Moving to Jozie?

[Hamster]

I'd add Broadacres as well, especially if he's going to be working just off Cedar. Would miss all the Witkoppen traffic...

That's the name I was looking for when I said Fourways Gardens - Broadacres.



Only problem with Broadacres is that should you start working somewhere else that is not of Cedar (Sandton, Bryanston etc) traffic will be a REAL pain.

I'd much rather go live in Lonehill if i was to move more north. Still, Douglasdale/Olivedale/North Riding is better imo.

 

[Nerfherder]

TL;DR: having grown up in Somerset West, I only realised later in life that we don't live in the "real South Africa"

I grew up in Somerset West and have lived in the area (between SW, Stellenbosch and Bellville) all my life. One of my friends from university, also from CT, moved to Bryanston recently. He is very happy, but he had to change his lifestyle significantly.

Salaries are generally signifcantly higher, cost of living is slightly lower (although property is significantly cheaper than in most of Cape Town). Traffic is INSANE. I drive between Somerset West and Bellville (N1-R300-N2) every morning and it's a breeze compared to a good day in Joburg.

Money is great (I get offers for nearly double my current Somerset West salary on a monthly basis), but, personally, Joburg would make me so miserable, no amount of money in the world would be able to fix me. Every time I travel to Gauteng for work, I realise how lucky I am to live in the Western Cape. But obviously that's just me. If you like the "big city" vibe, and wouldn't miss the scenery, wine farms, the beach, hiking etc., your experience may differ.

Oh, and one last thing: something which gets me every time, is the fact that stores close unbelievably early in many parts of Gauteng. It's like everybody goes to sleep at 7pm.

I think you got the last part wrong... its the WC places that close early. I still cant get used to it, restaurants and bottles stores closed on Sunday, other places closing at random times during the day, not being able to get a set at the "cool" places...

Gauteng is far more available and open, in Cape Town they close the doors at the first sign of no wind or good waves.


I lived in GP for 30 years and have not regretted my move to CT.
You can make a life for your self in Gauteng and there are some pro's, the people are more friendly, things happen faster.

But then you will struggle with schools and traffic, and crime and grime, and etolls, the taxi's are worse and its just so flipping boring.

 

[heartbroken]

I think you got the last part wrong... its the WC places that close early. I still cant get used to it, restaurants and bottles stores closed on Sunday, other places closing at random times during the day, not being able to get a set at the "cool" places....

Slaapstad

 

[syntax]

Well if you are looking to move to work in fourways, Northriding isn't a bad area at all. Theres also Jackal Creek Golf Estate that isn't priced badly at all for what you get.

I find Jackal Creek ridiculously over priced.
The houses are falling apart, they have drainage issues everywhere, the squatter camp makes a lovely backdrop and the units are tiny.
Oh, and the levies are a pocket burner too.

There are awesome places in sundowner / northriding that are way bigger at the same or less costs than jackal.
Traffic from Jackal is also a disaster trying to get to fourways.

hows Paulshof these days? If he is looking at cedar, he might be going against the traffic wont he?

 

[RustyPrincess]

I live in Boskruin and work in Fourways. Takes anywhere between 20 minutes and an hour to get to work (Driving through Olivedale and Jukskei park)
Witkoppen can be a parking lot sometimes. Northriding would be fine to live in, and you would be able to ride your bike, if you are prepared to handle the taxis driving on the pavement and the thousands of pedestrians.

 

[Edwe]

I think you got the last part wrong... its the WC places that close early. I still cant get used to it, restaurants and bottles stores closed on Sunday, other places closing at random times during the day, not being able to get a set at the "cool" places...

Gauteng is far more available and open, in Cape Town they close the doors at the first sign of no wind or good waves.


I lived in GP for 30 years and have not regretted my move to CT.
You can make a life for your self in Gauteng and there are some pro's, the people are more friendly, things happen faster.

But then you will struggle with schools and traffic, and crime and grime, and etolls, the taxi's are worse and its just so flipping boring.

In what part of the WC are you? Our local shops (both Bellville and Somerset West, at least) all stay open until 20:00 and some until 22:00, and there are two bottle stores within 1km of my home which are open until 17:00 on Sundays.

I can't say anything about Johannesburg, because I don't go there very often, but in Pretoria (Lynnwood, specifically), it seems that most of the stores close at around 18:00-19:00.

EDIT: my main problem with Gauteng is the boredom factor. I can't think of more than a handful of things you can do in Gauteng that you can't do here, and there are loads of things here which Gauteng doesn't offer.

 

[Hamster]

In what part of the WC are you? Our local shops (both Bellville and Somerset West, at least) all stay open until 20:00 and some until 22:00, and there are two bottle stores within 1km of my home which are open until 17:00 on Sundays.

I can't say anything about Johannesburg, because I don't go there very often, but in Pretoria (Lynnwood, specifically), it seems that most of the stores close at around 18:00-19:00.

EDIT: my main problem with Gauteng is the boredom factor. I can't think of more than a handful of things you can do in Gauteng that you can't do here, and there are loads of things here which Gauteng doesn't offer.

You just hate JHB so you are rambling off every time you post. It's cool dude - we'll enjoy our scenic mine dumps and appreciate them for what they really are

 

[OrbitalDawn]

Urgh. JHB is balls.

I'd think long and hard about whether it's worth it. The SW lifestyle you've gotten use to is way, way different.

How likely is it that you'd be able to progress, career wise, in CT and surrounds?

 

[Lupus]

Went to school in Fourways and worked in Bryanston for twelve years so basically went in that direction for 16 years from around the Northriding and surrounding areas. Traffic is a ball ache and its just gotten worse, prefer working in Randburg 12km in 20m

 

[Foxhound5366]

If I had to go back to Johannesburg, I'd take my Tom Tom 5000 GPS with me. You can't beat Live Traffic for showing you amazing shortcuts ... there's this great one when you're headed down William Nicol into the heart of Sandton during rush hour. You go left, go right, go right, go left, hit a traffic circle, continue on, and drop out exactly where you want to be

 

[cerebus]

Urgh. JHB is balls.

I'd think long and hard about whether it's worth it. The SW lifestyle you've gotten use to is way, way different.

How likely is it that you'd be able to progress, career wise, in CT and surrounds?

With what I do, jobs appear at random. I could progress here, or I could not progress in another 2 years - it is all whether a position comes up. To progress in this manner - by an order of magnitude instead of the same old incremental 15% upticks - there's nothing on the horizon but of course it could happen.

In some other ways it would be good to leave this area. There are factors to do with my wife's family and other things that have been making me want to get a clean break and shake up our routines.

 

[HavocXphere]

Isn't OP married with kids etc?

I'd say if unsure & you're married with kids then I'd say use your retirement planning as a guide. i.e. If you can afford to comfortably retire on your current WC track then stay...if you're in need of a top-up then maybe a bit of rat-race might help.

How is the Northriding area?

From what I saw I would not want to live there (maybe work though)...in fairness I suspect I probably saw the bad side (kaya sands side) of northriding...I assuming there is a better one somewhere judging by other comments

 

[Hamster]

Northriding is pretty big. Kaya Sands feels more like an industrial area (big Builder's Warehouse etc). Really wouldn't go stay there.

 

[Foxhound5366]

To answer the OP, this is a dream opportunity in Johannesburg. Fourways is one of the biggest residential areas, so if you get a JOB there, you're set. You can choose to live in any of the surrounding areas and you'll be set: Lonehill (my recommendation), Pineslopes, Douglasdale, Bryanston. In peak traffic you'll be driving against the flow, so you'll be there in no time at all.

Of course you could always just stay in Fourways itself ... Inchanga Avenue has more complexes than you can wag a stick at, and you've got Cedar Square and Fourways Mall right there for everything you need.

I definitely wouldn't surrender that convenience to go live in Northriding, which is far away by Johannesburg standards in peak traffic. Yes it's 'cheap' by comparison ... for a reason. Keep looking, there are good deals to be found in the 'norf' too.

 

[cerebus]

Well the notion of moving to Jozie has somewhat been replaced by a new notion - I reckon I'm going to leave SA. I have my US passport, there's not much else keeping us here. I'm going to start applying to US jobs and see if I can move near my dad. Maybe I'll go over ahead of my wife and kids and support them while we get our finances together then bring them over. It's just not working out here for us. I'm not 100% sure that this is what we'll do but I'm feeling more and more confident about it.

 

[Hamster]

Either way, leaving the Western Cape is immigrating so no real diff..

 

[Jet-Fighter7700]

Us passport?
What the f**** are you doing here?

This is the 3rd world son, nothing here but beggers and corrupt politicians, and zebras.

If your in IT, mountin view is great, but again don't know much about the us to advise, but do know 20 guys here on mybb, that will easily kill you to move to the states.....

Seriously, what you doing here? You work for the embassy or similar?

 

[cerebus]

Us passport?
What the f**** are you doing here?

This is the 3rd world son, nothing here but beggers and corrupt politicians, and zebras.

If your in IT, mountin view is great, but again don't know much about the us to advise, but do know 20 guys here on mybb, that will easily kill you to move to the states.....

Seriously, what you doing here? You work for the embassy or similar?

Actually also a UK citizen... yea I'm not sure. I came here because my wife is South African and I followed her. Been here 8 years now and it's been fun, but things that should be easy (e.g. home buying, normal living, educating our kids) are just not working out for us. I love South Africa, maybe more than any place I've lived. I do have somewhat of a feeling that when the kids are out of the house and we've saved up enough, maybe I'll retire here. You wouldn't need too much money to do it compared to the US.

 

[Jet-Fighter7700]

Actually also a UK citizen... yea I'm not sure. I came here because my wife is South African and I followed her. Been here 8 years now and it's been fun, but things that should be easy (e.g. home buying, normal living, educating our kids) are just not working out for us. I love South Africa, maybe more than any place I've lived. I do have somewhat of a feeling that when the kids are out of the house and we've saved up enough, maybe I'll retire here. You wouldn't need too much money to do it compared to the US.

That's the thing, I'm also a foreign passport holder like you,
Things are a LOT easier than back in my native country, but other things get in the way,

Sa is a great country, if it wasent for the corrupt governent and crime epedemic,
This would be the best nation on earth.....

There are oppeetunities here, some less legal than others,

But having a us/uk passport is many peoples dream, id try live there for a year and see how it goes, can't be that bad?

 

[Hamster]

That's the thing, I'm also a foreign passport holder like you,
Things are a LOT easier than back in my native country, but other things get in the way,

Sa is a great country, if it wasent for the corrupt governent and crime epedemic, BEE, an electricity surplus, faster internet, more available internet, a lower unemployment rate, more tax payers, less tax/more free services
This would be the best nation on earth.....

There are oppeetunities here, some less legal than others,

But having a us/uk passport is many peoples dream, id try live there for a year and see how it goes, can't be that bad?

FTFY/2 ...got tired and stopped halfway