# Good Areas in Pretoria/Centurion



## Caitlin

Hi everyone,

My boyfriend's got a job in Centurion for 3, possibly 6 months and is already there, I'm going soon.

I'm trying to find some information on good areas to live in Pretoria or Centurion. Pretoria seems a more interesting place to live as I generally prefer cities. but I'm open to ideas. I probably won't be able to work so it's important that wherever I live be relatively nice or accessible to other places, to prevent insanity!

I'd appreciate any suggestions. From reading online it appears that it's necessary to live in a gated community, which I accept, but are there actually any areas where you can walk around outside? (This may be a dumb question, but the impression I get is that it is NOT POSSIBLE to go out alone ever). In which case I will definitely only be staying three months!

Thanks a lot!

Caitlin


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## Daxk

Caitlin,unlike most other Countries, price defines area in Pretoria/Centurion/midrand.
gated communities are better but not failsafe.
You can walk around on your own and probaly have nothing happen to you, unless somehing does and everyone then says you were an idiot to do so.
Your boyfriends Company will have a security briefing consultant who should be sitting down with you and telling you what you can or cannot do.
If your B/f is from outside of SA that should have happened with him too.
If they dont, they are irresponsible


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## Barryml

*Living in centurion*

Dear Caitlin 

I live in Centurion for over 20 years now so I can give you an objective opinion. Centurion is a fantastic area to live in it has a big middle age and young community avg 42 years, with a lot of young people. Fantastic schools shops ect. What is great is that from Centurion it’s very easy and close to travel the greater Pretoria like Menlin and Brooklyn 10-15 minutes with big shopping centres and Johannesburg nothing more than 45 minutes, in traffic hours Johannesburg can be 1.5-2 hours.
Centurion is close to city live but with a relax country feel, people is very easy and relaxed, not uptight at all.
Well from a crime point sorry to say we have it as most cities and suburbs do. Crime has been for the last 2 year in Centurion very high, one of the highest areas to the latest figures. If you can live in what we call a security area or village it is recommended, in normal hours it is fairly safe to walk in this areas, It is recommended not to walk in suburbs without security, that is reality to most of SA, at night it is a BIG NO!!. I was armed robbed 7 weeks ago in my house 11am on a Tuesday morning, crime is not located to specific hours any more, normally your house is observed for a while and your come and goes, so never have a regular way of in and out..
That said Centurion is a booming area and one of the highest recommended areas in Pretoria to live, cost of living is above average but is worth it,
Feel free to email me for more info
Regards
Barry


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## lmalin

I will also be moving to this area in march or april. We have been told that Sandton is also a good area to live. We will be moving to a gated community but need to start looking. The job will be in Pretoria. Pretoria looks like a beautiful area. Would you recommend Sandton over Pretoria/Centurion area? Also, Barry, do you live in a gated community? You mentioned the robbery at 11:30 am on a week day, how did they enter your house? I'm not too worried about the safety, I'm sure it's similar to any metropolitan area in the USA, like Detroit or New York. Always paying attention to where you are is a good rule to follow. Thanks.


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## Barryml

*Live in SA*

Dear Imalin
I do business in Santon and have friends that live there, so I can give you some advice, I travel these areas weekly. 
Sandton is a very nice area but extremely expensive, most probably the most expensive area in the whole of Johannesburg/Pretoria. It is a very high class rich area, similar in USA as let’s say Manhattan, you will get in Centurion and Pretoria the same for30% less easy, Do not underestimate Pretoria, there is private estates that is 10 times much nicer to live than Sandton. Reason is that Pretoria gives you everything a city does but with a much more relaxed atmosphere, schools are tops, shops and standard of living. If I know what you are looking at spending on accommodation I can give more advice.
If you are going to work in Pretoria I would live in Pretoria, the travelling between the two cities in business hours is mad, it will take you anything from1.5*2.5 hours one way. Traffic in Pretoria is not nearly as bad, where in Pretoria will you be working, Pretoria is a big city, but easy to get about.
Imalin please be worried about safety, rule number one, I have been in the states a couple of times and one cannot compare the crime to South Africa, The way crime is applied in South Africa is quite different. You have crime in the posh and normal suburb that you don’t find in your normal suburbs, in USA. I am not a doom profit, but live realistic.
I live in a normal to upper suburb which is quite popular and rated a nice area to live, not security village. I have 6-8 feet metal-fence and wall, my security gate of 6 meter was broken from its electric motor with a metal bar and pull open with a LDV, my from door was kicked out of its frame out of the wall. Bricks and all. In the last 5 years I have been armed robbed twice, three motor cars stolen, burglaries a couple of times, neighbour robed one , cars 1, burglary 5 times, my other neighbour 3 houses down has been armed rob 3 times and burgled 12 times, and this area is very nice to live in.
In my family and friends group I will give a quick stat to crime.
My mother was shot dead in her house 8/05/2000 at 2 pm on a Monday, since 1994, I was armed robbed 3 times, burglary 11 times, cars stolen 5, business broken in 3 times. mother in-law cars stolen 2, robbed twice, brother armed hijacked & car stolen 1, sister in-law, armed hijacked & car stolen 2, her son had to take his clothes of in front of her and say good bye, he was put in execution style, gun was pulled and by grace of GOD did not go off, they have been robbed 5 times, my sister attempted high jacking and shot at 1, burglary 3 times. My friends own 4 Spar, food outlet, armed robbed with AK47 9 times, 3 workers and a friend shot and killed to date, 5 times burgled and 2 armed robberies, I have lost 3 friend that has been murdered, my best friend a farmer his wife, and mother was gang raped by 3 of their workers and 4 of their mates, his mother was stabbed 21 times and left to die, his wife was taken to a shabin (drinking area), for more to have their fun, and left her the next morning naked in a dirt road, they were jailed for only 2.5 year and got pardoned by Mbeki because the jails was full, I can carry on....
So yes please be aware where you live and choose good. My advice is first to come and have a look at where you work and what area it is in, you will love Pretoria it is a very friendly city. 

All that said this is still a wonderful country, but my hopes and moral is so low, as so many South Africans, I am doing my best to move to the USA, but hell it is not easy with you immigration.
You are welcome to phone me any time in SA I can show you around I have a couple of foreign friends from overseas that work in SA it would be my pleasure
I can send you my private email address to correspond


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## neilt

I lived in Pretoria/Centurion for 25 years and loved it I am originally from the UK. You should google a list of agents for Centurion and maybe go for a gated community ie Cornwall Hill or Lakeside. Hartebeesport dam is really nice and safe(r)! access to pretoria and Johannesburg. As with ALL developing countries the crime is terrible. Do not walk around, do not get lost, do not look like tourists either. Know whereyou want to go - SatNav it and just lock your car doors, be polite and sensible remember that most people are attracted to RSA to earn money and when they can't earn it they take it anyway. It's on a par with Haiti, Rio, Kingston, trinidad etc. I left after being a target of a criminal gang that followed me everywhere joburg and pretoria, just about everything negative happened to me, a sad ending to a place that I thought I was going to retire in.
I remember the positive good safe old days that I had there the food was great and the diversity of people was enough to keep you spell bound. I loved it, good roads great weather lots of jobs reasonable taxes, You can rent an AK47 for R50-oo do the math. I ran for my life and left an entire life time of effort behind me. I returned to England.


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## arnaud

neilt said:


> I lived in Pretoria/Centurion for 25 years and loved it I am originally from the UK. You should google a list of agents for Centurion and maybe go for a gated community ie Cornwall Hill or Lakeside. Hartebeesport dam is really nice and safe(r)! access to pretoria and Johannesburg. As with ALL developing countries the crime is terrible. Do not walk around, do not get lost, do not look like tourists either. Know whereyou want to go - SatNav it and just lock your car doors, be polite and sensible remember that most people are attracted to RSA to earn money and when they can't earn it they take it anyway. It's on a par with Haiti, Rio, Kingston, trinidad etc. I left after being a target of a criminal gang that followed me everywhere joburg and pretoria, just about everything negative happened to me, a sad ending to a place that I thought I was going to retire in.
> I remember the positive good safe old days that I had there the food was great and the diversity of people was enough to keep you spell bound. I loved it, good roads great weather lots of jobs reasonable taxes, You can rent an AK47 for R50-oo do the math. I ran for my life and left an entire life time of effort behind me. I returned to England.


England is the most crime-infested country in Europe. FAIL !


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## onealdw

I am bringing my family. Wheres a good place to live near Eskom Kusile?


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## Halo

arnaud said:


> England is the most crime-infested country in Europe. FAIL !


Stats please.


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## onealdw

Hope someone replys...


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## Halo

onealdw said:


> Hope someone replys...


Start a NEW thread.


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## neilt

arnaud said:


> England is the most crime-infested country in Europe. FAIL !


In my 25 years of living abroad as a British ex pat I represented mself and my country to the very highest standard possible, I gave high level expertise in both technical and managerial blue chip environments - I never even had a parking ticket in all that time. 
What south africa has degenerated to is so pathetic that the world cup ticket sales figures say it all in volumes. 
South africa under apartheid was sad but safe. Freedom, democracy, liberation, struggles etc have not yet finnished until the mass majorities and their representitives free themselves from themselves.
Nice lions though and I loved the thorn trees and those wonderful sunny winter high velt days in the Transvaal!


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## vegasboy

Barryml said:


> Dear Imalin
> I do business in Santon and have friends that live there, so I can give you some advice, I travel these areas weekly.
> Sandton is a very nice area but extremely expensive, most probably the most expensive area in the whole of Johannesburg/Pretoria. It is a very high class rich area, similar in USA as let’s say Manhattan, you will get in Centurion and Pretoria the same for30% less easy, Do not underestimate Pretoria, there is private estates that is 10 times much nicer to live than Sandton. Reason is that Pretoria gives you everything a city does but with a much more relaxed atmosphere, schools are tops, shops and standard of living. If I know what you are looking at spending on accommodation I can give more advice.
> If you are going to work in Pretoria I would live in Pretoria, the travelling between the two cities in business hours is mad, it will take you anything from1.5*2.5 hours one way. Traffic in Pretoria is not nearly as bad, where in Pretoria will you be working, Pretoria is a big city, but easy to get about.
> Imalin please be worried about safety, rule number one, I have been in the states a couple of times and one cannot compare the crime to South Africa, The way crime is applied in South Africa is quite different. You have crime in the posh and normal suburb that you don’t find in your normal suburbs, in USA. I am not a doom profit, but live realistic.
> I live in a normal to upper suburb which is quite popular and rated a nice area to live, not security village. I have 6-8 feet metal-fence and wall, my security gate of 6 meter was broken from its electric motor with a metal bar and pull open with a LDV, my from door was kicked out of its frame out of the wall. Bricks and all. In the last 5 years I have been armed robbed twice, three motor cars stolen, burglaries a couple of times, neighbour robed one , cars 1, burglary 5 times, my other neighbour 3 houses down has been armed rob 3 times and burgled 12 times, and this area is very nice to live in.
> In my family and friends group I will give a quick stat to crime.
> My mother was shot dead in her house 8/05/2000 at 2 pm on a Monday, since 1994, I was armed robbed 3 times, burglary 11 times, cars stolen 5, business broken in 3 times. mother in-law cars stolen 2, robbed twice, brother armed hijacked & car stolen 1, sister in-law, armed hijacked & car stolen 2, her son had to take his clothes of in front of her and say good bye, he was put in execution style, gun was pulled and by grace of GOD did not go off, they have been robbed 5 times, my sister attempted high jacking and shot at 1, burglary 3 times. My friends own 4 Spar, food outlet, armed robbed with AK47 9 times, 3 workers and a friend shot and killed to date, 5 times burgled and 2 armed robberies, I have lost 3 friend that has been murdered, my best friend a farmer his wife, and mother was gang raped by 3 of their workers and 4 of their mates, his mother was stabbed 21 times and left to die, his wife was taken to a shabin (drinking area), for more to have their fun, and left her the next morning naked in a dirt road, they were jailed for only 2.5 year and got pardoned by Mbeki because the jails was full, I can carry on....
> So yes please be aware where you live and choose good. My advice is first to come and have a look at where you work and what area it is in, you will love Pretoria it is a very friendly city.
> 
> All that said this is still a wonderful country, but my hopes and moral is so low, as so many South Africans, I am doing my best to move to the USA, but hell it is not easy with you immigration.
> You are welcome to phone me any time in SA I can show you around I have a couple of foreign friends from overseas that work in SA it would be my pleasure
> I can send you my private email address to correspond


 This is such a balanced post that I decided to cut and paste it on other posts if you don't mind.


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## Cnf

I don't see any balance in the post above and there is certainly no reason to spam us for it.


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## vegasboy

Cnf said:


> I don't see any balance in the post above and there is certainly no reason to spam us for it.


 have you gotten lost from the baboon horde? Get a life.:tongue1:


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## Cnf

vegasboy said:


> have you gotten lost from the baboon horde? Get a life.:tongue1:


Actually spamming the forums suggests that you should get a life ...


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## China Doll

*pretoria*

wow...Ive been thinking of moving back and this just scared the Sh*% out of me!!! Good Luck to you and your fam.:juggle:




Barryml said:


> Dear Imalin
> I do business in Santon and have friends that live there, so I can give you some advice, I travel these areas weekly.
> Sandton is a very nice area but extremely expensive, most probably the most expensive area in the whole of Johannesburg/Pretoria. It is a very high class rich area, similar in USA as let’s say Manhattan, you will get in Centurion and Pretoria the same for30% less easy, Do not underestimate Pretoria, there is private estates that is 10 times much nicer to live than Sandton. Reason is that Pretoria gives you everything a city does but with a much more relaxed atmosphere, schools are tops, shops and standard of living. If I know what you are looking at spending on accommodation I can give more advice.
> If you are going to work in Pretoria I would live in Pretoria, the travelling between the two cities in business hours is mad, it will take you anything from1.5*2.5 hours one way. Traffic in Pretoria is not nearly as bad, where in Pretoria will you be working, Pretoria is a big city, but easy to get about.
> Imalin please be worried about safety, rule number one, I have been in the states a couple of times and one cannot compare the crime to South Africa, The way crime is applied in South Africa is quite different. You have crime in the posh and normal suburb that you don’t find in your normal suburbs, in USA. I am not a doom profit, but live realistic.
> I live in a normal to upper suburb which is quite popular and rated a nice area to live, not security village. I have 6-8 feet metal-fence and wall, my security gate of 6 meter was broken from its electric motor with a metal bar and pull open with a LDV, my from door was kicked out of its frame out of the wall. Bricks and all. In the last 5 years I have been armed robbed twice, three motor cars stolen, burglaries a couple of times, neighbour robed one , cars 1, burglary 5 times, my other neighbour 3 houses down has been armed rob 3 times and burgled 12 times, and this area is very nice to live in.
> In my family and friends group I will give a quick stat to crime.
> My mother was shot dead in her house 8/05/2000 at 2 pm on a Monday, since 1994, I was armed robbed 3 times, burglary 11 times, cars stolen 5, business broken in 3 times. mother in-law cars stolen 2, robbed twice, brother armed hijacked & car stolen 1, sister in-law, armed hijacked & car stolen 2, her son had to take his clothes of in front of her and say good bye, he was put in execution style, gun was pulled and by grace of GOD did not go off, they have been robbed 5 times, my sister attempted high jacking and shot at 1, burglary 3 times. My friends own 4 Spar, food outlet, armed robbed with AK47 9 times, 3 workers and a friend shot and killed to date, 5 times burgled and 2 armed robberies, I have lost 3 friend that has been murdered, my best friend a farmer his wife, and mother was gang raped by 3 of their workers and 4 of their mates, his mother was stabbed 21 times and left to die, his wife was taken to a shabin (drinking area), for more to have their fun, and left her the next morning naked in a dirt road, they were jailed for only 2.5 year and got pardoned by Mbeki because the jails was full, I can carry on....
> So yes please be aware where you live and choose good. My advice is first to come and have a look at where you work and what area it is in, you will love Pretoria it is a very friendly city.
> 
> All that said this is still a wonderful country, but my hopes and moral is so low, as so many South Africans, I am doing my best to move to the USA, but hell it is not easy with you immigration.
> You are welcome to phone me any time in SA I can show you around I have a couple of foreign friends from overseas that work in SA it would be my pleasure
> I can send you my private email address to correspond


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## Daxk

Cnf said:


> I don't see any balance in the post above and there is certainly no reason to spam us for it.


Which part was unbalanced and unlikely? Cnf?


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## mman

/Peeps inside ....... /Quickly runs out nothing has changed here.


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## signol

My brother in law and his wife and child have lived in the Zwartkop area of Centurion for the last 4 years. They have never had any issues relating to crime, the worst that has happened was when their neighbour's house got struck by lightning. They don't live in a gated community per se, but the access road into their estate has a security guard in it.

signol


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## Daxk

signol said:


> My brother in law and his wife and child have lived in the Zwartkop area of Centurion for the last 4 years. They have never had any issues relating to crime, the worst that has happened was when their neighbour's house got struck by lightning. They don't live in a gated community per se, but the access road into their estate has a security guard in it.
> 
> signol


Yet.


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## vivekkumar

HI All can somebody suggest which is good place to live jburg or pretoria.I am moving to SA with my wife and kid (3 yrs) in july .


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## candicesyoung

hi 
Centurion is great actually.
grew up in Irene area. 
The original Irene is possibly the best and most beautiful part of Centurion it is like a village near dairy farm, with old library absolutely picturesque.
though once you leave you in 'city' so to speak
its perfectly situated between jhb and pta 
suppose there are alternative arease but try staying withinV Irene and rietvlei area they the more prominent and well to do.
there Are estates (security provisions ) but not as bad as people seem to think 😃


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## BrokernMan

Caitlin said:


> Hi everyone,
> 
> My boyfriend's got a job in Centurion for 3, possibly 6 months and is already there, I'm going soon.
> 
> I'm trying to find some information on good areas to live in Pretoria or Centurion. Pretoria seems a more interesting place to live as I generally prefer cities. but I'm open to ideas. I probably won't be able to work so it's important that wherever I live be relatively nice or accessible to other places, to prevent insanity!
> 
> I'd appreciate any suggestions. From reading online it appears that it's necessary to live in a gated community, which I accept, but are there actually any areas where you can walk around outside? (This may be a dumb question, but the impression I get is that it is NOT POSSIBLE to go out alone ever). In which case I will definitely only be staying three months!
> 
> Thanks a lot!
> 
> Caitlin


Coming from a significantly more dangerous country like Mexico you'll probably like it. Mexico's crime is much more violent than South Africa's and a lot isn't recorded. If it was, it's murder and crime rate would blow South Africa away like a paper hat.

The comments are............well...........interesting. They don't sound aware of this. Confusing Mex. with Spain? There's a reason Mexico rather than SA is on government red alert lists worldwide.

I'm wondering what became of Caitlin? What was her experience of the two countries? I'd be interested to know.


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