An expats unblemished guide to living in Cape Town – FT

Here's a rational, enthusiastic expatriate's view of Cape Town, balancing the dismal train service and high crime rate with the Mother City's vibrant tech scene, laid-back friendliness and as she terms it "breath-taking outdoor mix." No gilding of the fire-lilies here, just a heartfelt take on her own experiences, which is probably the best bill-board Cape Town Tourism could hope for. Makes for a refreshing break from the picturesque, iconic promotional views of Cape Town that so often clash violently with newspaper billboards proclaiming the city to be the "world's murder capital." When a European expat tells you how to navigate the risky downsides, you may just reconsider changing your African holiday destination. I could add this; my family and I visited Gugulethu last Sunday to support my niece's vibrant NPO, 'Dance for Two' end-of-year kids' concert in a local hall. The tin-shanty-lined street that 30 years ago was aflame with petrol-bombing protesters and shotgun-firing police is today a peaceful haven of stalls and proud two-story brick homes, intermingled with colourful business premises. Basic common sense should dictate where and when to go anywhere in Cape Town; just talk to the locals – or an expat with no real skin in the game. – Chris Bateman

By Thulasizwe Sithole

Claire Buckley, writing for The Financial Times of London, is an enterprising tech-expert and expat who moved to Cape Town from London two years ago to visit a friend – and escape the pollution of Brexit and Donald Trump's election.

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