Expats Love South African Life But Fear For Their Safety

In general, the majority of expats in South Africa are happy with their lives, but they don’t feel safe.

The results of a recent survey reveal expats arriving from the USA, Britain and Germany are happy with their choice of destination, but day-to-day safety remains an issue for the vast majority. On the plus side, there’s a vast choice of places to spend the large chunk of cash they’re earning. The results calculated from respondents in the expat community saw the country high on the list for its ease of settling in and family life, but its 49th place out of 65 countries in the quality of life section emphasised expats’ fear of violence.

Over three quarters of expats polled were generally satisfied with their lives in SA, but the survey highlighted the undeniable fact that safety concerns take the edge off the country’s great weather and enjoyable leisure time. In the important safety and security category, South Africa ranked 63rd, with only Brazil and Nigeria having lower scores. The category included political stability, personal safety and peacefulness, all of which were sadly lacking.

In addition, just under half of respondents were not best pleased with the country’s transport infrastructure. Unsurprisingly, South Africa’s score for leisure options was high, due to the huge choice of things to do and see, sporting activities and social life in general. Only three world countries – Mexico, Spain and Portugal – scored higher in this category, and the cost of living won praise as being more than enough to have an enjoyable lifestyle without having to count the pennies.