... this forum is great and was a god send for me, I have also met some wonderful people on here that has made my move easier, not to mention have been there when I have had those dark days both before and after our move.... anyway hope this helps... wishing youall the best

 

Nik

[Boesman]

What a great thread. We are also x-SAffers and have lived for 13 years in the UK. I thank God for the opportunity, but the UKhas never been home to me and since I got kids (3 young kiddies) I miss SA more than ever. We know that we can never go back and we have just started the visa process for Aus. I believe with all my heart after going through hell the last six 6 years in the UK, that I will love Aus and the SON! We are determined to make it and embrace it no matter what. Lots of our friends have moved there too and all say after the UK it is like being back home just safer.

CAn't wait to go whoop whoop!

Boesman