Why does South Africa not have a company like this

[skimread]

I read this article about the US now asking foreign programmers to prove they can code when entering the country. The article mentions a company called Andela where programmers fly to the US for 2 weeks to meet the clients and then work in either Lagos or Nairobi remotely with equipment provided. Even Mark Zuckerberg visited them when he went to Nigeria so the company must be well known.

Surely South Africa have just as many programmers as Nigeria and Kenya and could do a similar thing?

 

[gkm]

There are many companies in South Africa that does outsource work for the US and other countries. But given that we in general have a lot more development work than skilled developers, we also have a fair bit of in sourcing that I have heard about, including from the US.

 

[Arthur]

Perhaps it's because Nigerians speak English. Many of our locals think they speak English but get elementary things like verbs wrong. They don't notice, but English-speakers do.

 

[Randy_The_Squirrel]

Perhaps it's because Nigerians speak English. Many of our locals think they speak English but get elementary things like verbs wrong. They don't notice, but English-speakers do.

That, and they don't even know intermediate C programming concepts.

 

[Thor]

Our greatest export is not raw materials, but Intellectual power. We export our top skills so to speak.

 

[Randy_The_Squirrel]

Our greatest export is not raw materials, but Intellectual power. We export our top skills so to speak.

Yes, but it won't last forever.

 

[skimread]

I'm thinking with the stricter US immigration laws and checks I would think you would get some local startups to do something similar to Andela.

 

[flippakitten]

More and more companies are going the completely remote option for a few reasons.

So while this is pretty cool, you don't need to be in the US to work for a US company.

 

[[)roi(]]

IMO there are 4 reasons why Nigeria is a better choice than SA:

• Shorter travel time
• Population size
• English Speakers; understandable
• Education standard; SAs diminishing standards doesn't do us any favors.

 

[Oppiekoffie]

the average SA company owner and management are as narrowminded as a donkey.

 

[Solarion]

That, and they don't even know intermediate C programming concepts.

I have a Nigerian bloke on my team. He does our ASP.NET MVC dev. His English is better than any local I have heard so far and he programs like a boss.

SA is light years behind.

 

[DA-LION-619]

I have a Nigerian bloke on my team. He does our ASP.NET MVC dev. His English is better than any local I have heard so far and he programs like a boss.

SA is light years behind.

Randburg? Nigerian? I know a guy but he isn't a MVC dev.

 

[Ho3n3r]

Perhaps it's because Nigerians speak English. Many of our locals think they speak English but get elementary things like verbs wrong. They don't notice, but English-speakers do.

Americans don't speak English...

 

[Oppiekoffie]

IMO there are 4 reasons why Nigeria is a better choice than SA:

• Shorter travel time
• Population size
• English Speakers; understandable
• Education standard; SAs diminishing standards doesn't do us any favors.

Sad but true, I often receive letters on a piece of paper in my postbox for gardening. The handwriting is neat, the English is good. And this is mostly from Malawi.

 

[Solarion]

Randburg? Nigerian? I know a guy but he isn't a MVC dev.

I know right

In total I know 2 Nigerian web developers in Randburg. They exist

 

[semaphore]

I have a Nigerian bloke on my team. He does our ASP.NET MVC dev. His English is better than any local I have heard so far and he programs like a boss.

SA is light years behind.

Light years behind in what?

 

[Oppiekoffie]

Light years behind in what?

Education. Then again, they want to be behind. Unions, strikes, dont' attend classes.

 

[zippy]

Our greatest export is not raw materials, but Intellectual power. We export our top skills so to speak.

I wouldn't call emigration, exporting. Export implies having received something in return. More like "our greatest loss is intellectual power"

 

[DA-LION-619]

Education. Then again, they want to be behind. Unions, strikes, dont' attend classes.

Foreigners also study here too

 

[crackersa]

Americans don't speak English...

Agree....we speak Americanese.