AUTHOR : RENE STENMANN & LAUREN HAUPTFLEISCH
SPOTLIGHT ON SOUTH AFRICA
E M I G R A T I N G T O S O U T H A F R I C A : T H E G O O D , T H E B A D & T H E B I Z A R R E !
There are so many contradicting and outright puzzling myths and legends about South Africa that have made it across the globe . One would think that globalisation and a rapid increase in internet access would leave less to the imagination , but still questions like “ Do lions roam the streets of South Africa ?” and “ Do they even have cars ?” still pop up every now and again .
Immigrating to South Africa might therefore seem like a daunting task and somewhat of a challenge since no-one knows exactly what to expect . As a relocation company working with expats immigrating to the ‘ wild ’ Africa , we might be able to shed some light on the good , the bad and the outright bizarre aspects of relocating to South Africa .
As with most things in life there ’ s a delicate balance between the pros and cons and relocating to South Africa is no exception . Both assignees and corporates will face various challenges which each come with their own set of advantages and rewards . Overall , South Africa isn ’ t the most difficult place to migrate to , but there are some interesting curveballs and unexpected adventures that await you on this journey .
Do I need to speak African ? Firstly , South Africa is known as the “ rainbow nation ” where a diverse blend of people live together and weave an intricate cultural landscape . One of the critical components of assignee training is that of cultural and language training . In a country like South Africa this isn ’ t quite as straightforward as one might hope . The “ rich cultural experience ” expats will encounter in South Africa seems like a definite pro until you realise that the South African culture is so diverse , it can ’ t really be pinned down or understood all that well . Language barriers are an ongoing challenge for assignees and even corporates , but in South Africa this “ barrier ” is rather extreme .