I love this country. I really do.

Not many countries around the world can boast having two oceaens, dams, a rain forest, national parks AND a desert.

But what is the point of all this beauty, when it is tainted by so much evil and bad?

I am consiedering leaving SA. Not sure for which country yet. The problem is that I so love being a south african. I can honestly say that I am proud to be a South African, but just once, I would love to drive around at night, and not at the back of my mind think about getting hijacked, shot and killed.

Just once I would like to walk around at night and not worry about some psycho scum appearing out of nowhere and shoot me in the head for the measly R20.00 that I have in my back pocket.

Just once I would like to go into a shop to grab some bread quickly, and not have to lock my doors, and put on the alarm.

Just once I would like to leave the house unattended, and not have to worry about it being broken into, and lose all my hard-earned possessions.

Would it be nice to not have to watch the news, or read the papers, and hear about yet another family that was held hostage in their own home. To hear about how the father had to watch while his wife and 13 year old daughter were gang raped?

I hear the stories about the cop shops in New Zealand closing for the night. How grand isn't that? Here the cop shops are open all night long, and yet crime is still a problem. People tend to blame the cops, but how can thye survive when they don't even have the resources to do their jobs properly?

I hear about how people can sleep with their windows open at night as well - without there being burglar guards.

We also have these hypocritical politicians, who were a part of the struggle, and were supposed to make a "betterlife for all", yet all they do is defraud the state/tax payers, and those whom they said they would help are still living in poverty - without much hope of things getting better.

We are made to look like fools as well, with the president stating that HIV does not cause AIDS - poverty does (was Freddy Mercury poverty stricken?).

On the one hand, I might leave this country, but on the other hand, I love it so much.

Also, who knows, maybe the grass is only greener on the other side, because there is more manure.

Maybe, i would only leave if there was nothing keeping me here anymore, at this stage there is still a lot to look forward to in South Africa.

I feel exactly the same way you do! Im South African right down to my very core and the thought of me leaving the beautiful county causes a great battle to wage inside of me!

I have been seriously considering leaving SA for not necessarily greener pastures, but, for safer ones!

Your post struck a chord! I have been thinking the exact same thoughts recently. I feel unsafe driving to work in the mornings, when I go out to so grocery shopping......

So to answer your question, Would I leave???
YES, if this rampant, nutcase driven crime wave continues. As much as it would pain me to go, I would have no choice!!!

I will be out of this country with my sister by the end of 2008.
Luckily my GF's family is also leaving for Australia at around that time so things couldn't be better.

I hope to return one day. When the country wakes up and gets rid of the ANC who are slowly turning SA into Zimbabwe.

I will go wherever my son's mother goes.

I guess when you start thinking in along the line of "I should be leaving this country" then you are not really focusing on the bigger picture. There are still good people in this country worth living for. I make ridiculous generalisations everyday about people everyday, usually unjustified. There is still a lot to live for in this country.

Rather the evil you know, than the evil you don't.

No thanks... I'd rather go to a place where I will get a job because I am the right person for the job...
I'd rather be in a place where I don't have to phone my sister every 30 minutes to see if she's safe.
I'd rather be in a place where I don't need to live like I'm under house arrest all the time.

Yes, you'll never escape crime, but the crime we have in SA is utterly ridiculous. And now that they've strippe me of the right to defend myself whats the point in staying?

I won't get a job because I'm white - no matter how hard I've worked and studied for it.
I'm not safe, again because I am white and a target because of apartheid - even though the people doing the robbing now are often my own age and barely felt what apartheid was really like.

You might not know this but in 2004 my family home was robbed a total of 6 times. Once every 6 weeks.
NO thanks, I'm not staying to get a repeat of that.

I prefer no evil at all, thank you!


True, there is but for how much longer? I wont wait untill someone I love becomes a victim of this madness!!!

I was on my way out, but actually decided to stay on for longer.

I am trying to be an optimist in thinking that things can just get better, but reading newspapers (i don't watch news) and hearing people's opinions, it does not sound like anything is changing.

I am still hoping though....

This country still has quite a bit going for it, the economy is the deciding factor in my case.

If this place starts going like Zim and prices start rocketing i'll be out here in a flash. Prob keep my house and pay it off in a month when the R-->$ goes like 1000-->1

I'll be leaving in a few years because:

1) I won't live somewhere where I feel unsafe and I have to constantly watch my back
2) I want to give myself and my family the best opportunities
3) I work too hard to have my stuff stolen
4) I won't let my girlfriend/wife/daughter live and work in the rape capital of the world

Australia > *

I have been to Australia, and it isn't all it is cracked up to be. It very much depends on where you go there. At least IMHO, that is the case.

Where can I buy a foreign passport?

I am looking to leave within the next few months, just waiting for acceptance letters from some universities in the UK.

I'm not going to wait til I'm raped, or until I lose a family member before I leave - the sooner, the better as far as I'm concerned. I will effing miss the weather, but I'm sure it'll be a good holiday destination (just think - P.O.U.N.D.S!).

** racial slurs removed **

That attitude is NOT welcome on V9, and is a violation of board rules. Watch your mouth in future please.

This post has been edited by RustPuppet: Dec 24 2006, 03:44 AM

Dude, I rate that's the dumbest thing I've read in years. I hope you get hijacked for saying that...

Is that the best you can do? I'd hoped for some meat on that bone. The fact is, it's true. Name one African nation that isn't all screwed up. Kenya basically hangs on because they were smart enough to incorporate a lot of British help. But Kenya is facing hard times because it is an embarrassment to the others and folks in the ANC, Zimbabwe, etc. would like to see it fall and become a "success" like them. I guess Kenya is just too white - for a black country that is. The dream of Africans has become a nightmare for them. The people they believed in delivered nothing but crime, genocide, corruption and poverty. And that's it my friend, if you can point to any other benefits to black rule other than the people now killing and oppressing Africans are the same color I'd like to hear it..

If JZ becomes president in 2008 the first flight to Taiwan will carry my entire house in it... ok maybe not my entire house... but hell I'll pack my bags and head straight out of this place!

I would. If I had a EU passport I would currently be living in Irl. No question.

This post has been edited by Ink: Dec 24 2006, 06:25 AM

Thats our worst nightmare come true. I sincererly hope that that corrupt piece-of-krap NEVER becomes president. That itself would be reason enough for thousands to flee SA!!!