Will you return to South Africa?

[Riekie]

There's a lot of (conflicting) talk about South Africans returning to South Africa. I was just wondering what the reality is. As you know, the forum polls on SAAustralia are all 100% anonymous, so please make your tick.....

[JohanK]

Hi Riekie

Very good question, I actually wanted to ask just the same thing as before we came over we were told by some “family” members that all South African people living in Oz were unhappy and will return one day.

Now in my case this could not be more misleading, even if something like a miracle should happen (and believe me it will take a miracle) and the country makes a turn around Australia is now home and I will stay here, lets face it the African continent will always stay a 3rd world continent. I am sure one will get people that will return if the country should make a turn around and personally I see those guys as being in exile in Australia.

Like some of the present day government people like Mbeki lived in exile in England I am sure a lot of South Africans see them self’s as living in exile in Australia, not that there is something wrong with that but for me there is no way I will be going back on a permanent basis. I have told all my family that I will visit them in 2008 again and then that will be it, as I will then rather spend the money getting some of them to visit us before I ever go back there again!!!

So, true blue I suppose it will be for me!!!!

[Olly]

I love my new life here. Even if everything was rosy in SA and it was suddenly a first world country where everyone was educated and lived in harmony together, I would stay here purely because there is nothing here that I don't like, so I have no reason to leave. It's a real pain emigrating and starting your life over in another country. I just want to stay put and live my happy little life in peace.

[Lindy-Lee]

I will only go back to visit but until I get that letter from immigration saying we have PR I ain't going nowhere out of this country!!!

Lindy-Lee

[Pisces]

Hi

As far as I am concerned, we will never ever return to SA. There is nothing there for us anymore except our family, although we miss them lots, we have a new life here.

A friend sent me this the other day, sorry I don't have it as a link, but it could make for some interesting reading.

Experts turn back on SA

06/10/2006 08:31

/By: Garth Theunissen/

Johannesburg - Most of South Africa's experts in exile aren't prepared to return home, a study has shown.

A study by Research Surveys into what it calls "The 'Scatterlings' of

(South) Africa" shows that only around one-third of those who have left SA "could realistically be expected to entertain the idea of returning".

The willingness to return also depends a lot on the country that expatriates are living in.

Research Surveys says almost 50% of those living in Britain would consider returning, followed by 40% in Asia, the Middle East and other European countries.

Of those living in North America, only 20% indicate that they would consider returning.

*Lost cause*

Most distressing though is the revelation that a mere 9% of South Africans who have left for Australia and New Zealand say they'd consider returning to the land of their birth.

The key word here is "consider". The likelihood of a family uprooting itself for a second time to move to a country with a lower level of political stability is highly unlikely.

In fact, Research Surveys suggests that trying to lure South Africans back home from Australia is simply a lost cause.

"Australia is SA's biggest threat. Once a South African moves to that country his/her availability to return drops dramatically. Australia competes with SA in terms of quality of life, the weather and the outdoor environment.

"It beats SA hands down when it comes to lack of crime and feelings of safety. The return on investment in terms of trying to convince South Africans in Australia to return is therefore too low to contemplate."

*Repatriate some skill*

Nonetheless, AfriForum's (a division of Solidarity) Come Home Campaign has managed to repatriate about 1 200 skilled South Africans, most of them qualified individuals working in the information technology, medical, engineering and teaching professions.

Though Alana Bailey, manager of the AfriForum campaign, says the majority are English-speaking whites, with the next biggest group white Afrikaners, an increasing number of returnees are black, coloured and Indian professionals. That proves it isn't just white skills that are being lured from SA's shores.

Thus far, all 1 200 returnees have been placed in jobs, with the majority having returned from Britain, followed by Canada, the United States, Australia and the Netherlands.

"Our strategy is only to bring back people who we can place in jobs," says Bailey. Sadly, when compared to the almost 1 million who have left <http://wwwfin24.co.za/articles/default/display_article.aspx?Nav=ns&ArticleID=1518-25_2003186>,

a mere 1 200 returnees fades into insignificance.

*Focus on expats in UK*

Another organisation trying to persuade South Africans to return is the Homecoming Revolution, now run by MD Martine Schaffer. In contrast to Bailey, Schaffer says it's very difficult to arrive at a reliable estimate of the number of South Africans who have returned.

However, Schaffer does add that Homecoming Revolution is focusing its efforts on the estimated 750 000 to 1.4m South Africans in Britain (that's according to the SA High Commission in London. Britain's census puts the figure at a more moderate 400 000).

"The large concentration of South Africans in London makes Britain the most viable location to hold (Homecoming) seminars," says Schaffer.

*SA companies join homecoming campaign*

The good news is that SA companies are starting to come on board, and Schaffer says at the next Homecoming seminar to be held in London on October 28 and 29, 16 companies operating in SA will attend. Some of the names include Sappi, Massmart, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Rand Merchant Bank, Netcare, Murray & Roberts, Webber Wentzel Bowens, PAG and Manpower.

Of concern, though, is that public corporations Eskom and Transnet have expressed no interest in the initiative - strange, considering their continuous lament about capacity constraints.

Eskom spokesman Fani Zulu says the State utility is engaged in a drive to recruit South Africans from overseas but says its first priority is to "exhaust all avenues in the domestic market".

[chatterbug]

Nee wat ek is hier totlat die dood intree!

Ek sal besoek maar nie te veel nie - ek vlieg eerder my mense hiernatoe, daar is te veel in die wereld wat ek nog wil sien anyways!

Bug

[Sam]

No, I am too scared of becoming a crime statistic.

[Riekie]

Ek is net doodeenvoudig te bang om terug te gaan - selfs vir 'n kuier...... Aus is nou my "huis" en ek is hier om te bly - al gaan dit wel eendag beter in Suid Afrika (sal dan beslis gaan kuier, maar nie soos dinge nou is nie).

[Guest Charz]

G'day to all my fellow forumites

I have to agree with Riekie

unfortunate news of a mom shot dead

http://www.news24.com/News24/South_Africa/...2018253,00.html

[jonathanb]

What I cant understand about these f**ls trying to get people to come back to SA is why dont they first try to get people to stay. Much cheaper and easier.

A friend of mine who is very skilled and qualified in IT and Geology was retrenched a year ago ahs has still not got a suitable job. The only reason is that jobs that want his skills are all AA now. He is now being forced to leave the country and go work in the UK. So he will be flying out to find a job while people are flying out to get people to come bak to what...certainly not lots of jobs.

[NZHigh]

NO

[Suidwes]

Hi NZHigh!!

What is wrong with your computer?!?

Your reply on the topic keeps popping up as a 'new' one!

Good answer , anyway...

Edited November 16, 2006 by Suidwes

[Riekie]

Suidwes, every time someone takes part in the poll, it will show as a "new reply" (even if they don't type something as well). It's just to indicate that there was another response. You'll see the same happening to your post now - until someone else writes something again.....

[Gavin and Chantell]

I must be honest,one thing is for sure and that is I will never immigrate again...

I have only been in Australia for one week now-living in Wagga Wagga NSW.The name makes it sound worse than it is here-not a bad little place.Definetly not like Sydney with all the shopping complexes and beaches etc,but I suppose it has everything we need.

Before that we lived in New Zealand,so I guess we have reached a point where we want to stay in one place,make friends again and start living.

In short-NO.Been away from South Africa for too long now.Yes,we miss our family,but that's all we miss.

[Suidwes]

OK...

Nou verstaan ek.. ek dog NZ wil net doodseker maak dat sy antwoord goed gehoor word!

Dankie Riekie.

Suidwes

[alsgal]

I strongly believe in the saying "NEVER SAY NEVER" but I truly hope that we never have to return to SA to live permanently.

We have been out of SA for way too long now and I think it would be terribly difficult to get used to the way of life out there. Just the thought of living behind high walls with burglar bars on the windows and 24 hour armed response makes me cringe.

We miss our family that is still there terribly and love it when we manage to go over on holiday but that is what it is to us for now - a holiday spot, nothing more. Our home will be Australia one day and when we finally manage to get citizenship I don't think we would think twice about taking it with open hands.

[JohanK]

I suppose this says it all!!

http://www.news24.com/News24/South_Africa/...2041336,00.html

[Guest Karooseun]

We are all exiles, but our roots are in SA, our friends and families still there our ways are forever a part of our life, so instead of hating, let us try and help, for the sake of those, that cannot leave or will not leave, the old the poor and those that are prepared to ride out the storm, and are convinced that things can change, if you read history all that is happenining in our beloved country, has happened in other countries, and history can repeat, as it did in other countries, the old people love their way of life, and their beloved SA, SO LET US KEEP THEM IN MIND

[Gee]

We are all exiles, but our roots are in SA, our friends and families still there our ways are forever a part of our life, so instead of hating, let us try and help, for the sake of those, that cannot leave or will not leave, the old the poor and those that are prepared to ride out the storm, and are convinced that things can change, if you read history all that is happenining in our beloved country, has happened in other countries, and history can repeat, as it did in other countries, the old people love their way of life, and their beloved SA, SO LET US KEEP THEM IN MIND

Hey Karooseun

Great post - great words

Yes - most of us that have migrated have our beloved families behind...we must remember this as it is certainly not easy seeing your most precious loved ones leave not knowing when you will see them again

My family and I lived in the UK for 2 years and it was amazing to see how mamy South Africans living in the UK has the SA flag sticker on the back of their cars.

What really amazes me is that I generally do not see many of these stickers on our cars bumpers in SA however most SAfricans have them on their cars when the leave..almost as if its "cool" to say you are a South African when you are away

makes you think does'nt it!

Whatever happens in SA I am truly proud to say I am a South African and am certainly proud of my roots

Gee

[Willie]

Still early days for me and my Family but I would say a definite no to going back I would agree to the idea of bringing them over for a visit and then I can try and convince them to come over permanently!! What I found here I never had in RSA in anyway not as far as I can remember. As far as the recruitment drive to go back to RSA I would say good luck to them but I hope that those people would rather find their luck and happyness in the country they are now. I will do anything in my power to convince my friends and family to come to Aus.

Just one word of warning to those considering the move. Make sure what it is you want to do and what your expectations are. This is not heaven it is Australia. They also have their problems and their groupng of people with the same "somebody ows me a living" attitude but nowhere the RSA problem. It is a big move and your family and friends are far away, to get settled can be expensive. But in my opinion still worth every penny!!!

[hanneskn]

Hi almal,

Dit gee my sommer weer nuwe moed en krag om deur te druk met die besluit wat ons geneem het. Ek kan nie wag om te ervaar wat julle almal daar anderkant van vertel nie.

Ek sal ook wragtig nie terug kom nie. Ek is nie bereid om my vrou en kinders op te offer nie. Ek is baie lief vir SA en dit is baie moeilik om totsiens te sê, maar my en my gesin se geluk, toekoms en veiligheid weeg swaarder.

groete,

Hannes & Lizelle.

[Guest colton]

I too believe in NEVER SAY NEVER, but I doubt we would ever return to live. We made an informed choice to move on and start again so that's what we will do. I already speak about my "aussie grandchildren" because I know that's what they will be. My children and I will always be South African, my kids are 17yrs, 19yrs and 23yrs, but the next generation will be true australians. Every australian was at one stage an immigrant and that is how I see myself, the beginning of a new line of immigrants.

I love australia and hope to contribute positively forward instead of hoping I could move back. Even if everything changed in RSA we have already made our choice, we are HOME. We are here to stay!!!

[alanb]

Ek is net doodeenvoudig te bang om terug te gaan - selfs vir 'n kuier...... Aus is nou my "huis" en ek is hier om te bly - al gaan dit wel eendag beter in Suid Afrika (sal dan beslis gaan kuier, maar nie soos dinge nou is nie).

I had a look at the article and the "Related news" box caught my eye:

Mom dies in suspected robbery

Weatherman dies in robbery

Prostitute dies in robbery

Cop shot at robbery scene

Boy shot dead in robbery

Man dies during robbery

No, I wont be going back to live ever. With some family still there I may be forced to visit but it really scares me.

[Lindy-Lee]

There is no way that I (me and the family) would ever move back to SA tolive there and it is hard for to understand how people can not be happy here BUT the truth is...it happens. I personally know of a couple (with kids) who moved to Australia end of February 2007 and they are flighing back to SA for good on Sunday...yes 3 months later they decided they can't do this. :wacky:

As I say: to each his own. We are all adults and as long as you can live with the decisions you make in life, that's all that matters.

The sad thing is that these people will be going back and bagging Aus from left to right....now that p1$$es me off big time!!!!

Lindy-Lee

[HansaPlease]

I don't know. One part of me says no, and the other part of me says - never say never.

For me to consider returning - crime would have to drop dramatically and career prospects would have to be fair to normal.

I don't see either of these happening. I really miss home, I'm proud to be South African, and I wish I never had to leave.... but you have to look out for number one.

[Dax]

Ons was ernstig met ons emmigrasie. Vir ons was daar nie 'n ding soos omdraai en teruggaan nie. Ons familie wortels is nog in RSA, en ja, RSA is waarskynlik die mooiste land in die wereld.

Maar die ding is, omstandigehede het ons genoodsaak om wortels op te trek en oor te begin in 'n plek waar daar 'n toekoms vir ons kinders is.

Ons het nie na Oz te verhuis nie, ons het na Oz toe ge-emmigreer.

We are Australians now...

Dax

Edited May 24, 2007 by Dax