🔒 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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She’s been there ever since after finding a job in her industry. Locally she finds the tech scene remarkably vibrant in spite of South Africa’s challenging economic outlook.

In a snapshot of her time so far, she provides a refreshing guide to Cape Town, warts and all.

What drew her in initially – the weather, breath-taking landscape, outdoors lifestyle, the multi-culturalism, youthful energy, art, fashion and architecture – has seen her stay. With Amazon expanding its operations in Cape Town (adding 100 more jobs) and the local start-up scene attracting investors from across the globe, she’s thriving, working remotely for two well-placed tech companies.

Read also: Should I stay or should I go?

Commuting to work while living in the City Bowl is a doddle compared to her former London commute, taking a sixth of the time, but she highly recommends using a car versus the unreliable (and often unsightly) trains. She issues a timely warning to aspirant visitors; it’s fine to take the bus, just don’t walk the streets after dark – and get used to lawlessness on the roads.

Unusual (and downright uncivilised) in London, is a motorist driving aggressively right up to your bumper to force you out the way, or texting while driving. She finds parking better than London but it’s the outdoor life that really excites her. While living costs are about half of London’s, Ms Buckley strikes a mildly sobering note in observing that the purchasing power of the rand is about 10% less than the pound in each currency’s home city.

She admits that crime rates are sky high but says she’s adapted, behaving far more cautiously than she would in London and describing crime as “opportunistic and often driven by desperation and hunger.” Violence against women is a virtual deal-breaker for her in Cape Town but it’s mitigated by another culture; that of public spiritedness, neighbourly concern, support and philanthropy.

Read also: Why do some expat Saffers return to SA? Here’s one story.

The deal-makers for her include the view from Platteklip Gorge, hiking the Pipe Track or Lion’s Head – and always being able to find companions for outdoor activities, be it snorkelling off Simon’s Town or kayaking from Granger Bay.

Work and gym-wise, business talks in her field are ubiquitous while gyms like Bold and yoga at Yoga Motive put the icing on the cake.

Were it not for the ‘pull of family’ in Europe, she may well have put down roots, she confesses.

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