Hi Hans,
I was born and bred in South Africa and have lived there all my life (I'm now 61). It is a very beautiful country and I have a lot of pleasurable memories of my country of birth and, in a way, sorry to see what is / has become of it.
However, I now live in Cyprus - (since Oct 2010) -the reasons for this are too great to list in this forum.
If you contact me on my email graham410@hotmail.co.za
I shall gladly give you something to think about (particulary Johannesburg and the education system).
I shall be returning to SA on business for 3x weeks during March, so I will be able to give you a current update on affairs over there.
Regards,
Graham

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Hi Hans,
I would think it would be best for you to ask your company to put you in touch with other employees who live in Joburg with young families. Find out from them what provisions the company puts in place to help them feel secure, etc. How they feel about the fine private schools their children attend and the level of care they get from the first rate doctors who are in private practice here.

Your main concern will be the security issue and that will involve how much it will take for you, personally, to feel secure, as we all have our own threshold. Regarding education and health care, as long as you are planning to go the private route you will have nothing to worry about and perhaps even receive better service than you are used to.

South Africa generally, and Joburg, particularly, oftentimes take a big hit from the press and also those who have chosen to leave. Surely there are issues in South Africa, but there are many expats living here - by choice (myself one of them) - who are leading meaningful and interesting lives. I would really urge you to speak to as many people as possible, but to concentrate on those who currently live where you are considering living and have chosen to raise their young families here.

This is not to say that people who have chosen to leave SA have not had valid reasons for doing so. But many have chosen to stay, and some are now returning after years of living abroad. Those reasons are also worth listening to.

This is a very profound and intense society on the move. Remember that no place is without difficulty, it may just come in a different package.

If you wish to correspond further, please post your email address.
Best of luck,
Nancy

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Dear HansMarike

South Africa is certainly a beautiful country and now plays host to so many expats from all parts of the world. I have been in the relocation industry since 2006 and have settled about 20 families per month with no security incidents (thus far:-)) . The important thing to remember when it comes to crime is you need equip yourself with knowledge and awareness when it comes to your personal, home and vehicle safety. You will find that most expats now live in estates or clusters (that are enclosed living areas with varying number of homes within a secure perimeter) that have controlled access to the facility. Security is top-notch. As you have children, the first thing you will want to do is finalize itheir entrance into schools. Most expats kids are in private or international schools. I would strongly advise you to make apply for entrance VERY early as these schools have limited space and are usually fully enrolled by April/May for January of the following school year (international schools follow the Northern Hemisphere school calendars). Once you have finalized schools, then decide on accommodation (depending on your work locale, your spouse's needs, security requirements, etc). It is very important to ensure that your spouse's needs and interests are well attended to to ensure that the family as a unit adjusts successfully. If you require additional information on our services, you may contact me.

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In respect to what Sharleen has already said, I can confirm that school places in both the good quality public schools and the private schools at the Grade 1 (your oldest) level are very hard to come by.

Johannesburg has a crime problem, but it is not greatly worse than many other large cities in the world. What it DOESN'T have is: terrorism in any shape or form, kidnapping of expats /families for ransom, armed gangs of robbers and rapists roaming the streets as the tabloids might like you to believe.
What it DOES have is: the best climate of any major (Pop. > 4million) city on the planet; some of the friendliest people, wonderful health care (private), great education (also private, but much more bang for your buck than for e.g. UK), great all-year outdoor sporting and socialising lifestyle.
More than one UK expatriate of my acquantance has vowed NEVER to return to live in UK after spending time here on a contract such as yours.
In summary - yes there is crime, but the threat can be minimised by obtaining good relocation assistance from professionals. There are a couple of good relocation companies operating in Joburg, & I would ask your employer to source one. They will give advice as to where to live and how to conduct oneself so as to minimise risk of becoming a victim of crime of any sort.

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Hi HansMarike

Just to add on what everyone has said, Johannesburg is not that bad in fact South Africa as a whole. I was born and bred in Johannesburg, yes it has a crime problem but it is not worse than many other large cities around the world. My best advice for you is place your child at a private school so she/he can get the best education possible not that I’m saying public schools are bad. It is important that you secure your house or wherever you going to live with security systems and obviously the first thing you would do is to make sure that the neighbourhood you have chosen is a safe place for your family. The best thing about Johannesburg is that it has the best climate, entertainment life and lots of job opportunities.

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Dear Hans,
I assume that if not German, you are at least German-speaking.
I lived and worked in Johannesburg for 16 years. The last four years I spent working at a German law firm. The German community in South Africa is enormous and there are German Schools in Johannesburg, Pretoria and Cape Town. They are very affordable, while maintaining decent standards.
As Johannesburg and Pretoria are big cities, it would be best that you carefully consider where you will be working, when choosing where you will be staying. For example, an old client of mine works in Germiston, which is part of Greater Johannesburg, but lives in Silver Lakes, Pretoria (check it out – many German expats live there). So you may want to consider your location from driving point of view.
There is virtually no adequate public transport, so you and your wife must be prepared to drive everywhere (this includes getting home after you have enjoyed a few glasses of the fantastic South African wine). Of course you should not have to do this, but I am illustrating something which is often overlooked by Europeans settling in SA. So socially, if you do not drive, you will be cut-off from the world. My experience shows that generally the expat men fall quickly in love with the country… With the vast number of activities to fill up the time and the affordability of it all for expats. If I compare working in SA to working in Europe within my professional field, I would say that in SA things are more dynamic and hands-on, which allows one to grow faster in their career and have a greater sense of achievement.
Back to the topic of Germans in SA (I would kick myself if you are not a German haha), there is a German Chamber of Commerce and Industry and quite a few German community-oriented service providers (lawyers, accountants, travel agents, sport clubs).
So it would entirely depend on your personal preferences and the package which has been offered to you. South Africa will not disappoint you with its energy and beauty, if you could financially and mentally maneuver around its many challenges.
If you need any further information, post your email address and I will mail you.
Best of luck!

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