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Is South Africa different from a year and a half ago? |
I was wondering if South Africa changed since March 2006. I'm returning home from the USA soon and while I was here I started seeing SA in a different light. Before I didn't realise how bad it was until I got here and saw how people here go for nice walks at night, leave their cars open, leave their bikes outside. I told myself not to learn these bad habits, because I knew I would be going back. So did it change or is it still the same. I personally think it was just me who changed. Actually, due to global warming, South Africa has migrated slightly north, about 2 degrees longitude. As long as you're on the white side, it's safe. Yeah, it has changed in a year and a half. I am South African as well and have been traveling around the world since 2002 ( I'm in the U.S. at the moment too ), but like you, I have to remind myself that each time I go home, not to let my guard down and be aware of my surroundings. Going for walks during the day isn't so safe anymore in S.A. As for leaving your cars unlocked, that's just asking for trouble- even when it's locked it's not guaranteed to be safe. It's really sad to live in such an environment, but it is what it is. I'll be going back to S.A within the next week as well, so I'm mentally preparing to get back to that way of living. Have a safe trip and I hope you stay safe:-) The Rainbow nation is big Moon Lady, and it has 11 official languages. Which part did you have in mind? Before Nelson Mandela was released the Afrikaans gentlemen guided the nation. Now it is the turn of the Xhosa to lead the way. Their take-home pay is better, and their police escorts ask you to make way for the Ministers when they want to get to the airport. Under the old administration half the country was owned by Anglo American, the other half by the government. And most of the real estate development was paid for by investment of the Anglo American pension funds. Nothing much has changed. There are still lots of people out of work and desperate to feed themselves. So make sure you lock the security gate behind you before you sit down to have breakfast of Kellogs [Packaged in South Africa with profits going back to US investors]. Apart from that things are OK. The top jobs are now taken by the major players in the country. White people are now more the backroom staff. But you can still swank around Hilton, or the Cape Town markets if you keep your eyes open. And tourist dollars are always welcome. We are of Irish / Scots roots. My two daughters still love living in the Rainbow Nation, but not in Egoli [the city of gold]. Employment for a white woman can be a little difficult to get at times, but they are both working and looking after our grandchildren. Same, same mei juvrou. www.latviantourists.com.au / Open Book Club / Files John B : Refrain from answering South African questions as you know dog sh!t ! Where did you get the Anglo american nonsense ? No , South Africa is a lot worse than you remember it . Crime is totaly out of hand ! Walks at night .... I don't think so , Leave your car open ...... yes you can if you dont want it anymore ! Where in S.A do you plan to stay ? I think it is pretty much the same since March 2006 crime-wise. But I live in Hermanus where crime isn't a big problem anyway, so I don't know if the big cities have gotten worse. To me it seems to be the same amount of crime that it has been for many years now. You allways hear the horror stories and you lock your cars, take your bike inside and alarm your house at night Food and petrol prices have gone up though! That will probably be your biggest chock if you remember the prices from a year and a half ago. Sorry, but it's still the same, even worse. Now 86 year old ladies get gang-raped in their homes in small student-towns and you can't even walk the 600m to your class from your flat without getting robbed or worse, also in this small student-town... =( |
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