[Pieterj]

* The person in front of you in traffic this morning was hijacked and you got irritated because you missed the traffic light.

* While eating dinner a news item comes on TV about a family of six slaughtered in their home, and you ask someone to pass you the salt.

* You never think of taxis in terms of 'public transport'.

* You have a minimum of five worst taxi stories.

* While waiting at the ATM the bank is robbed by armed gunmen, but you'll be damned if you're going to lose your place in the queue.

* You're suspicious of strangers who are actually nice to you.

* The last time you drove your car without swearing at someone was when you took your driving test.

* It takes you an hour and a half to drive 5km to work in the morning and you think wow, good traffic day.

* Every time you find your car parked where you left it you are genuinely surprised.

* Prostitutes and the homeless are invisible.

* You've seriously considered shooting someone.

* You have more barbed wire around your home than Diepkloof Prison.

* You consider eye contact an act of overt aggression.

* You consider a postage-stamp sized patch of grass a garden.


* You happily pay R3500.00 a month for a townhouse in the north the size of a cupboard, but think R2.50 for a loaf of bread is a disgrace.

* The last time you visited the coast you paid more in accumulated speeding fines than you did for the entire holiday.

* Your monthly car insurance is more than most of the people in SA's car repayments.

* What are stars?

* You own hiking boots and a 4x4, neither of which have ever touched dirt.

* Being truly alone makes you 'go for your gun'.

* You can carry R350 worth of groceries in one plastic bag.

* You don't hear gunfire anymore.

[Carol]

When do you get here?

:eek:

[Moorf]

Funny, but frightening... hurry up and get here! :exit

[wilson182]

Funny, but frightening... hurry up and get here! :exit

I agree with that.........

[Singel]

Oh no .............. :no

{{{{{ BIG HUGS TO YOU & YOUR FAMILY}}}}}

[Pieterj]

Did medicals this week, hope to get the results today or Monday, then we apply for a work permit if all goes well we will be on our way to Auckland at the end of March :exit :raebanana :raebanana :raebanana .

I cant wait

[Moorf]

That's quick! Fantastic... ! :yes

[Oliver]

So Pieter, you obviously have to be from Johannesburg! I live in PE and although it isn't as bad down here, I do think that some of your reasons/complaints are valid, especially the ones about the taxis!

If all goes well, I start at my employer on 1 May. I'm just waiting for that damn police clearance certificate to arrive from Pretoria ...

[zardell]

A few years ago, I used to live in Durban Pieter and I know exactly where you are coming from.

A post like yours should make us all look at our lives here in NZ and count our blessings............I feel truly privileged to be here.

Here's hoping that your permits go through smoothly and you can book your flights for the end of March as planned.

Julie

xx

[Cardiff Irons]

Frightening stuff Pieter.

The most frightening thing here? Probably Hell's Pizza, just finished eating mine with the three chilli rating (out of four) and tears are streaming down my face. :wah

Safe passage to Auckland! Do get in touch when you arrive and we can arrange to meet up for a beer or six. :cheers

[willsken]

I spent a very happy 5 years of my childhood in SA and this makes such sad reading. :wah

[katandbob]

I spent a very happy 5 years of my childhood in SA and this makes such sad reading. :wah

DITO Nicola, We left when I was 7yrs old, I was just remembering playing in this park in Jo'burg, with real tractors and a real plane, I look at Queens Park here in Invercargill and it reminds me of the nice parks that we visited, shame its all gone sour now, I hope that all go's well and that you have a safe journey to NZ.

all the best

Kat

[smitjo]

Yip, I'm another one who grew up in South Africa. Spent twelve years over there, I have to say they were fantastic years! Did contemplate going back - since all my friends are still over there however you just can't forget the crime! My brothers girlfriends Dad was shot dead last year, a week before Christmas.....and what did they take......a mobile phone! Very, very scary state of affairs and I just hope that my bro and his girlfriend get out of there as soon as they can! It is such a shame because the Country is stunning, weather fantastic and you can't find a better lifestyle. I really do miss it but not to a point where I would put my husband and myself at risk....

[Leachie]

Is South Africa seriously that bad? It looks like a beautiful country but good god, when I hear about all this crime and whatnot, it really scares the life out of me. I honestly don't understand how a country could be so, well, dangerous.

Are the authorities not present at all? I hate to bring it up but is it more of a racial thing, or just a general "I've got a gun give me your pocket money or i'm going to shoot you.".

[xanctus]

Whoa..some of the list are quite freightening!

[Oliver]

I don't want to get into a debate about this, but it's all relative. I live in PE and am very happy with my life in SA. Sure, there's crime, but over the past 2 years, there has only been one hijacking in PE. Yes, there are burglaries and robberies, but not that many. I suppose that the situation is MUCH worse up in Gauteng and in Cape Town. It's only logical if one considers that it is the largest city in SA. Where I live, life is still good. I walk outside at night without any problems.

What I will say is that I don't know for how long it will continue to be this way. I think things are getting worse, but everybody realises that there is a problem and that something needs to be done about the crime.

Again, I'm leaving not because I'm unhappy about SA, but because of a splendid job opportunity in NZ. If all goes well, I might come back to SA one day. I certainly don't intend to give up my citizenship.

[Pieterj]

its true as Oliver said, some places are worse than others, we tend to make jokes about it so that it doesn't seem real, but in the last few months my brother in law was shot in his chest, My neighbor was robbed at gun point and someone was shot right in front of my mothers house.

Its also not Racial as my neighbor that was robbed is a black lady and she was robbed and assaulted by black men

At the same time several people that work with me have not been affected by crime at all.

Smaller places like PE are also definitely less affected by the crime. I think the big problem is caused by unemployment and the lack of proper border control which in turn means a lot of illegal immigrants which just makes the whole situation worse.