# UK national moving to SA, Western Cape



## Miss Looby (Jul 5, 2009)

HI, I would be really grateful for any information on relocating to SA. My mother has recently moved there (UK national) and is planning on marrying her fiance', another UK national who has lived in SA for over 30 years.

I plan to live and look for work in either George or Knynsna. 
What is the best way to proceed in terms of visa/residency? Can I go there with visitors visa and then apply for residency or work visa once I am there.
Also what is the employment situation in the Western Cape?

Any information AT ALL would be helpful.

Thanks in advance


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## Halo (May 8, 2008)

Miss Looby said:


> HI, I would be really grateful for any information on relocating to SA. My mother has recently moved there (UK national) and is planning on marrying her fiance', another UK national who has lived in SA for over 30 years.
> 
> I plan to live and look for work in either George or Knynsna.
> What is the best way to proceed in terms of visa/residency? Can I go there with visitors visa and then apply for residency or work visa once I am there.
> ...


Tip #1 Don't follow your parents.


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## mman (Nov 15, 2009)

Halo said:


> Tip #1 Don't follow your parents.


Im pretty sure that wasnt the info he was asking or looking for!


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## Halo (May 8, 2008)

mman said:


> Im pretty sure that wasnt the info he was asking or looking for!


Don't be to sure.


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## Halo (May 8, 2008)

Miss Looby said:


> Also what is the employment situation in the Western Cape?
> 
> 
> Thanks in advance


If you have skills you will find work - If not you will find it hard due to AA/BEE.


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## Unseer (Jul 8, 2008)

That's great news! Knysna is my home town, spent my formative years in the area and it's paradise. I'm taking my wife and kids back home (we'll settle in Cape Town for a few years before heading to Knysna) in the next few months and can't wait to get back.

I'm afraid I can't offer any advice on the visa situation, I'm sure it's pretty linear and I'd just cheat and call the SA embassy in London.

What I can tell you is that you'll find work in the Garderoute but don't expect the money to be amazing. You can however expect the quality of life to the best you'll ever experience and I'm close to trading in the fancy car and house with a white picket fence for a life in the mountains. It's bloody amazing out there.

The best bet for employment is Cape Town, it's close enough to Knysna/George that you could easily drive it, and the drive itself is gorgeous with many routes to choose from. I'm sure a whole rafter of forum creepers will jump in very soon and give you all the crime stats you'd ever need on Cape Town, I'm sure they're all very accurate and scary - I'd suggest you head out and see for yourself, you'll find it's actually rather amazing.

A mate of mine headed back to Knysna in November last year. After lying on the Leasure Island beach for a month and a half he finally picked up the phone to find a job in Cape Town, took him two weeks and he's set up and loving it. Sends me MMS's of the beach and the mountain all the time. Cape Town is buzzing, there's a lot going on (over and above the world cup) and the latest technology publications all talk about Cape Town as the new "Silicon Valley" - there are many international businesses setting themselves up over there in more than just a BPO capacity. I'm actually involved in something like this right now.

Anyone who tells you that AA/BE will stop you from find work has either had (or knos people who've had) a run of bad luck or doesn't live in the country. All my mates in JHB and CT have no problem finding work.

Anyway, make up your own mind by going out there and seeing it for yourself. If you want any more information PM me, I can talk about SA for hours.


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## vegasboy (Apr 28, 2010)

*Knysna? Safe? Are you on drugs?*



Unseer said:


> That's great news! Knysna is my home town, spent my formative years in the area and it's paradise. I'm taking my wife and kids back home (we'll settle in Cape Town for a few years before heading to Knysna) in the next few months and can't wait to get back.
> 
> I'm afraid I can't offer any advice on the visa situation, I'm sure it's pretty linear and I'd just cheat and call the SA embassy in London.
> 
> ...


"A Plettenberg Bay guest house owner has accused a Kynsna policeman of raping her while his colleague allegedly held her down.

The 32-year-old woman told the police she had gone to a Kynsna restaurant with friends and left after a quarrel in the early hours of Sunday." Read the full article here: crimeaware.co.za/crime/513]Rape or sexual assault Knysna, South Africa - 07/02/2010 at 01:00 am - CrimeAware[/url]


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## Unseer (Jul 8, 2008)

vegasboy said:


> "A Plettenberg Bay guest house owner has accused a Kynsna policeman of raping her while his colleague allegedly held her down.
> 
> The 32-year-old woman told the police she had gone to a Kynsna restaurant with friends and left after a quarrel in the early hours of Sunday." Read the full article here: crimeaware.co.za/crime/513]Rape or sexual assault Knysna, South Africa - 07/02/2010 at 01:00 am - CrimeAware[/url]


That's terrible, my condolences to all involved. If you look at your local news paper or news web site, are there any murders listed? Lived in London for 9 years and there was always another father or son murdered. Some yob knifing someone and no, they didn't always "get them in the end" because London isn't a nice place and if you'd ever lived there you'd know that. A few of my saffer friends out there for a few years of money making had never experienced crime until they were mugged in London. Go figure.

I currently live in San Antonio in Texas. Visit San Antonio News, Weather, Sports : mySA.com | Express-News and take a look at the article on decapitation, the guy the cops killed, etc. Then do some research on the murder and assualt rate in Corpus Christi, the local holiday town and compare it to Knysna and Plett. You may just find that the whole world is a terrifying place, not just South Africa and not just in comparison.

So now that there's hopefully a more balanced view of this horrible world we live in, by comparison Knysna is the safest place in South Africa other than the middle of the North Western Cape near Brandvlei which is, by the way, in the middle of bloomin nowhere.


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## Halo (May 8, 2008)

Unseer said:


> That's terrible, my condolences to all involved. If you look at your local news paper or news web site, are there any murders listed? Lived in London for 9 years and there was always another father or son murdered. Some yob knifing someone and no, they didn't always "get them in the end" because London isn't a nice place and if you'd ever lived there you'd know that. A few of my saffer friends out there for a few years of money making had never experienced crime until they were mugged in London. Go figure.
> 
> I currently live in San Antonio in Texas. Visit San Antonio News, Weather, Sports : mySA.com | Express-News and take a look at the article on decapitation, the guy the cops killed, etc. Then do some research on the murder and assualt rate in Corpus Christi, the local holiday town and compare it to Knysna and Plett. You may just find that the whole world is a terrifying place, not just South Africa and not just in comparison.
> 
> So now that there's hopefully a more balanced view of this horrible world we live in, by comparison Knysna is the safest place in South Africa other than the middle of the North Western Cape near Brandvlei which is, by the way, in the middle of bloomin nowhere.


This is a VERY poor argument... I've travelled Texas extensively and to compare is laughable. Its also the manner of the crime....


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