August 10, 2025 • 39 mins
What if the perfect expat destination for Americans isn't Portugal or Costa Rica, but South Africa? A country where your dollars stretch four times further, world-class healthcare costs pennies on the dollar, and English is widely spoken across breathtaking landscapes from cosmopolitan Cape Town to the wild savannas.
South Africa represents a compelling paradox for potential American expats. The affordability is staggering—nice apartments from $430-1100 monthly, excellent wine under $5, and private doctor visits for $20—creating luxury-level living on modest budgets. Yet this financial advantage exists alongside complex social dynamics, occasional infrastructure challenges, and a bureaucracy that moves at its own distinctive pace.
This episode breaks down everything Americans need to know about relocating to South Africa: multiple visa pathways for retirees, remote workers, entrepreneurs and skilled professionals; the remarkable two-tier healthcare system; cultural integration in a country with eleven official languages; safety considerations beyond the headlines; and paths to permanent residency. Through conversation with American expat Heather Mason, who has lived in Johannesburg for 15 years, we explore both practical details and the intangible rewards that keep expatriates in South Africa long-term.
Is South Africa right for everyone? Absolutely not. But for Americans seeking affordability without sacrificing quality of life, who value natural beauty and cultural richness over perfect infrastructure, and who approach new experiences with patience and openness—this overlooked destination might just be the answer.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
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Shawn (00:35):
Welcome to Leaving America, the podcast for anyone
who's ever looked around andthought maybe we should get out
of America while we still can.
On today's episode, we'reheading far south, spotlighting
a country that probably isn't onyour radar South Africa.
When Americans talk aboutmoving abroad, they usually
(00:57):
start with Europe or LatinAmerica, but South Africa it's
often overlooked, and unfairlyso.
But South Africa, it's oftenoverlooked, and unfairly so.
South Africa is complex,breathtaking and sometimes
contradictory.
It's a country of ruggedcoastlines, vast savannas and
sophisticated cities.
It offers an affordable cost ofliving, a temperate climate,
(01:21):
world-class wine and English asone of its official languages,
but it's also a nation with adifficult history, a layered
society and a frustratingbureaucracy.
This episode is for anyone who'sconsidered a leap into
something less predictable andmore thrilling.
We'll talk visa options, costof living, healthcare, cultural
(01:44):
integration and the path topermanent residency and
citizenship.
And for the purposes of makingthis understandable to an
American audience, in thisepisode I'm noting all currency
in US dollars, based on theexchange rate at the time of
this recording.
Just be aware that that ratecan change a bit as the markets
fluctuate.
I'm your host, Shawn C Fettig,and if you've ever thought, life
(02:09):
might make more sense beneathTable Mountain with a glass of
Pinotage in hand.
You're absolutely in the rightplace To stay updated on the
latest episodes.
Follow, like and share LeavingAmerica on the Deep Dive with
Shawn podcast feed.
Wherever you get your podcasts,and if you've realized that
(02:32):
trusting Congress with yourfuture is riskier than betting
on the Rand, or you're wonderingwhether Cape Town might be a
better bet than DC, email us atdeepdivewithshawn at gmailcom.
All right, pack your bags.
This is Leaving America.
Heather Mason (02:50):
I mean, I think people often forget that South
African democracy only startedin 1994.
That was when apartheid endedand when Nelson Mandela became
the president.
So it's only been just over 30years and there's been there's a
lot of turmoil in thegovernment and especially in the
home affairs department, whichis like the American version of
um, of Homeland Security orimmigration, Um.
(03:12):
So the laws have changedconstantly.
I've been on many differentvisas over the years.
Uh, uh, when I first came, Ihad visitor visas.
Then I had a a life partnervisa because I had a South
African partner.
Um, it was a long story, but mypartner actually died about a
year and a half after I came.
And then I had a work visa,which was five years long, and I
(03:34):
thought, after having that workvisa for five years, that I
would be able to apply forpermanent residency, which is
like the equivalent of a greencard.
But then in 2014, there was ahuge overhaul of all the visa
laws and they made it much, muchharder to get permanent
residency and just sort of as aside note, South Africa has big
(03:57):
issues with immigration, similarto, I guess, Europe and America
and lots of other places, Justbecause of the way Africa is and
there's so many differentAmerica and lots of other places
.
Just because of the way Africais and you know, there's so many
different countries and lots ofdifferent issues going on in
the neighboring countries, likeespecially Zimbabwe, which also
has a very unstable governmentwith a very, very poor economy,
and Mozambique, which has issues, which is also a bordering
(04:19):
country.
South Africa has a lot ofimmigration issues, a lot of
undocumented immigrants and alot of xenophobia, and those
things all kind of bleed overinto the immigration and visa
rules.
So yeah, so right now I actuallyhave a retirement visa which is
(04:39):
a four year visa, and Iactually tried to get it a few
years ago and I was turned downthe first time and then I tried
again.
There is no minimum age for theretirement visa I'm currently
50 years old but you just haveto prove that you have a certain
amount of income each month.
And if you can prove you have acertain amount of income each
month for a total of four years,they will give you a four-year
(05:04):
retirement visa, which now I'mgoing to have to renew again at
the end of those four years andthen maybe after that I'll be
eligible for permanent residency, but I don't actually know
because the rules are alwayschanging.
So, yeah, so I've been here 15years.
I still do not have permanentresidency.
And as a side note, I also havea South African partner now and
(05:26):
people often say, oh well, it'sso simple, Just marry your South
African partner and then youcan become a citizen.
But it actually doesn't workthat way.
Getting a spousal visa onlylasts for two years.
You have to renew it at leastthree times before you can even
apply for permanent residency,and then often you have to wait
several years for your permanentresidency application to be
approved.
(05:46):
So it is not easy, is the shortanswer to that very long
diatribe I just gave you.
But there's always a way.
Shawn (06:00):
That was Heather Mason, american expat living in South
Africa and creator of the blogAbout Two Summers that focuses
on her experience, explaininghow the many different visa
pathways in South Africa havebenefited her.
Immigrating to South Africaisn't like picking up a SIM card
at the airport and going onyour way.
(06:21):
It takes time, documentationand a fondness for notaries, but
it's far from impossible.
South Africa's immigrationoptions tend to be more tailored
than broad.
You don't have a catch-all visalike Portugal's D7, but you do
have viable pathways, especiallyif you have income, skills or a
(06:43):
little entrepreneurial spirit.
So let's take a look at some ofthe major options for Americans
, starting with the retiredperson's visa.
If you're over 55 and lookingto retire or semi-retire in a
place where your dollars gofurther, this might be your best
bet.
It requires a guaranteed incomeof at least roughly $2,000 a
(07:06):
month, give or take, and thisincome can be from pensions,
investments, rental income orannuities.
You also have to prove that theincome is guaranteed for life
or long-term.
You also have to have healthinsurance and a clean criminal
record.
This visa can be issued for upto four years and is renewable,
(07:26):
and it's attractive because youdon't need to give up US
residency and you don't need towork.
You just need to show the meansto support yourself, and South
Africa offers a lifestyle thatfeels far more luxurious, on a
moderate income, than nearlyanywhere in Europe.
For those with serious assetsthink high net worth individuals
the financially independentpermit might be the best route.
(07:50):
You have to prove a net worthof around 650,000 to 700,000 US
dollars.
There's also a non-refundablefee of about 6,500 US dollars
and you have to prove that yourassets are under your control.
The pros to this visa are thatit grants permanent residency
right away and you don't need towork, invest or retire.
(08:12):
Just be wealthy enough to meetthe bar.
The cons are that bar is highand processing can take 12 to 24
months, so it's a long game.
But this option is ideal fordigital nomads or entrepreneurs
who want flexibility and a planB.
If you're planning to open acafe in Cape Town or a boutique
(08:33):
guest house in the Karoo, you'llwant the business visa.
This requires a minimuminvestment of about $270,000
into a South African businessand you have to create at least
60% South African citizenemployment.
You have to submit a thoroughbusiness plan and get support
from the Department of Trade andIndustry.
(08:54):
The upside to this visa is thatit allows permanent residency
applications after five yearsand lets you live and work in
the country while running yourbusiness.
The downside is that the redtape is thick You're going to
deal with multiple departmentsand processing times can be
pretty long.
Also, starting a business in anew country isn't for the faint
(09:15):
of heart.
The critical skills visa isSouth Africa's version of the
skilled worker visa.
If you have expertise that thecountry needs, they'll give you
a visa for up to five years.
Some common in-demand fieldsare information technology or IT
, engineering, medicine andhealthcare, education,
(09:36):
especially STEM and specialeducation, and artisanal trades.
So plumbers, electricians,welders.
To work through this process,you have to match your
qualifications to South Africa'scritical skills list and you
have to get a credentialevaluation from the South
African Qualifications Authority, saqa, and submit proof of
(09:57):
experience and education.
This is a strong path topermanent residency, especially
if you secure a job once you'rethere.
If you're married or in along-term relationship with a
South African, you can apply fora spousal or life partner visa.
It allows residence andsometimes work rights.
Depending on the visa.
You'll have to provecohabitation and financial
(10:20):
interdependence, so sharedexpenses.
You'll have to have a sharedaddress and a willingness to
renew and report regularly.
It's a solid option but itrequires evidence and a little
patience with interviews andrenewals.
So that's the general lay ofthe land.
It's not exactly frictionless,but it's definitely not
(10:40):
impossible If you have income,skills or commitment.
Not impossible If you haveincome, skills or commitment and
you're not in a rush.
South Africa will meet youhalfway.
So now let's talk about thecost of living money,
specifically how far yours goesin South Africa.
To put it bluntly, south Africaoffers one of the highest
standards of living for thelowest cost of any middle-income
(11:02):
country.
It's not perfect and we'll talkabout that, but in terms of
bang for your buck, you'll behard-pressed to beat it.
Heather Mason provides somecontext and the current lay of
the affordability land.
Heather Mason (11:19):
So when I moved here in 2010, the value of the
South African currency is therand and at that time the value
of the rand to the dollar it wasabout 625 or 650 to the dollar.
So that was pretty good eventhen, but because of all the
issues that the South Africangovernment has had over the last
decade, the value of the randhas dropped dramatically.
(11:44):
I think today it's about 18rand to the dollar.
So the cost of living here foranyone who's coming with a
Western currency dollars, euros,canadian dollars, whatever the
cost of living here is reallylow, which is causing all these
(12:07):
interesting kinds of dynamics.
And you see this on socialmedia and hear people talking
about it.
It's not just in south africathere's, you know, and it's also
because of the rise of digitalnomadism.
Um, there's a lot of peoplefrom europe and america moving
to places like south africa.
Um, because it's it's so cheapif you're coming with euros or
dollars.
And, by the way, there is adigital.
(12:31):
The South African government didrecently release a digital
nomad visa.
It's brand new.
I don't actually know anyonepersonally who has gotten it and
it's pretty strict theconditions for I think you have
to prove, you have to have afull time job.
You can't be a freelancer andyou have to have an income, I
think, of like $55,000 a year orsomething like that.
(12:51):
But there are people coming,even just coming and staying on
the tourist visa for threemonths and then leaving and
coming back, and that doescreate sort of tension, and I'm
especially seeing it on socialmedia and like on TikTok.
There's a lot of people in Capetown South Africans in Cape
town, you know sort of gripingabout when are these Europeans
(13:11):
and Americans going to leave,like they're driving up the
prices of our affordable housing.
Um, so yeah, and it'sinteresting because I've lived
here for such a long time.
I came here long before therewas even such thing as a digital
nomad and I am in Johannesburg,which is not the quote unquote
desirable city in South Africa,but at the same time, I still
(13:35):
have dollars.
Well, I actually had a reallygood freelance job up until very
recently.
I worked as a consultant for aUS government contractor and
that work has all been canceledsince USAID was demolished.
(13:58):
But anyway, beside the point,my money is still in dollars,
which results in like it justmakes it really affordable for
me to live here, which is great,but there's always like a
little bit of a like I feelweird sort of celebrating that
and talking to my South Africanfriends about it, because it's a
really bad thing for thecountry that the currency here
(14:19):
is so devalued.
But it does so happen that itmakes it much easier to relocate
here.
If you're able to get the visaand you have good financial
standing in the US, you're goingto find it very affordable here
Rent, food, travel almosteverything is cheaper.
Shawn (14:40):
As far as housing, we can think of lifestyle in roughly
three tiers, and that's based onwhere you live.
If you want to live in CapeTown, you're going to be getting
cosmopolitan with a view.
Rent for a nice one-bedroom ina trendy neighborhood is going
to cost about $650 to $1,100 amonth.
Utilities cost about $50 to$100 a month and internet is
(15:01):
about $35 a month.
Utilities cost about $50 to$100 a month and internet is
about $35 a month.
Cape Town is the most expensivecity in South Africa, but it's
still far cheaper than New York,la or even Lisbon and the cost
reflects the lifestyle mountains, beaches, food and wine in one
of the world's most scenic urbansettings.
(15:22):
If you're looking for somethingmore urban and affordable and
underrated, you might look atJohannesburg, where Heather
Mason chose to live.
Rent for a modern one-bedroomcosts about $430 to $800 a month
and there are lower overallprices for transport, food and
housing and a bigger expatcommunity and a strong business
(15:46):
hub.
If you plan to live on aretirement budget, you can
choose coastal towns or theinterior.
Places like George Knyzna orparts of the Eastern Cape offer
slower pace and even lowerprices.
You could rent a full house for$325 and live very comfortably
on $1,200 to $1,500 a monthtotal.
(16:09):
Groceries are also relativelycheap Bread is about 80 cents a
loaf, milk is about $1.30, andwine, you can get excellent
bottles for under $5.
If you want to eat out, acasual cafe meal will cost about
$5 to $8, and an upscale dinnerwith wine $20 to $30.
(16:29):
Eating out in South Africa isboth affordable and a cultural
staple and, yes, the food andwine scenes are phenomenal.
As it relates to transportation, uber is widely used and it's
cheap.
Expect about $2 for a shortride, and car ownership is
common, especially outside CapeTown and Johannesburg.
(16:50):
Gas or petrol costs about $5 agallon and if you're flying
somewhere, domestic flights areincredibly affordable.
$30 to $60 gets you betweenmajor cities.
So, yes, your dollars stretch.
But I guess the next questionis does that extend into quality
health care?
And it can if you planaccordingly.
(17:10):
South Africa has a two-tierhealth care system Public, which
is state-funded andoverstretched, and private,
which is world-class and oftenused by locals, who can afford
it and nearly all expats, andoften used by locals, who can
afford it and nearly all expats.
Public health care is availableto all residents, including
foreigners.
The services are low-cost orfree, but there are long waits,
(17:32):
limited equipment andinconsistent quality, especially
in rural areas.
So, unless you're a permanentresident with few resources,
most expats avoid public healthcare, except in emergencies.
Private health care is whereSouth Africa really shines.
You can get high quality careat affordable prices.
There are private hospitals inmajor cities that rival those in
(17:54):
the US or Europe.
There are English-speakingdoctors and easy appointment
scheduling and fast diagnostics.
In the private system, a GPvisit will cost you about $18 to
$30.
A specialized visit will costabout $35 to $60.
And surgery is up to 70%cheaper than in the United
States.
(18:15):
So you're going to want SouthAfrica's version of health
insurance private medical aid.
There are numerous plans,including Discovery, momentum,
bonitas, and most of them arecustomizable.
You can expect to pay about $80to $160 a month for solid
coverage.
You can also self-insure ifyou're on a budget, since
(18:35):
out-of-pocket costs arerelatively low.
The bottom line is, if you'removing from the US, south
African health care will feellike a luxury spa at Walgreens
prices.
So now let's talk about dailylife, because my guess is that
you wouldn't be moving just forthe currency conversion.
There are probably otherreasons, but baked into that is
(18:57):
probably the fact that you'relooking for something different
and South Africa is verydifferent.
Heather Mason describes some ofthe culture shock she
experienced when she moved toSouth Africa.
Heather Mason (19:13):
There are definitely so many different
things.
I mean, there's like sort ofthe small, sort of joking things
, which is like the linguisticstuff.
Like the example that we jokeabout the most is in South
Africa traffic lights are calledrobots.
So you know, no one seems toreally know why that is, but
it's really confusing when youfirst get here and you ask
(19:35):
someone directions and they saygo to the robot and turn right.
You're sort of imagining likewhere's the robot?
And there's lots of funnylittle examples like that that
we talk about.
But then you know there are thedeeper things and really the
main thing is is the poverty gap, the wealth gap?
And I mean not to say that wedon't have that in the U?
S and Western countries too.
(19:55):
I mean, obviously you knowthere's homelessness and poverty
everywhere, but in South Africait's very much, it's much more
visible.
Especially if you're living inJoburg, you know thousands, tens
(20:28):
of thousands, hundreds ofthousands of people living in
like like what we call shacks,which is not actually a
derogatory term, it's just it'sjust literally a term, because
people build these corrugatediron.
You know open land and you seethat everywhere and it's just
not something you can look awayfrom.
(20:49):
So, yeah, that's a big one.
And then also driving on theother side of the road.
Driving in general was actuallythe biggest culture shock that
I had.
I was very afraid to drive whenI first moved to South Africa.
First of all, we drive on theleft and also even now a lot of
(21:10):
people drive manual or stickshift cars.
There are more automatic carsthan there used to be, but when
I first moved here, I had tolearn to drive a manual because
I just knew that I wasn't goingto be able to get by without
that.
So, yeah, so you learn to driveon the opposite side of the road
, you learn to drive a manual ifyou want.
(21:31):
And also, just the roads arecrazy because we have this sort
of informal public transportsystem.
They call them taxis, butthey're actually what you would
think of as a minivan, basically, and these taxis are everywhere
and they tend to drive reallyerratically and they'll stop
(21:53):
very abruptly to pick uppassengers because there aren't
formal stops.
They'll pick you up anywhereand they just tend to be quite
aggressive and you have to bevery aware.
And then also, traffic lightsdon't work and there's potholes.
So yeah, driving's a big one,but it's made me a better driver
living here.
I'm a much better driver than Iever was in the United States
(22:14):
because I'm just much more alertand ready for anything when I'm
driving.
Shawn (22:21):
I'm driving.
South Africa has 11 officiallanguages, a kaleidoscope of
cultures and a dynamic, evolvingidentity shaped by its colonial
history, apartheid legacy anddemocratic future.
And yet most South Africans arewelcoming, funny, proud and
(22:42):
deeply social.
Hospitality runs deep,especially if you make an effort
.
The bonus is, as I mentioned,english is widely spoken,
especially in urban areas, solanguage won't be a barrier,
although knowing local phrasesNjosa, zulu or Afrikaan can go a
long way.
Life in South Africa flowsdifferently.
(23:04):
There's more emphasis onquality of life, family and
community.
People actually sit down to eattogether, conversations last
longer and no one's afraid ofsilence.
You'll notice there's a slowerpace, not lazy, just deliberate.
Time is flexible.
If someone says they'll arrivejust now, that could mean five
(23:25):
minutes or 45 minutes.
And bureaucracy moves slowly.
Don't fight it.
Bring some snacks.
Heather Mason describes some ofher experiences and offers some
advice.
Heather Mason (23:42):
Here you set up all your payments electronically
and you can very easily sendwhat we call an EFT, which is
electronic funds transfer, toanyone that you want to send
money to, and you can easilysend money through your phone.
You send somebody what's calledan e-wallet and you just sort
of go into your banking app andyou say I want to send X amount
of money to this phone number,and it just sends that person a
code, and then they I want tosend x amount of money to this
(24:03):
phone number, and it just sendsthat person a code, and then
they go to an atm and withdrawthe money.
Um, so yeah, it's complicated,but once once you're, once
you've sort of been here andestablished yourself, things
actually tend to work prettywell.
When it comes to like adminstuff like that, um, but it
takes a while and alsoregistering a car, that's also
also like wow, that is a major,that's like a major undertaking
(24:27):
here, um, and when I first hadto register my car, it took me
many weeks of driving to manydifferent um licensing offices
and often the systems down orthe I don't know there'll be a
protest and they'll just closethe office, or the office will
close a month before Christmas,because everybody just goes on
leave early and you kind of haveto work around all those things
.
(24:47):
But also you can usually paysomeone to help you.
This is something I like tookme many years to realize, but
like there's like a littlebusiness in my local shopping
center where I just go to themnow and I pay them a little bit
of extra money and they sort outall my car registration issues
for me.
So yeah, it's just.
It takes a while to figure thatstuff out, it's just, and it's
something you have to budgettime and an effort for and a lot
(25:09):
of time just to feel anxious.
Shawn (25:15):
A couple of key cultural things to keep in mind.
Greetings matter in SouthAfrica Shake hands, smile, say
hello, Be respectful of thecountry's history and its racial
dynamics.
It's not a topic to treatlightly and don't assume your
Western lens fits the context.
This isn't Europe in disguiseand if you want to make friends,
(25:36):
much like in most other places,you can find expat communities,
but they often form tight-knitcircles.
Try not to stay in that bubble.
Join interest-based groups,take a local class or volunteer.
South Africans are generallycurious and generous, but it may
take time to build deep trust.
Heather Mason describes whatthis looks like.
Heather Mason (26:04):
And one thing I think that it's sort of like a
little bit of an elephant in theroom, but that I have to
mention.
You know, south Africa isdifferent from other African
countries in that we hadapartheid here until, as I
already mentioned, until the1990s and there is a huge white
population here and that justkind of skews everything.
It just there are places youcan go.
(26:28):
You can be sitting in arestaurant, especially in Cape
Town, and you will think you'rein Europe and I think sort of as
a white person, people don'tother you in the same way
because there's just a lot morewhite people around and also the
main language is English.
So if you're an Englishspeaking person here you don't
have that barrier person hereyou don't have that barrier,
(26:53):
especially in Joburg.
Everyone here speaks English.
There are other parts of SouthAfrica where you might go to
certain places where people areonly speaking Afrikaans or only
speaking Zulu or only speakingSusu or something.
But it's really if you speakEnglish here it's pretty easy to
get to meet people and makefriends and I just find
generally people are open-mindedand kind of excited to meet,
(27:15):
especially Americans.
I mean, it sounds kind of weirdnow and like the current
reality that we have, especiallythe sort of dynamics that are
happening between between theUnited States and South Africa.
Believe it or not, peoplereally like people are still
really into American culturehere and you know, when I open
my mouth and I have an Americanaccent, like people are like
curious, they want to know whyI'm here, they want to ask me
questions and it's just a goodway to make friends actually.
Shawn (27:43):
Okay, so let's talk about something else that people
leaving the States areinterested in.
Are you moving to a safer placethan you're leaving?
Yes, south Africa has a highcrime rate, but that doesn't
mean it's dangerous all the timeeverywhere.
Some basic tips that kind ofapply globally don't flash your
wealth, lock your doors, bestreet smart and avoid walking
(28:06):
alone at night in unfamiliarneighborhoods.
Millions live happily andsafely in South Africa.
Awareness, not paranoia, is thekey.
Here's Heather Mason providinga bit more context.
Heather Mason (28:24):
Is Johannesburg safe?
Is South Africa safe?
And I guess it's an interestingquestion in the context of the
global situation we currentlylive in, where there just seems
like all kinds of danger allover the place.
And how do you say that anyplace is safe right now, in 2025
(28:46):
?
Here 15 years I I exploredJohannesburg.
I've gone to every, everyneighborhood, every township,
every, every part of the city.
I often have a camera with me.
I've never had been the victimof a serious crime.
Um, I had my phone pickpocketedonce and um.
Occasionally I've had one ofthe main like crimes that people
(29:09):
that happen here that you'llhear people talk about is like
the smash and grab wheresomebody will come up to your
car window and try to steal yourphone.
So I always usually keep myphone out of sight, but there
have been one or two times whereI've had someone come to my
window and say they want tosteal my phone and I just drive
off and nothing has everhappened.
So that's been my experiencewith crime here, been my
experience with crime here.
But having said that, it is true, south Africa has the, by some
(29:41):
measures, the greatest wealthinequality in the world.
There is a, you know, veryserious problem here with
unemployment, with poverty, andthere's also, like very, very
rich, privileged people, andthat has led to, you know, this
imbalance that that results in alot of petty crime.
So you know, you do have to.
If you, if you drive around inJoburg, you see everyone has,
everyone has a wall or a fencearound their house, most people
(30:02):
have an electric fence, mostpeople have alarms, there's a
lot of security companies.
So, yeah, it's definitelysomething it's.
It's not something to be takenlightly or to ignore, but it's
never, it's never impeded my, mylife here to a serious degree.
You know, and and I guess I'vebeen, I've been fortunate, but
(30:25):
yeah, and there's also aperception, you know.
The other thing I need tomention is that you know South
Africa has these two majorcities, johannesburg and Cape
Town.
Those are always the citiespeople talk about.
Most of the time when peoplemove here, they're considering
moving to one of those twocities, beautiful and with less
(30:54):
crime.
But it's actually not reallytrue the case in Cape Town, for
example.
There's a big wealth dividethere too, but the townships
where, under apartheid, peopleof color were forced to live
tend to be located furtheroutside the city, and the center
of Cape Town is still verywhite dominated, and so there's
a perception that that city issafer, but it really just
(31:16):
depends on where you are.
Shawn (31:21):
If you're curious, respectful and ready to embrace
a country that's messy,beautiful, generous and alive in
ways you might not expect, youcan make a pretty good go of it
in South Africa.
And if you eventually decidethat you want your short-term
situation to become welllonger-term, this is how you do
it.
So let's say you've been inSouth Africa for a few years,
(31:45):
you know how to get to the winefarms without Google Maps,
you've got opinions aboutBiltong, you've learned to role
with the load shedding andyou're considering becoming a
resident or even a citizen.
If you want to become aresident, you can apply for
permanent residency underseveral categories.
After five years.
On a temporary residence visa,like a business or critical
(32:05):
skills visa, you can apply.
You can apply immediately ifyou qualify under the
financially independent permitand if you're married to a South
African and have lived in thecountry for two plus years, you
can also apply.
Once you're approved, you don'thave to renew your visa
annually.
You can work, study and livefreely and you don't need to
(32:26):
give up your US residence orcitizenship.
But keep in mind that residencycan be revoked if you don't
reside in South Africa for atleast three years out of every
five.
If you're looking for somethingeven more.
Permanent citizenship is alonger-term option and it's
available usually after 10 yearsof legal residency, or five
(32:46):
years if you're married to aSouth African.
You have to prove a cleancriminal record and integration
into South African life.
You have to prove a cleancriminal record and integration
into South African life.
You have to show languageability in at least one local
language and, yes, englishcounts and you have to show an
intent to remain in the country.
South Africa does allow dualcitizenship, but you must apply
(33:06):
to retain your US citizenshipbefore becoming South African,
otherwise you risk losing yourAmerican nationality.
Permanent residency offers thestability most expats need.
Citizenship is a bonus, but itrequires long-term commitment
and a willingness to fullybelong.
So who is South Africa right for?
If you value a stunning naturalenvironment, a low cost of
(33:30):
living, english-speakingcommunities, outdoor living and
incredible food and wine and acomplex but welcoming society,
then South Africa might be agreat option for you.
But be honest with yourself.
Are you adaptable?
Are you okay withinfrastructure that isn't always
perfect?
Can you embrace contradictionwithout needing resolution?
(33:52):
Because South Africa isn't easy, but it is in many ways magical
.
You'll never be bored, you'llnever stop learning and you
might just find a deeper versionof the life you didn't know you
were looking for.
Here's Heather Mason explainingwhy she's stayed in South
Africa for as long as she hasMason explaining why she's
stayed in.
Heather Mason (34:13):
South Africa for as long as she has.
I mean, the main reason I stilllive here after 15 years is and
I mean, obviously this variesfrom person to person and from
situation to situation, but Ifind South Africa in general,
and specifically Johannesburg,to just be one of the
friendliest, most open places.
(34:33):
I mean, I made friends herereally quickly in a way that I
really never did in my whole 35years of living in America as an
American.
Yeah, and I think the reason Ilike living in Joburg
specifically, as compared toCape Town or another part of
South Africa, is that you know,this really is the hub of
Southern Africa.
You know all, if you have aflight um to another part of
(34:57):
Africa, it's going to passthrough Joburg.
You know, before going anywhereelse it's it's.
So I find it very accessible.
I've I've traveled a lotthroughout Africa and especially
Southern Africa.
Um I've been to, you know,lesotho, which is the tiny
country in the middle of it's,surrounded by South Africa, and
um East Watini, which used to becalled Swaziland.
Those are the like the nearesttwo countries.
I've been to those countriesmany, many times Namibia,
(35:19):
botswana, also Zimbabwe,mozambique, um Zambia, malawi,
all those places.
It's really easy to travel tothose places from here, and
traveling in Southern Africa isreally great Just incredibly
beautiful, affordable dependingon where you're coming from and
(35:45):
just really nice people prettymuch everywhere.
Shawn (35:53):
As a rule, as a general rule, Immigrating to South
Africa isn't effortless, butit's absolutely possible,
Whether you're looking to retirealong the southern coast, build
a business in Cape Town,contribute your skills to a
growing economy or simply livesomewhere where the natural
world still feels sacred.
South Africa offers you thetools to make that life real.
You just have to be willing touse them.
(36:13):
It's not a country that handsout easy wins.
The visas require paperwork,time and, in some cases, a
healthy dose of patience.
The systems are complex, theinfrastructure can be
inconsistent, the energy gridhas its moods and bureaucracy
You'll get to know your localhome affairs office better than
(36:34):
your favorite wine shop.
But what South Africa gives inreturn is something rare A life
that feels rooted, Raw and realand humming with possibility.
It's a place where the sunsetsfeel cinematic, when weekend
farmers markets exist next toancient mountains, where
strangers still greet each otherin the street and where joy
(36:55):
often emerges in the smalldefiant moments over braids, in
music, through conversation.
It's not for everyone.
If what you want is perfectinfrastructure, predictability
and pristine public services,you're going to struggle here.
But if you're looking for aplace that will challenge you,
invite you in, stretch yourperspective and your patience
(37:17):
and offer you a radicallyaffordable, deeply rich life in
return.
South Africa could surprise you.
You can live comfortably on amodest income, you can access
excellent health care, you canspeak English and be understood.
You can live by the sea, in thebush, in a city or in a
vineyard and, yes, you can builda new life in a country still
(37:39):
working to heal itself, Acountry that doesn't pretend to
be perfect but offers you a seatat the table if you show up
eyes open and heart in.
So if you've ever thought aboutliving somewhere completely
different, if you're feelingthought about living somewhere
completely different, if you'refeeling the tug to do something
a little more adventurous, alittle less conventional, South
(38:04):
Africa isn't just an escape, avacation.
It's an arrival, a beginning,not an end.
Next week, on Leaving America,we'll be talking about all of
the tax responsibilities youcarry with you as an American
living abroad, the treaties andlaws that exist that can
mitigate or even eliminate yourtax burden in the States, and
also how you can renounce yourAmerican citizenship.
If that's something you'reinterested in.
This is Leaving America,because sometimes home isn't
(38:28):
where you started.
Thank you.
They said punk was dead.
They said print was dead.
Well, they lied.
Are you ready to get yourfinger smudgy, maybe earn a
paper cut or two?
The wait is over.
Punk Dumpster is theunderground punk zine you didn't
know.
You needed Fresh ink, cheappaper and no algorithm in sight,
packed with interviews, rants,reviews, art comics and more.
No likes, no swipes, juststaples.
(00:24):
Want to snag a copy?
Dm us on Instagram atpunkdumbstercine.
See you at the show.
Shawn (00:35):
Welcome to Leaving America, the podcast for anyone
who's ever looked around andthought maybe we should get out
of America while we still can.
On today's episode, we'reheading far south, spotlighting
a country that probably isn't onyour radar South Africa.
When Americans talk aboutmoving abroad, they usually
(00:57):
start with Europe or LatinAmerica, but South Africa it's
often overlooked, and unfairlyso.
But South Africa, it's oftenoverlooked, and unfairly so.
South Africa is complex,breathtaking and sometimes
contradictory.
It's a country of ruggedcoastlines, vast savannas and
sophisticated cities.
It offers an affordable cost ofliving, a temperate climate,
(01:21):
world-class wine and English asone of its official languages,
but it's also a nation with adifficult history, a layered
society and a frustratingbureaucracy.
This episode is for anyone who'sconsidered a leap into
something less predictable andmore thrilling.
We'll talk visa options, costof living, healthcare, cultural
(01:44):
integration and the path topermanent residency and
citizenship.
And for the purposes of makingthis understandable to an
American audience, in thisepisode I'm noting all currency
in US dollars, based on theexchange rate at the time of
this recording.
Just be aware that that ratecan change a bit as the markets
fluctuate.
I'm your host, Shawn C Fettig,and if you've ever thought, life
(02:09):
might make more sense beneathTable Mountain with a glass of
Pinotage in hand.
You're absolutely in the rightplace To stay updated on the
latest episodes.
Follow, like and share LeavingAmerica on the Deep Dive with
Shawn podcast feed.
Wherever you get your podcasts,and if you've realized that
(02:32):
trusting Congress with yourfuture is riskier than betting
on the Rand, or you're wonderingwhether Cape Town might be a
better bet than DC, email us atdeepdivewithshawn at gmailcom.
All right, pack your bags.
This is Leaving America.
Heather Mason (02:50):
I mean, I think people often forget that South
African democracy only startedin 1994.
That was when apartheid endedand when Nelson Mandela became
the president.
So it's only been just over 30years and there's been there's a
lot of turmoil in thegovernment and especially in the
home affairs department, whichis like the American version of
um, of Homeland Security orimmigration, Um.
(03:12):
So the laws have changedconstantly.
I've been on many differentvisas over the years.
Uh, uh, when I first came, Ihad visitor visas.
Then I had a a life partnervisa because I had a South
African partner.
Um, it was a long story, but mypartner actually died about a
year and a half after I came.
And then I had a work visa,which was five years long, and I
(03:34):
thought, after having that workvisa for five years, that I
would be able to apply forpermanent residency, which is
like the equivalent of a greencard.
But then in 2014, there was ahuge overhaul of all the visa
laws and they made it much, muchharder to get permanent
residency and just sort of as aside note, South Africa has big
(03:57):
issues with immigration, similarto, I guess, Europe and America
and lots of other places, Justbecause of the way Africa is and
there's so many differentAmerica and lots of other places
.
Just because of the way Africais and you know, there's so many
different countries and lots ofdifferent issues going on in
the neighboring countries, likeespecially Zimbabwe, which also
has a very unstable governmentwith a very, very poor economy,
and Mozambique, which has issues, which is also a bordering
(04:19):
country.
South Africa has a lot ofimmigration issues, a lot of
undocumented immigrants and alot of xenophobia, and those
things all kind of bleed overinto the immigration and visa
rules.
So yeah, so right now I actuallyhave a retirement visa which is
(04:39):
a four year visa, and Iactually tried to get it a few
years ago and I was turned downthe first time and then I tried
again.
There is no minimum age for theretirement visa I'm currently
50 years old but you just haveto prove that you have a certain
amount of income each month.
And if you can prove you have acertain amount of income each
month for a total of four years,they will give you a four-year
(05:04):
retirement visa, which now I'mgoing to have to renew again at
the end of those four years andthen maybe after that I'll be
eligible for permanent residency, but I don't actually know
because the rules are alwayschanging.
So, yeah, so I've been here 15years.
I still do not have permanentresidency.
And as a side note, I also havea South African partner now and
(05:26):
people often say, oh well, it'sso simple, Just marry your South
African partner and then youcan become a citizen.
But it actually doesn't workthat way.
Getting a spousal visa onlylasts for two years.
You have to renew it at leastthree times before you can even
apply for permanent residency,and then often you have to wait
several years for your permanentresidency application to be
approved.
(05:46):
So it is not easy, is the shortanswer to that very long
diatribe I just gave you.
But there's always a way.
Shawn (06:00):
That was Heather Mason, american expat living in South
Africa and creator of the blogAbout Two Summers that focuses
on her experience, explaininghow the many different visa
pathways in South Africa havebenefited her.
Immigrating to South Africaisn't like picking up a SIM card
at the airport and going onyour way.
(06:21):
It takes time, documentationand a fondness for notaries, but
it's far from impossible.
South Africa's immigrationoptions tend to be more tailored
than broad.
You don't have a catch-all visalike Portugal's D7, but you do
have viable pathways, especiallyif you have income, skills or a
(06:43):
little entrepreneurial spirit.
So let's take a look at some ofthe major options for Americans
, starting with the retiredperson's visa.
If you're over 55 and lookingto retire or semi-retire in a
place where your dollars gofurther, this might be your best
bet.
It requires a guaranteed incomeof at least roughly $2,000 a
(07:06):
month, give or take, and thisincome can be from pensions,
investments, rental income orannuities.
You also have to prove that theincome is guaranteed for life
or long-term.
You also have to have healthinsurance and a clean criminal
record.
This visa can be issued for upto four years and is renewable,
(07:26):
and it's attractive because youdon't need to give up US
residency and you don't need towork.
You just need to show the meansto support yourself, and South
Africa offers a lifestyle thatfeels far more luxurious, on a
moderate income, than nearlyanywhere in Europe.
For those with serious assetsthink high net worth individuals
the financially independentpermit might be the best route.
(07:50):
You have to prove a net worthof around 650,000 to 700,000 US
dollars.
There's also a non-refundablefee of about 6,500 US dollars
and you have to prove that yourassets are under your control.
The pros to this visa are thatit grants permanent residency
right away and you don't need towork, invest or retire.
(08:12):
Just be wealthy enough to meetthe bar.
The cons are that bar is highand processing can take 12 to 24
months, so it's a long game.
But this option is ideal fordigital nomads or entrepreneurs
who want flexibility and a planB.
If you're planning to open acafe in Cape Town or a boutique
(08:33):
guest house in the Karoo, you'llwant the business visa.
This requires a minimuminvestment of about $270,000
into a South African businessand you have to create at least
60% South African citizenemployment.
You have to submit a thoroughbusiness plan and get support
from the Department of Trade andIndustry.
(08:54):
The upside to this visa is thatit allows permanent residency
applications after five yearsand lets you live and work in
the country while running yourbusiness.
The downside is that the redtape is thick You're going to
deal with multiple departmentsand processing times can be
pretty long.
Also, starting a business in anew country isn't for the faint
(09:15):
of heart.
The critical skills visa isSouth Africa's version of the
skilled worker visa.
If you have expertise that thecountry needs, they'll give you
a visa for up to five years.
Some common in-demand fieldsare information technology or IT
, engineering, medicine andhealthcare, education,
(09:36):
especially STEM and specialeducation, and artisanal trades.
So plumbers, electricians,welders.
To work through this process,you have to match your
qualifications to South Africa'scritical skills list and you
have to get a credentialevaluation from the South
African Qualifications Authority, saqa, and submit proof of
(09:57):
experience and education.
This is a strong path topermanent residency, especially
if you secure a job once you'rethere.
If you're married or in along-term relationship with a
South African, you can apply fora spousal or life partner visa.
It allows residence andsometimes work rights.
Depending on the visa.
You'll have to provecohabitation and financial
(10:20):
interdependence, so sharedexpenses.
You'll have to have a sharedaddress and a willingness to
renew and report regularly.
It's a solid option but itrequires evidence and a little
patience with interviews andrenewals.
So that's the general lay ofthe land.
It's not exactly frictionless,but it's definitely not
(10:40):
impossible If you have income,skills or commitment.
Not impossible If you haveincome, skills or commitment and
you're not in a rush.
South Africa will meet youhalfway.
So now let's talk about thecost of living money,
specifically how far yours goesin South Africa.
To put it bluntly, south Africaoffers one of the highest
standards of living for thelowest cost of any middle-income
(11:02):
country.
It's not perfect and we'll talkabout that, but in terms of
bang for your buck, you'll behard-pressed to beat it.
Heather Mason provides somecontext and the current lay of
the affordability land.
Heather Mason (11:19):
So when I moved here in 2010, the value of the
South African currency is therand and at that time the value
of the rand to the dollar it wasabout 625 or 650 to the dollar.
So that was pretty good eventhen, but because of all the
issues that the South Africangovernment has had over the last
decade, the value of the randhas dropped dramatically.
(11:44):
I think today it's about 18rand to the dollar.
So the cost of living here foranyone who's coming with a
Western currency dollars, euros,canadian dollars, whatever the
cost of living here is reallylow, which is causing all these
(12:07):
interesting kinds of dynamics.
And you see this on socialmedia and hear people talking
about it.
It's not just in south africathere's, you know, and it's also
because of the rise of digitalnomadism.
Um, there's a lot of peoplefrom europe and america moving
to places like south africa.
Um, because it's it's so cheapif you're coming with euros or
dollars.
And, by the way, there is adigital.
(12:31):
The South African government didrecently release a digital
nomad visa.
It's brand new.
I don't actually know anyonepersonally who has gotten it and
it's pretty strict theconditions for I think you have
to prove, you have to have afull time job.
You can't be a freelancer andyou have to have an income, I
think, of like $55,000 a year orsomething like that.
(12:51):
But there are people coming,even just coming and staying on
the tourist visa for threemonths and then leaving and
coming back, and that doescreate sort of tension, and I'm
especially seeing it on socialmedia and like on TikTok.
There's a lot of people in Capetown South Africans in Cape
town, you know sort of gripingabout when are these Europeans
(13:11):
and Americans going to leave,like they're driving up the
prices of our affordable housing.
Um, so yeah, and it'sinteresting because I've lived
here for such a long time.
I came here long before therewas even such thing as a digital
nomad and I am in Johannesburg,which is not the quote unquote
desirable city in South Africa,but at the same time, I still
(13:35):
have dollars.
Well, I actually had a reallygood freelance job up until very
recently.
I worked as a consultant for aUS government contractor and
that work has all been canceledsince USAID was demolished.
(13:58):
But anyway, beside the point,my money is still in dollars,
which results in like it justmakes it really affordable for
me to live here, which is great,but there's always like a
little bit of a like I feelweird sort of celebrating that
and talking to my South Africanfriends about it, because it's a
really bad thing for thecountry that the currency here
(14:19):
is so devalued.
But it does so happen that itmakes it much easier to relocate
here.
If you're able to get the visaand you have good financial
standing in the US, you're goingto find it very affordable here
Rent, food, travel almosteverything is cheaper.
Shawn (14:40):
As far as housing, we can think of lifestyle in roughly
three tiers, and that's based onwhere you live.
If you want to live in CapeTown, you're going to be getting
cosmopolitan with a view.
Rent for a nice one-bedroom ina trendy neighborhood is going
to cost about $650 to $1,100 amonth.
Utilities cost about $50 to$100 a month and internet is
(15:01):
about $35 a month.
Utilities cost about $50 to$100 a month and internet is
about $35 a month.
Cape Town is the most expensivecity in South Africa, but it's
still far cheaper than New York,la or even Lisbon and the cost
reflects the lifestyle mountains, beaches, food and wine in one
of the world's most scenic urbansettings.
(15:22):
If you're looking for somethingmore urban and affordable and
underrated, you might look atJohannesburg, where Heather
Mason chose to live.
Rent for a modern one-bedroomcosts about $430 to $800 a month
and there are lower overallprices for transport, food and
housing and a bigger expatcommunity and a strong business
(15:46):
hub.
If you plan to live on aretirement budget, you can
choose coastal towns or theinterior.
Places like George Knyzna orparts of the Eastern Cape offer
slower pace and even lowerprices.
You could rent a full house for$325 and live very comfortably
on $1,200 to $1,500 a monthtotal.
(16:09):
Groceries are also relativelycheap Bread is about 80 cents a
loaf, milk is about $1.30, andwine, you can get excellent
bottles for under $5.
If you want to eat out, acasual cafe meal will cost about
$5 to $8, and an upscale dinnerwith wine $20 to $30.
(16:29):
Eating out in South Africa isboth affordable and a cultural
staple and, yes, the food andwine scenes are phenomenal.
As it relates to transportation, uber is widely used and it's
cheap.
Expect about $2 for a shortride, and car ownership is
common, especially outside CapeTown and Johannesburg.
(16:50):
Gas or petrol costs about $5 agallon and if you're flying
somewhere, domestic flights areincredibly affordable.
$30 to $60 gets you betweenmajor cities.
So, yes, your dollars stretch.
But I guess the next questionis does that extend into quality
health care?
And it can if you planaccordingly.
(17:10):
South Africa has a two-tierhealth care system Public, which
is state-funded andoverstretched, and private,
which is world-class and oftenused by locals, who can afford
it and nearly all expats, andoften used by locals, who can
afford it and nearly all expats.
Public health care is availableto all residents, including
foreigners.
The services are low-cost orfree, but there are long waits,
(17:32):
limited equipment andinconsistent quality, especially
in rural areas.
So, unless you're a permanentresident with few resources,
most expats avoid public healthcare, except in emergencies.
Private health care is whereSouth Africa really shines.
You can get high quality careat affordable prices.
There are private hospitals inmajor cities that rival those in
(17:54):
the US or Europe.
There are English-speakingdoctors and easy appointment
scheduling and fast diagnostics.
In the private system, a GPvisit will cost you about $18 to
$30.
A specialized visit will costabout $35 to $60.
And surgery is up to 70%cheaper than in the United
States.
(18:15):
So you're going to want SouthAfrica's version of health
insurance private medical aid.
There are numerous plans,including Discovery, momentum,
bonitas, and most of them arecustomizable.
You can expect to pay about $80to $160 a month for solid
coverage.
You can also self-insure ifyou're on a budget, since
(18:35):
out-of-pocket costs arerelatively low.
The bottom line is, if you'removing from the US, south
African health care will feellike a luxury spa at Walgreens
prices.
So now let's talk about dailylife, because my guess is that
you wouldn't be moving just forthe currency conversion.
There are probably otherreasons, but baked into that is
(18:57):
probably the fact that you'relooking for something different
and South Africa is verydifferent.
Heather Mason describes some ofthe culture shock she
experienced when she moved toSouth Africa.
Heather Mason (19:13):
There are definitely so many different
things.
I mean, there's like sort ofthe small, sort of joking things
, which is like the linguisticstuff.
Like the example that we jokeabout the most is in South
Africa traffic lights are calledrobots.
So you know, no one seems toreally know why that is, but
it's really confusing when youfirst get here and you ask
(19:35):
someone directions and they saygo to the robot and turn right.
You're sort of imagining likewhere's the robot?
And there's lots of funnylittle examples like that that
we talk about.
But then you know there are thedeeper things and really the
main thing is is the poverty gap, the wealth gap?
And I mean not to say that wedon't have that in the U?
S and Western countries too.
(19:55):
I mean, obviously you knowthere's homelessness and poverty
everywhere, but in South Africait's very much, it's much more
visible.
Especially if you're living inJoburg, you know thousands, tens
(20:28):
of thousands, hundreds ofthousands of people living in
like like what we call shacks,which is not actually a
derogatory term, it's just it'sjust literally a term, because
people build these corrugatediron.
You know open land and you seethat everywhere and it's just
not something you can look awayfrom.
(20:49):
So, yeah, that's a big one.
And then also driving on theother side of the road.
Driving in general was actuallythe biggest culture shock that
I had.
I was very afraid to drive whenI first moved to South Africa.
First of all, we drive on theleft and also even now a lot of
(21:10):
people drive manual or stickshift cars.
There are more automatic carsthan there used to be, but when
I first moved here, I had tolearn to drive a manual because
I just knew that I wasn't goingto be able to get by without
that.
So, yeah, so you learn to driveon the opposite side of the road
, you learn to drive a manual ifyou want.
(21:31):
And also, just the roads arecrazy because we have this sort
of informal public transportsystem.
They call them taxis, butthey're actually what you would
think of as a minivan, basically, and these taxis are everywhere
and they tend to drive reallyerratically and they'll stop
(21:53):
very abruptly to pick uppassengers because there aren't
formal stops.
They'll pick you up anywhereand they just tend to be quite
aggressive and you have to bevery aware.
And then also, traffic lightsdon't work and there's potholes.
So yeah, driving's a big one,but it's made me a better driver
living here.
I'm a much better driver than Iever was in the United States
(22:14):
because I'm just much more alertand ready for anything when I'm
driving.
Shawn (22:21):
I'm driving.
South Africa has 11 officiallanguages, a kaleidoscope of
cultures and a dynamic, evolvingidentity shaped by its colonial
history, apartheid legacy anddemocratic future.
And yet most South Africans arewelcoming, funny, proud and
(22:42):
deeply social.
Hospitality runs deep,especially if you make an effort
.
The bonus is, as I mentioned,english is widely spoken,
especially in urban areas, solanguage won't be a barrier,
although knowing local phrasesNjosa, zulu or Afrikaan can go a
long way.
Life in South Africa flowsdifferently.
(23:04):
There's more emphasis onquality of life, family and
community.
People actually sit down to eattogether, conversations last
longer and no one's afraid ofsilence.
You'll notice there's a slowerpace, not lazy, just deliberate.
Time is flexible.
If someone says they'll arrivejust now, that could mean five
(23:25):
minutes or 45 minutes.
And bureaucracy moves slowly.
Don't fight it.
Bring some snacks.
Heather Mason describes some ofher experiences and offers some
advice.
Heather Mason (23:42):
Here you set up all your payments electronically
and you can very easily sendwhat we call an EFT, which is
electronic funds transfer, toanyone that you want to send
money to, and you can easilysend money through your phone.
You send somebody what's calledan e-wallet and you just sort
of go into your banking app andyou say I want to send X amount
of money to this phone number,and it just sends that person a
code, and then they I want tosend x amount of money to this
(24:03):
phone number, and it just sendsthat person a code, and then
they go to an atm and withdrawthe money.
Um, so yeah, it's complicated,but once once you're, once
you've sort of been here andestablished yourself, things
actually tend to work prettywell.
When it comes to like adminstuff like that, um, but it
takes a while and alsoregistering a car, that's also
also like wow, that is a major,that's like a major undertaking
(24:27):
here, um, and when I first hadto register my car, it took me
many weeks of driving to manydifferent um licensing offices
and often the systems down orthe I don't know there'll be a
protest and they'll just closethe office, or the office will
close a month before Christmas,because everybody just goes on
leave early and you kind of haveto work around all those things
.
(24:47):
But also you can usually paysomeone to help you.
This is something I like tookme many years to realize, but
like there's like a littlebusiness in my local shopping
center where I just go to themnow and I pay them a little bit
of extra money and they sort outall my car registration issues
for me.
So yeah, it's just.
It takes a while to figure thatstuff out, it's just, and it's
something you have to budgettime and an effort for and a lot
(25:09):
of time just to feel anxious.
Shawn (25:15):
A couple of key cultural things to keep in mind.
Greetings matter in SouthAfrica Shake hands, smile, say
hello, Be respectful of thecountry's history and its racial
dynamics.
It's not a topic to treatlightly and don't assume your
Western lens fits the context.
This isn't Europe in disguiseand if you want to make friends,
(25:36):
much like in most other places,you can find expat communities,
but they often form tight-knitcircles.
Try not to stay in that bubble.
Join interest-based groups,take a local class or volunteer.
South Africans are generallycurious and generous, but it may
take time to build deep trust.
Heather Mason describes whatthis looks like.
Heather Mason (26:04):
And one thing I think that it's sort of like a
little bit of an elephant in theroom, but that I have to
mention.
You know, south Africa isdifferent from other African
countries in that we hadapartheid here until, as I
already mentioned, until the1990s and there is a huge white
population here and that justkind of skews everything.
It just there are places youcan go.
(26:28):
You can be sitting in arestaurant, especially in Cape
Town, and you will think you'rein Europe and I think sort of as
a white person, people don'tother you in the same way
because there's just a lot morewhite people around and also the
main language is English.
So if you're an Englishspeaking person here you don't
have that barrier person hereyou don't have that barrier,
(26:53):
especially in Joburg.
Everyone here speaks English.
There are other parts of SouthAfrica where you might go to
certain places where people areonly speaking Afrikaans or only
speaking Zulu or only speakingSusu or something.
But it's really if you speakEnglish here it's pretty easy to
get to meet people and makefriends and I just find
generally people are open-mindedand kind of excited to meet,
(27:15):
especially Americans.
I mean, it sounds kind of weirdnow and like the current
reality that we have, especiallythe sort of dynamics that are
happening between between theUnited States and South Africa.
Believe it or not, peoplereally like people are still
really into American culturehere and you know, when I open
my mouth and I have an Americanaccent, like people are like
curious, they want to know whyI'm here, they want to ask me
questions and it's just a goodway to make friends actually.
Shawn (27:43):
Okay, so let's talk about something else that people
leaving the States areinterested in.
Are you moving to a safer placethan you're leaving?
Yes, south Africa has a highcrime rate, but that doesn't
mean it's dangerous all the timeeverywhere.
Some basic tips that kind ofapply globally don't flash your
wealth, lock your doors, bestreet smart and avoid walking
(28:06):
alone at night in unfamiliarneighborhoods.
Millions live happily andsafely in South Africa.
Awareness, not paranoia, is thekey.
Here's Heather Mason providinga bit more context.
Heather Mason (28:24):
Is Johannesburg safe?
Is South Africa safe?
And I guess it's an interestingquestion in the context of the
global situation we currentlylive in, where there just seems
like all kinds of danger allover the place.
And how do you say that anyplace is safe right now, in 2025
(28:46):
?
Here 15 years I I exploredJohannesburg.
I've gone to every, everyneighborhood, every township,
every, every part of the city.
I often have a camera with me.
I've never had been the victimof a serious crime.
Um, I had my phone pickpocketedonce and um.
Occasionally I've had one ofthe main like crimes that people
(29:09):
that happen here that you'llhear people talk about is like
the smash and grab wheresomebody will come up to your
car window and try to steal yourphone.
So I always usually keep myphone out of sight, but there
have been one or two times whereI've had someone come to my
window and say they want tosteal my phone and I just drive
off and nothing has everhappened.
So that's been my experiencewith crime here, been my
experience with crime here.
But having said that, it is true, south Africa has the, by some
(29:41):
measures, the greatest wealthinequality in the world.
There is a, you know, veryserious problem here with
unemployment, with poverty, andthere's also, like very, very
rich, privileged people, andthat has led to, you know, this
imbalance that that results in alot of petty crime.
So you know, you do have to.
If you, if you drive around inJoburg, you see everyone has,
everyone has a wall or a fencearound their house, most people
(30:02):
have an electric fence, mostpeople have alarms, there's a
lot of security companies.
So, yeah, it's definitelysomething it's.
It's not something to be takenlightly or to ignore, but it's
never, it's never impeded my, mylife here to a serious degree.
You know, and and I guess I'vebeen, I've been fortunate, but
(30:25):
yeah, and there's also aperception, you know.
The other thing I need tomention is that you know South
Africa has these two majorcities, johannesburg and Cape
Town.
Those are always the citiespeople talk about.
Most of the time when peoplemove here, they're considering
moving to one of those twocities, beautiful and with less
(30:54):
crime.
But it's actually not reallytrue the case in Cape Town, for
example.
There's a big wealth dividethere too, but the townships
where, under apartheid, peopleof color were forced to live
tend to be located furtheroutside the city, and the center
of Cape Town is still verywhite dominated, and so there's
a perception that that city issafer, but it really just
(31:16):
depends on where you are.
Shawn (31:21):
If you're curious, respectful and ready to embrace
a country that's messy,beautiful, generous and alive in
ways you might not expect, youcan make a pretty good go of it
in South Africa.
And if you eventually decidethat you want your short-term
situation to become welllonger-term, this is how you do
it.
So let's say you've been inSouth Africa for a few years,
(31:45):
you know how to get to the winefarms without Google Maps,
you've got opinions aboutBiltong, you've learned to role
with the load shedding andyou're considering becoming a
resident or even a citizen.
If you want to become aresident, you can apply for
permanent residency underseveral categories.
After five years.
On a temporary residence visa,like a business or critical
(32:05):
skills visa, you can apply.
You can apply immediately ifyou qualify under the
financially independent permitand if you're married to a South
African and have lived in thecountry for two plus years, you
can also apply.
Once you're approved, you don'thave to renew your visa
annually.
You can work, study and livefreely and you don't need to
(32:26):
give up your US residence orcitizenship.
But keep in mind that residencycan be revoked if you don't
reside in South Africa for atleast three years out of every
five.
If you're looking for somethingeven more.
Permanent citizenship is alonger-term option and it's
available usually after 10 yearsof legal residency, or five
(32:46):
years if you're married to aSouth African.
You have to prove a cleancriminal record and integration
into South African life.
You have to prove a cleancriminal record and integration
into South African life.
You have to show languageability in at least one local
language and, yes, englishcounts and you have to show an
intent to remain in the country.
South Africa does allow dualcitizenship, but you must apply
(33:06):
to retain your US citizenshipbefore becoming South African,
otherwise you risk losing yourAmerican nationality.
Permanent residency offers thestability most expats need.
Citizenship is a bonus, but itrequires long-term commitment
and a willingness to fullybelong.
So who is South Africa right for?
If you value a stunning naturalenvironment, a low cost of
(33:30):
living, english-speakingcommunities, outdoor living and
incredible food and wine and acomplex but welcoming society,
then South Africa might be agreat option for you.
But be honest with yourself.
Are you adaptable?
Are you okay withinfrastructure that isn't always
perfect?
Can you embrace contradictionwithout needing resolution?
(33:52):
Because South Africa isn't easy, but it is in many ways magical
.
You'll never be bored, you'llnever stop learning and you
might just find a deeper versionof the life you didn't know you
were looking for.
Here's Heather Mason explainingwhy she's stayed in South
Africa for as long as she hasMason explaining why she's
stayed in.
Heather Mason (34:13):
South Africa for as long as she has.
I mean, the main reason I stilllive here after 15 years is and
I mean, obviously this variesfrom person to person and from
situation to situation, but Ifind South Africa in general,
and specifically Johannesburg,to just be one of the
friendliest, most open places.
(34:33):
I mean, I made friends herereally quickly in a way that I
really never did in my whole 35years of living in America as an
American.
Yeah, and I think the reason Ilike living in Joburg
specifically, as compared toCape Town or another part of
South Africa, is that you know,this really is the hub of
Southern Africa.
You know all, if you have aflight um to another part of
(34:57):
Africa, it's going to passthrough Joburg.
You know, before going anywhereelse it's it's.
So I find it very accessible.
I've I've traveled a lotthroughout Africa and especially
Southern Africa.
Um I've been to, you know,lesotho, which is the tiny
country in the middle of it's,surrounded by South Africa, and
um East Watini, which used to becalled Swaziland.
Those are the like the nearesttwo countries.
I've been to those countriesmany, many times Namibia,
(35:19):
botswana, also Zimbabwe,mozambique, um Zambia, malawi,
all those places.
It's really easy to travel tothose places from here, and
traveling in Southern Africa isreally great Just incredibly
beautiful, affordable dependingon where you're coming from and
(35:45):
just really nice people prettymuch everywhere.
Shawn (35:53):
As a rule, as a general rule, Immigrating to South
Africa isn't effortless, butit's absolutely possible,
Whether you're looking to retirealong the southern coast, build
a business in Cape Town,contribute your skills to a
growing economy or simply livesomewhere where the natural
world still feels sacred.
South Africa offers you thetools to make that life real.
You just have to be willing touse them.
(36:13):
It's not a country that handsout easy wins.
The visas require paperwork,time and, in some cases, a
healthy dose of patience.
The systems are complex, theinfrastructure can be
inconsistent, the energy gridhas its moods and bureaucracy
You'll get to know your localhome affairs office better than
(36:34):
your favorite wine shop.
But what South Africa gives inreturn is something rare A life
that feels rooted, Raw and realand humming with possibility.
It's a place where the sunsetsfeel cinematic, when weekend
farmers markets exist next toancient mountains, where
strangers still greet each otherin the street and where joy
(36:55):
often emerges in the smalldefiant moments over braids, in
music, through conversation.
It's not for everyone.
If what you want is perfectinfrastructure, predictability
and pristine public services,you're going to struggle here.
But if you're looking for aplace that will challenge you,
invite you in, stretch yourperspective and your patience
(37:17):
and offer you a radicallyaffordable, deeply rich life in
return.
South Africa could surprise you.
You can live comfortably on amodest income, you can access
excellent health care, you canspeak English and be understood.
You can live by the sea, in thebush, in a city or in a
vineyard and, yes, you can builda new life in a country still
(37:39):
working to heal itself, Acountry that doesn't pretend to
be perfect but offers you a seatat the table if you show up
eyes open and heart in.
So if you've ever thought aboutliving somewhere completely
different, if you're feelingthought about living somewhere
completely different, if you'refeeling the tug to do something
a little more adventurous, alittle less conventional, South
(38:04):
Africa isn't just an escape, avacation.
It's an arrival, a beginning,not an end.
Next week, on Leaving America,we'll be talking about all of
the tax responsibilities youcarry with you as an American
living abroad, the treaties andlaws that exist that can
mitigate or even eliminate yourtax burden in the States, and
also how you can renounce yourAmerican citizenship.
If that's something you'reinterested in.
This is Leaving America,because sometimes home isn't
(38:28):
where you started.
Thank you.
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