LIFE IN SOUTH AFRICA. Ask anything. NO RACIST. [PICS]

[Thora]

----------------CONCLUSION CLIFFS-------------

- WE LIVE LIKE THIS BECAUSE EVERYTHING IS CHEAPER THAN WHAT YOU PAY OVERSEAS FOR THE SAME
- UNIVERSITY EDUCATION = $1000-5000 PER YEAR IN S.A
- PRIVATE SCHOOLS = $ 2000-7000 PER YEAR IN S.A
- HEALTHY AND "LUXURY" FOOD IS CHEAPER - STEAK/SUSHI ETC. SEVERAL TIMES A WEEK
- HOUSES CHEAPER = MANSION HERE = SMALL WOODEN HOME IN U.S.A
- SURGERY & MEDS CHEAPER
- WE TAKE OUT LESS LOANS AND FOR LESS AMOUNTS BECAUSE OF THIS
- THIS IS MIDDLE CLASS S.A IN THE YEAR 2011
- DO NOT WORK FOR TOURIST COMPANY
- ONLY AWARING MISC.
- SOUTH AFRICA IS GOING TO BE THE PLACE TO BE. WHEN ECONOMY COLLAPSES, WHAT WILL BE LEFT?
- ACCORDING TO MULTI-MILLIONAIRE MINING ANALYSTS = NATIONS WITH MINING INFRASTRUCTURE WILL BEGIN CALLING THE SHOTS
- EUROPEANS ARE MOVING HERE IN DROVES. S.A = LITTLE EUROPE OF THE WORLD

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Answered by me, BF and 2 friends.

Much of AFRICA is poor and dilapidated - like you see on CNN.
A lot of it is not.
SOUTH AFRICA is NOT.

"AFRICA'S BEST IS WORSE THAN AMERICA'S WORST" - FALSE
We live a MUCH better life than MOST - and we are not RICH.
This is not intended to be disrespectful to anyone.

South Africa is NICE. Most areas you would live in here if you are employed are far better than the ones you would live in overseas.
We are middle class and we live like your upper class.

WHAT QUALIFIES US TO MAKE THIS POST?
- We have all traveled. I have been to 6 continents, numerous countries and lived on 3 continents - US, Europe and Africa.
- We have all lived on both sides of the scale - We are middle class now but were not born into it.
- This is from a normals person's point of view - we are not scientists and mathematicians and economic analysts.

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> WEALTH IN S.A

1. Poor blacks/whites ---> Live in "townships"/"squatter camps"/on the streets. Beg for money or have basic manual labour jobs.
2. Middle class
3. Upper middle class
4. Wealthy ---> Legitimate wealth
5. BEE Elite ---> Ill gotten gains or preferential procurement/Corruption/Governmental fat cats

> LIVING AREAS

Poorer areas not next to suburbs and wealthier areas. Each keeps to their own somewhat.
Most will not see these informal settlements unless you drive out to them.
Most middle class live in gated communities/estates/golf estates - Not only whites.

> SLAVERY

WE DO NOT OWN SLAVES.
We sometimes employ "maids/house helpers/domestic workers" to work for us.
We PAY them.
They are usually black women but are employed by both black and white employees.
This is because apartheid left them disadvantaged and uneducated.
Maids usually stay with a family for years.
Their tasks include feeding children, picking up from school, having dinner ready for when parents arrive home, help with basic homework, clean house etc.
They become part of the family and they are our friends.
Many have "servant quarters" attached onto the family's house or a cottage in the yard.
They have free food, TV, heating, bedding and running water.
When they retire, the family usually gives them some sort of retirement fund/package/savings account etc.
Our family put our maids' children through school and university, bought her a truck and a small home when she retired.

> CRIME

Most serious crime happens in poorer/rural/township areas - Murder/rape etc.
We have NEVER been a victim of crime.
Never had anything stolen.
Never been raped/beaten.
Never been mugged/robbed/hijacked.
We walk the streets all the time - We have walked in both good and bad areas.
Yes there is crime but it is not as though we cannot leave our houses - we just take precautions.

> CORRUPTION

South Africa's main problem.
Does not affect the middle/upper/working class as much as it affects the poorer.

> STANDARD OF LIVING

We have a GREAT standard of living in South Africa - This refers to middle class/employed etc. [What most of you on the Misc. would be]
We have not been to a country that we would rather move to.
We would have to downgrade our lifestyles greatly - which none of us are prepared to do.
Almost everyone has a swimming pool on their property. We have home theatres/pool rooms/wine cellars/steam rooms/bars/jacuzzi and we are not uber rich.

> JOBS

Unlike the US, we have MANY job opportunities.
Most just don't have the skills/education/workers equipped for the jobs.
This is due to:
1. The white exodus - White people immigrating because they have been victims of crime and think SA is regressing and live in fear of reverse apartheid.
2. BEE - BLACK ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT. "Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) is a program launched by the South African government to redress the inequalities of Apartheid by giving previously disadvantaged groups (black Africans, Coloureds, Indians and some Chinese[1]--who are SA citizens) economic opportunities previously not available to them. It includes measures such as Employment Equity, skills development, ownership, management, socioeconomic development and preferential procurement."
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PICTURES OF OUR LIFE IN SA - NO E-STATS - NO FRAUD - NO MYSPACE ANGLES.

1. These are normal areas.
2. These are suburbs and cities.

Our Schools

[nick187]

subbed

Nelson Mandela is a cool dude.

[kylekuu]

how is crime, such as kidnapping etc?

edit: and taxes

edit 2: and cost of living..i.e. how much does it cost to live decent (usd)

[Essequani]

might read later

[Thora]

These are townships and informal settlements further out and around suburbs:




Shopping centres and places we go to on weekends

[MrWabbit]

Mind = Blown

brb moving to South Africa

brb nevermind

[Hmzone]

Too long didn't read(might later). Anyways spoon pics?

[Thora]

[Del-Valle]

Africa had a large population of white, educated people who stayed after the end of colonization and continued to help the country develop. If they had all left, South Africa would probably be more like its neighbors (StRONG no rascist).

[Thora]

Where we live/lived

[Broliterian]

africa is no place for crackers... colonizing phucks

[Foze]

>2011
>people not knowing this?(srs)

[Thora]

We also have prom

[Ace Thedics]

Looks like its 110 degrees out there

[Thora]

Random weekend pics

[Cubanana]

u guys have rednecks




do not want.

[Thora]

Breakfast runs on the weekend

[DranzerGT]

Repped for 5 star post

[wierzbowski]

What about the prawn?

[Thora]

[TimeToImprove]

I play WoW with a few people from South Africa. (lol) They never seem to complain.

[Thora]

[ameribrah]

OP u born and raised there or what? are your parents missionaries ?

[strunz]

i knew girl from south africa..she said it was like NYC..she was awesome girl a freak in bed.. ahh to be in 9th grade again

[MrWabbit]

Lol, u mad?

[ameribrah]

i knew girl from south africa..she said it was like NYC..she was awesome girl a freak in bed.. ahh to be in 9th grade again

complete opposite experience. had a friend from south africa move here to the USA he never wanted to talk about it.

[jeff_vangundy]

thread closed due to aids

[JustinUK]

How does it feel to know when your spending money on unnecessaryly expensive things (cars, clothes) that nearby loads of people are in poverty? It's easy to disconnect form it when your in a different country I think. Srs

[ameribrah]

thread closed due to aids

haha lulz. OP seems rich though. I mean chit even by american standards she looks rich.

brb driving around all day
brb MAIDS
brb not a singlephuck was given in AFRICA

[kj]

I've traveled to over 4 continents, 20 countries, and lived in over 10...I can attest what the OP is talking about. I have lived in Botswana, and Zambia. Parts of SA are breathtaking. I especially enjoyed Cape Town. Probably the most scenic city I've seen.

And the standard of living is fabulous as well, if you have decent education and work experience. In fact, I was thinking of visiting Hong Kong this winter but want to go see Cape Town again.