Korean Job Discussion Forums

[metalhead]

I haven't been in SA for close to nine years; the last time I was here, no one would support the SA soccer team, primarily because they were black (talking about white people here).

I return, and they're having the Super 14 rugby finals in Soweto??? The only people that support that kind of rugby are hardcore Afrikaner whites, and now, wow...

I've really never seen the country united like this, black, white and whatever - it seems all the naysayer whites that left for 'better shores' have actually made a difference; I see white kids playing across the road with black kids, people getting along, less hatred between the races, it's a lot more safe, even in downtown Joburg and Hillbrow - it's a totally different place.

So, uh, multiculturalism in a democratic country can actually work? Wowzers!

[pkang0202]

Maybe its just because of the World Cup and the festive atmosphere. An interesting study would be the social interactions amongst South Africans before, during, and after the World Cup.

[misher]

As a person that grew up with many Afrikaaner whites I would dfeintely agree that many of the ones that left were the ones that were clearly not interested in sticking around to assist the changes in the paradigm. They saw things atarting to get ugly and because they were physicians or highly trained professionals they promptly left. Many of the ones that stuck around (a lot of my family is still there after emigrating from Scotland 2 generations before) are clearly the ones that want to see South Africa eventually become an integrated multicultural society. Problems with racism are still rampant of course but I think things are eventually going to get better. I would actually like to see SA do well at this WC. There is nothing like some some world stage sporting event to get some nationalist unity going for a country that has suffered a lot. Case in point: South Korea.

[Julius]

[metalhead]

[metalhead]

[Quack Addict]

I've visited SA and lived in America. The blacks in SA are definately much, much scarier than the brothers in America. The blacks in SA have the look as though they would hack me up with a machete for 200 rand.

I think SA is a beautiful country. But as long as the blacks are in control it will suck. The proof, POWER SHARING! This is when your power periodically shuts off for hours on end. The street lights are off, the traffic lights are off, the fridge is off, everything is off. It's complete chaos. I would hate to be in a restaurant when the power went off. If you want to invest in something, invest in gas generators in SA.

The landscape is awesome. The people are not. I can see why Austrailia and New Zealand look so attractive to SA expats!

[Missihippi]

The movie Invictus touches on this subject somewhat. The blacks cheered against the SA rugby team prior to the early 90's, but President Mandela helped change the view and helped unite the people of SA behind the team.

Not a bad movie, just not my favorite genre.

[nautilus]

[the ireland]

[shifty]

Crime is terrible in South Africa. One has to have a spell in a place like S Korea to realize just how punch drunk South Africans have become, inured to the most horrendous tales.

The police are largely ineffective, despite that private security firms have taken a load off their shoulders. Investors in the running for start-up businesses are discouraged with the risk, resulting in even less would be employment, a vicious circle.

Avoid SA hospitals. Schools for the masses are a shambles as well. Local authorities can�t deliver, they have rid themselves of former expertise in order to accommodate the new order.

With the frustration amongst the masses that their life is not improving, Whitey is getting cast in the crosshairs by emerging populist leaders, and blamed for not coming to the party. It�s a convenient card that is going to be played more and more.

There is already a diaspora of uni educated youth, to Dubai, to London, Australia, Taiwan and Korea, not by any means a professional class. The professionals who did leave took the best option for themselves, not b/c they didn�t want SA to succeed, that�s ludicrous.

We have to be careful of painting unjustifiably rosy pictures. The net result is a wild seesaw between far-fetched optimism and undue pessimism.

I recall in 1985 when Zimbabwe in honeymoon stage looked so promising. Many South Africans actually went there.

We are rather beyond our honeymoon stage, but the real challenges are still to present themselves. I hope that the world does not remain indifferent to our fate, as in the case of Zimbabwe.