Secure in Western Province/ or not

[Conrad]

Hi to all.

I sit here and feel quite secure in the Western Cape, but for how long?I hear all the ongoing crime in Gauteng, KZN and other vulnerable areas of our beautiful South Africa.How long will it take for these forces to infiltrate one of the most sort after destinations in the World.We are still very complacent here and only hear of a few incidents that take place in our domain.Yes, we have all the local population problems which we accept as the norm.I would love to hear other comments on the future that lies ahead or the true feelings of people who have experienced a change in the Western Cape.

[Springbok]

I grew up in the Western Cape, attended high school in Paarl for 5 years and lived in Stellenbosch for 13 years after that. Then spent 2 years in Johannesburg before moving to Australia.

The Western Cape is a bit of a fool's paradise - the people there do not really know what's going on in the country unless they have experienced life up north. Reading newspapers and watching television only shows you part of the picture. But the Western Cape is not an island and eventually what you see in Gauteng, will spread to the Cape too, unfortunately.

[Aramat]

Western Cape has deteriated (sp?) alot since we arrived here from Pmb in 2001.

Just a few weeks ago (24th Sept) my armed response arrested two armed robbers, one on my roof!! Glad we have since moved, it's getting bad.

Aramat

[Pixi]

It is the province with the highest rape victims per capita. It is the province with the biggest Tik problem. The fact that you feel so secure - may be it is because you move around in certain areas only. What do the people from the cape flats, Langa, Cross roads, Kayalitsha feel about their security. The western province is a time bomb waiting to explode. Then there is a madam Zille who does not realise she is in Africa - she uses tactics which would work in a first world country - not on our beloved continent. The price for her way of politics will be paid sooner than we think - I would not stay to pay that price.

[groentjie]

Hi Conrad

I also thought Cape Town to be safe until 3 families that I personally know was armed robbed in their houses in the past 2 months.

The robbers don't even care if they are seen or not, because in these instances they robbed the houses during "normal" hours of the evening and in full view of anyone driving by.

Al these incidents happened in upmarket areas in the Northen Suburbs of Cape Town.

I'm not even talking about normal robberies when the people is not at home. It is getting more violent.

Cheers

[wislon]

Hi Conrad,

When I came down to CT to study in 1991, I remember being able to walk anywhere at night, regardless of what areas we were in, pretty much anywhere around UCT was safe. You could go into town on a Saturday night, party the night away, wander from club to club, and as long as you kept your wits about you you were fine.

Cape Town centre used to pump in the middle of the week and was always heaving with vibrant night life.

Two weeks ago we drove into town on the way back from an evening out, to drop some tax forms at SARS (sometimes I wonder about this tax thing, they never seem to do anything with it except bail out parastatals like SAA, but I digress....), and I noticed that as we were driving through town there wasn't a single person to be seen. Anywhere. Other than the odd bergie or homeless person, there was no one around. Definitely didn't look safe either. I think if you break down there at night, you're probably stuffed.

You hear the horror stories of car-stonings on the N2/R300 (which never used to happen, even 15 years ago), and now I hear they're dropping rocks on cars on the N1, near Canal Walk/N7 turnoff. Cash in transit heists are on the increase. And if kortbroek has his way with the banning of perlemoen harvesting, there's gonna be a big spike as the tik addicts have to find other ways of paying for their fixes.

And then to top that, the cop's radios don't even work properly.

Things are definitely getting worse crime-wise. And if that's not enough, the WC (and Cape Town in particular) is apparently becoming the epicentre of TB and HIV (and sometimes both) infections in South Africa.

Is it any wonder the Aussies want police clearance certs and chest X-rays?!

15 years ago, there were very few beggars at the traffic lights, so few in fact that you got to recognise them by sight. No one was selling wooden giraffes or cellphone chargers or metal daisies either.

I agree with Springbok, it's already coming down from Jhb. Once they realise how soft the targets are down here, it's going to get a lot worse.

wislon.

Edited November 8, 2007 by wislon

[jimmip]

It is the province with the highest rape victims per capita. It is the province with the biggest Tik problem. The fact that you feel so secure - may be it is because you move around in certain areas only. What do the people from the cape flats, Langa, Cross roads, Kayalitsha feel about their security. The western province is a time bomb waiting to explode. Then there is a madam Zille who does not realise she is in Africa - she uses tactics which would work in a first world country - not on our beloved continent. The price for her way of politics will be paid sooner than we think - I would not stay to pay that price.

Im sorry but I had to respond to your comments. I f you feel that cutting cows throats in your backyard to make your ancestors happy(yengeni)or stopping rush hour traffic because of low wages(metro cops)or continually confronting opposition with accusations of racism as being African then you wrong. Zille is the only voice of reason and fairness in S.A and she should be supported not critisized !She is the only voice for my friends and family back home and I support her-even if ,as you say, she doesnt realise she is in Africa she has to defend whats right!

thanks Jimmi

[bro2aus]

Hi Conrad

Please see my post under news from SA ,(robbed at gunpoint in our home )last week.

I think the Western Cape has caught up with Gauteng very quickly

regards

Colette

[DesV]

I feel extremly secure in Perth, do not have a fence around my property, no burglar bars, no security door, no armed response, no burglar alarm, we park cars outside, have often forotten to lock our cars, have often gone to bed without locking our front door, keep forgetting to close windows and lock doors when we go out, kids cycle to school, wife walks around neigbourhood at night for exercise.

Yes in Perth we feel very secure.

Can not comment on Western Cape I have never lived there

Des

[jimmip]

I feel extremly secure in Perth, do not have a fence around my property, no burglar bars, no security door, no armed response, no burglar alarm, we park cars outside, have often forotten to lock our cars, have often gone to bed without locking our front door, keep forgetting to close windows and lock doors when we go out, kids cycle to school, wife walks around neigbourhood at night for exercise.

Yes in Perth we feel very secure.

Can not comment on Western Cape I have never lived there

Des

Thanks Des,

But you dont have 90% of the population living 3-4 km awayfrom you in shacks, struggling to put foof on the table. Im sick and tired of people complaning about crime on this forum. The fact is the S.A regime are running our country into the ground with corruption and uselessness.Yes, Australia is safer thats why we all trying to move there. Dont try use this site as a anti S.A site, we all know of the problems, rather contribute towards helping others in moving to Oz and not consolidating your own reasons for leaving !

[Madelein]

Hallo Conrad

I didnt'nt grow up in the Paarl, but it's the most wonderful place i ever seen. Things has changed though - not in the sense of you growing up there, living there, etc. It is the most settled town, therefore you will not recognise the change. I had my training in the Public since I was 18 until 21 in the Public hospital. I went back to visit friends 2 years later and I was stoned... (This was in 1992) The Nursing Quskarters that I was living in, changed to Pathology, There is no Nursing Residency since 1990, rented as desired. The Sokkies was gone, the yearly BBQ was gone and you had to pay for your meals (in my time subsidised) I don't know what has become of the nice home I once had, it just isn't the same.

You must have stayed in a nice conserved, secure environment - God bless. It wasn't the same with Me. I left the Paarl in 1997, went to South West Africa to help out there, came back in 1990. Since then, lots happened and life has changed untilI met Marius (2001)and I had something to look forward to.

We came to Oz in 2004 - originally started in Sydney, then Canberra, now in Brisbane. If I'd had to choose again, it would have been in Brissie. We had good times in all the places, but we chose the weather. I haven't been back to South Africa in the last 4.5 years, not going back there for at least the next 10...

So, excuse me not for sharing your wonderful views of South Africa now, but please, wake up!!!! There should not be vulnerable/non-vulnerablee areass in any country! This is the dicey country it has become and that is the reason why we left.

As I said before, you can't recognise the change, but I surely would when I visit next year.

Hope you would share my reason... I just don't believe you feel secure...

Regards

Madelein

[Conrad]

Hi Mads

I have come from Durb`s to Paarl and the change that has taken place over a very short period of time is really mind bogling.My topic on the Western Cape has been coming on for a very long time.When I first moved here I could not believe how free Woman could move around Paarl and not be harassed.Now what!

[Amaozzie]

Hi to all.

I sit here and feel quite secure in the Western Cape, but for how long?I hear all the ongoing crime in Gauteng, KZN and other vulnerable areas of our beautiful South Africa.How long will it take for these forces to infiltrate one of the most sort after destinations in the World.We are still very complacent here and only hear of a few incidents that take place in our domain.Yes, we have all the local population problems which we accept as the norm.I would love to hear other comments on the future that lies ahead or the true feelings of people who have experienced a change in the Western Cape.

Hi,

My brother-in-law has just had an Ozzie mate who stayed in Durban and Cape Town for 3 weeks while out here in SA for a holiday. He never even got to JHB and he reckons he saw enough crime and poverty in CT and DBN. Needless to say he won't be back!

[Mupersan]

Eish!!!!! some nasty comments flying around here. I live in CT, own a Business here, It Is changing, there are good things happening as well as bad things.Like everywhere else in SA.

Once you are in Oz, remember the good things, and enjoy them. when home sick, remember a few of the bad.

We have been in SA a long time, and a lot of happiness and good times have been had, and there will be more until you leave.

[Springbok]

Im sick and tired of people complaning about crime on this forum... Dont try use this site as a anti S.A site, we all know of the problems, rather contribute towards helping others in moving to Oz and not consolidating your own reasons for leaving !

Jimmi, chill mate, I don't think anyone is trying to be anti South Africa on this site. But crime is one of the major reasons chasing most people out of S.A. and they need to get stuff off their chests. While I agree that complaining is not going to help anyone, it's a major disruption to uproot yourself and start over in another country. No one does this for love and charity.

And remember a lot of people don't know anyone else emigrating, so they need to speak to others in the same situation. Here on the forum people can share their thoughts openly without being accused by friends and family as traitors or whatever.

Of course there will be an amount of anger involved when you get to the point of leaving your country of birth because of things like crime/corruption/etc. And most of us still have family in S.A., so it's impossible to cut the ties and forget about Africa completely.

The major purpose of this forum is to inform, share information and help others moving to Australia. If you get tired of people who complain about their reasons for leaving, you are free to just ignore their posts. There are constantly new members joining, so I think we just need to be conscious of the fact that they aren't aware of everything that's been discussed so far.

[jimmip]

Jimmi, chill mate, I don't think anyone is trying to be anti South Africa on this site. But crime is one of the major reasons chasing most people out of S.A. and they need to get stuff off their chests. While I agree that complaining is not going to help anyone, it's a major disruption to uproot yourself and start over in another country. No one does this for love and charity.

And remember a lot of people don't know anyone else emigrating, so they need to speak to others in the same situation. Here on the forum people can share their thoughts openly without being accused by friends and family as traitors or whatever.

Of course there will be an amount of anger involved when you get to the point of leaving your country of birth because of things like crime/corruption/etc. And most of us still have family in S.A., so it's impossible to cut the ties and forget about Africa completely.

The major purpose of this forum is to inform, share information and help others moving to Australia. If you get tired of people who complain about their reasons for leaving, you are free to just ignore their posts. There are constantly new members joining, so I think we just need to be conscious of the fact that they aren't aware of everything that's been discussed so far.

Sorry Springbok and sorry Des

Sorry Springbok and sorry Des

[/quote

Oops I meant Pixie and Springbok-Sorry !