Whites returning to SA in droves

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Skinner

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Johannesburg - When South African native Nicky Prins lived in London, there was one television advertisement that always touched her heart.

As part of an effort to encourage tourism, the South African government ran a commercial showing the country's dramatic landscape, coupled with emotive music and excerpts from President Thabo Mbeki's famous "I am an African" speech.

"Sometimes I would cry when I watched it. It sort of brought on the emotions to a head, and you would think, 'I really want to go home,"' said the 34-year-old Prins, an economist who left South Africa eight years ago for better career opportunities.

A few months after she first saw the ad, she packed up her bags and came home.
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Moving companies, real estate agents and non-profit groups say more and more white South Africans in their late 20s and beyond are returning to South Africa. Hungry for their own culture, eager to raise children near their own families, and encouraged by their country's economic potential, these adults are leaving their successful careers abroad for an uncertain future at home.
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"We've certainly seen South Africans returning," said Homecoming Revolution manager Martine Schaffer, whose website draws 17 000 new visitors each month. "At the beginning of this year, I think we have more people returning than leaving."
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A spokesperson for Stuttafords Van Lines, the largest moving company in South Africa, said that for every person the company moves out of South Africa to the United Kingdom, it helps another 1.5 return.
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"The lifestyle here (in South Africa) is completely different. You've got vast open spaces, you've got scenery that you don't get in the UK, and the weather is a major factor."
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(From: http://www.news24.com/News24/South_Africa/News/0,,2-7-1442_2364984,00.html)

YES!!!! SUCCESS!!!! :cool: :cool: :cool:
South Africans are returning to SA, where they belong!!
I knew I was right when I guessed that overseas were too horrible for South Africans compared to the milk and honey they have in SA!! And this article proves it. The tide has turned!! :D :cool:
 
ROFL! a few days ago, an article about "whites leaving in droves, or blacks leaving in droves" and now in a span of a few days, they all "returning in droves".

I know quite a few people personally who have left South Africa, and not one of them are even contemplating coming back again. Theyve gone through so much to actually leave the country, sell their house, sell everything they own, cut off all ties with people, quit their jobs and just go. It would take a huge change in South Africa to bring these people back.
 
Which post do you believe. First they are all leaving, now within in a week they are all coming back :)

Most of my friends have already left - I don't know any anyone thats come back!

said that for every person the company moves out of South Africa to the United Kingdom, it helps another 1.5 return.
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I seriously questions those stats! Maybe its by the same person that releases the crime stats.
 
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gregmcc said:
Which post do you believe. First they are all leaving, now within in a week they are all coming back :)

Most of my friends have already left - I don't know any anyone thats come back!
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What age bracket are they in - I have several friends and acquaintances who, now that they're in their 30s, are returning. I guess a lot depends on the reasons you left in the first place.
 
They're in their mid 30's

The government has launched a programme called Global South Africans to encourage talented South Africans expatriates to share their skills and knowledge with their fellow citizens. And the office of the South African deputy president has launched similar initiatives to inspire South Africans to share their skills or return home.
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imo a complete waste of time. The reason these people left was because of high crime rate/aa/low paying jobs/ etc etc - what has changed that these people will now reconsider coming back.
 
I think many are leaving and also many (from a difference age bracket) are coming back. And the article suggests that more are coming back than leaving.
 
gregmcc said:
They're in their mid 30's
imo a complete waste of time. The reason these people left was because of high crime rate/aa/low paying jobs/ etc etc
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Assumption. And a poor one. How do you know why they left? :rolleyes:
They could have left to explore the world or broaden their work experience, after which they would return to SA...?

- what has changed that these people will now reconsider coming back.
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Maybe because it is unbearably depressing overseas? :D
 
Skinner said:
Assumption. And a poor one. How do you know why they left? :rolleyes:
They could have left to explore the world or broaden their work experience, after which they would return to SA...?
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Well 5 of my friends all left for the same reason - crime rate/low paying jobs/cost of living - all of them have said they will never move back.
 
gregmcc said:
Well 5 of my friends all left for the same reason - crime rate/low paying jobs/cost of living - all of them have said they will never move back.
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Well I have also some friends (in the age group the article mentions, maybe a little older too) that have left SA a few years ago to travel and get a bit of overseas experience - both with life and work - and they are also now returning to SA.

Question: the friends you speak of - are they young? And did they use to live in the Western Cape? And are they English-speaking South Africans?
 
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Its the younger generation (early 20's) that go overseas temporarily to get work experience and see the world. Most of them to go back home eventually. Its the older folks who leave the country with their families that don't return.
 
drevil5000 said:
Its the younger generation (early 20's) that go overseas temporarily to get work experience and see the world. Most of them to go back home eventually. Its the older folks who leave the country with their families that don't return.
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I tend to agree with that.

I came back. After Uni and all was completed. Still here a decade later.

Now I wonder if I should have. But these thoughts really only occur when I think of having kids.

Take it of leave it. Currently I am happy to take it.:o
 
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That's why even the government has admitted to a huge skills shortage facing the country - in engineering, commerce etc. 1 million whites have officially left SA (obviously more since some don't declare it to authorities that they're emigrating). 1 million whites have come back? Give me a break.

And the source is dodgy at best - HomeComing Revolution. We all know what a failure that organisation is in attracting talent "back".
 
Skinner said:
Maybe because it is unbearably depressing overseas? :D
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Let me see, 80% of my university friends (and family) have left and not one is contemplating returning. Most don't even return for holidays and if they
do that's to see their parents or they invite their parents over.

I think race has a lot to do with people returning too. Let's face it,
most Western ENGLISH speaking countries are white (and even the
people of other ethnicities there are from more distant places).

If you're say a coloured person, prolly like this Prins person, she will
not encounter people from her cultural group anywhere else
but mainly WESTERN CAPE. I doubt there is a huge coloured community
in NY, Chicago or Melbourne. If Ms Prins attaches more importance
to mixing with people of a similar culture she'll more likely want
to return to the Western Cape.

If you're English speaking white, at least the culture that former
British colonies have (NZ, AUS, Can, even US) is pretty similar
with barbacues and outdoor living/sports. It would be a bigger
adjustment to move to Europe than those other places.

Then again there are people who can adjust and who put
their family's lives and futures ahead of their own sentimentality.
My parents were like that. I know first hand what its like
to hop country to country with a small kid in tow, learn a completely
new culture and language and adapt to local customs.
Its not for everyone but the adaptation I would need to
make in the UK/USA/CAN vs what I went through already as
a small kid is NOTHING.

From my side I ONLY hear GOOD things from people who have left.
I have a variety of friends - they are engineers, doctors, journalists,
computer scientists and business science graduates and everyone
is happy to be abroad, so happy that they go to China, Europe, South
America and Japan for their holidays instead of even coming to SA.
 
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People will leave and some will come back for all different reasons unless we will all want to leave when south Africa turns Zimbabwe! Mzanzi is not such a bad place anyway, but if i were to get a nice job out there i will leave for that reason and when i am abroad and i get a nice offer back home, i will come home.
 
"We've certainly seen South Africans returning," said Homecoming Revolution manager Martine Schaffer, whose website draws 17 000 new visitors each month. "At the beginning of this year, I think we have more people returning than leaving."
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RAS!!
 
todays USA Today has a total PR spam article that says very little of substance, from these homecoming revolution morons - clearly, the ANC and its ad agencies are spending serious SA taxpayer money, to grease palms and get articles in major media, showing how 'fabulous' life is in SA.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2008-07-27-whites-south-africa_N.htm
 
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