Pretoria, South Africa Report of what it's like to live there - 01/24/18
Personal Experiences from Pretoria, South Africa
Background:
1. Was this post your first expatriate experience? If not, what other cities have you lived in as an expat?
No. I have lived in the United Kingdom, India, eastern Europe, and Afghanistan.
2. What is your home city/country? How long is the trip to post from there, with what connections? How easy/difficult is it to travel to this city/country?
U.S. travel is via London or through Atlanta. The flight is overnight, then an onward flight.
3. How long have you lived here?
19 months.
4. What brought you to this city (e.g. diplomatic mission, business, NGO, military, teaching, retirement, etc.)?
US embassy employee.
Housing, Groceries & Food:
1. What is your housing like? What are typical housing sizes, locations, and commute times for expatriates?
We love our house. It is a stand-alone with a small splash pool. Housing here is generally spacious and well kept, with gardens and pools, sometimes stand-alone and sometimes in a compound (you can express your preferences to the housing board of course). Most houses have quarters for live-in staff as well. GSO is very responsive to service requests.
Most expats live in Waterkloof, Menlo Park, and Brooklyn, which are all convenient to restaurants and shops and parks. My commute is 10 minutes. Lynnwood and parts further east are closer to the American school, but your commute is 20+ minutes each way to work.
2. How would you describe the availability and cost of groceries and household supplies relative to your home country?
It's wonderfully cheap. The cost of our monthly grocery bill is an abiding relief to me as breadwinner. I noticed this when I spent 5 days TDY in Washington, and had constant sticker shock when I bought groceries. Local products are of high quality, particularly SA wines. Produce is fresh and seasonal, meat is delicious and totally unlike the bland stuff in the USA, and there is vibrant foodie scene. You can buy pretty much anything here. Imported U.S. goods are a bit expensive, so we use Target and Amazon for any minor gaps, like brownie mixes or stuff my kids crave.
3. What household or grocery items do you wish you had shipped to post?
I ship things like boxed foods (cake mixes etc) and Mexican chilis. These are not widely available.
4. What typical restaurants, food delivery services, and/or takeout options are popular among expatriates?
I don't know of any cuisine that's missing here. The restaurant scene is good (and even better in Cape Town). There's fast food and pub grub and ethnic cuisine and fine dining. You can eat out a lot because prices are modest. You can get pizza and sushi delivered. It's basically Western Europe.
Daily Life:
1. How do you send and receive your letters and package mail? Are local postal facilities adequate?
I use the pouch and it is fine. As an experiment, I used South African mail to send a few items to the USA. It took 4 weeks. I won't repeat the experiment, as pilfering is understood to be widespread. Note that shipping packages to the USA in the pouch means a very strict size limit (nothing larger than about a videotape-sized box). Don't assume that you can buy tons of souvenirs and ship them in a big box to family and friends.
2. What is the availability and cost of household help, and what types of help are typically employed by expatriates?
Household help, such as a live-in housekeeper, runs about $300 per month. A gardener's wages are about $20 a week. Babysitters and drivers are also very affordable.
3. What kinds of gyms or other sports/workout facilities are available? Are they expensive?
There are good gyms -- Virgin Active is the most popular chain, and the Community Center has a free gym space to embassy employees.
4. Are credit cards widely accepted and safe to use locally? Are ATMs common and do you recommend using them? Are they safe to use?
Credit cards are widely accepted and this is safe, although your U.S. bank will continue to block transactions for several months, as SA is on an international watch list for transaction fraud. (Most Foreign Service people are familiar with this irritation.) ATMs are everywhere, though I use the one inside the embassy as it is safer. There is a great deal of ATM crime that I am mindful of every day.
5. What English-language religious services are available locally?
Pretty much everything.
6. How much of the local language do you need for daily living? Are local language classes/tutors available and affordable?
English is fine. You can learn a bit of Zulu, and then you'll find yourself with someone who speaks one of South Africa's ten other local languages.
Transportation:
1. Are local buses, trams, trains or taxis safe and affordable?
I use Gautrain between Pretoria and Joburg and the airport and it's great. But I don't use it at night. Buses, trams, trains and taxis are not a safe option. Some people use Uber regularly, but Uber drivers soemtimes face attacks by meter taxi drivers! There are trains between Pretoria/Joburg and Cape Town if you're looking for adventure. We did this 24 hour journey and it was a great experience.
2. What kind of car do you recommend bringing to post, given the terrain, availability of parts, burglary/carjacking risks, etc.? What kind of car do you advise not to bring?
You can't bring a car to post if it's not UK-style, right hand drive. Buy something here. There are many options in the diplomatic community.
Phone & Internet:
1. Is high-speed home Internet access available? How long does it typically take to install it after arrival?
You will discover that the state telecommunications monopoly, Telkom, is your nemesis, as their service is abysmal for installation and any maintenance problems. Urge your sponsors to try to get internet up and running in your residence before you get there. We keep Telkom because the internet bundle is with our land line, and residences are required to have it. We switched to Afrihost for cheaper, better data and lower rates.
2. Do you have any recommendations regarding mobile phones? Did you keep your home-country plan or use a local provider?
I use the embassy-provided Blackberry. Smart phones and so forth are everywhere here -- you can set this up on arrival.
Pets:
1. Are qualified veterinarians and/or good kennel services available? Do animals need to be quarantined upon entry to the country? Are there other considerations regarding pets that are particular to this country?
There are significant regs. about pets. I know this only indirectly through friends with dogs. Consult GSO for the full story -- and brace yourself for South African bureaucracy, which is vast and unresponsive.
Employment & Volunteer Opportunities:
1. What types of jobs do most expatriate spouses/partners have? Locally based or telecommuting? Full-time or part-time? Can you comment on local salary scales?
Local salaries aren't great unless you work in a corporate environment. Not many spouses do that. Most spouses rely on mission employment, but with the current freeze, they've struggled a bit. It is not a great situation. Self-employed spouses do better, as far as I have seen.
2. What volunteer opportunities are available locally?
Anything you want. The needs are enormous.
3. What is the typical dress code at work and in public places? Is formal dress ever required?
Business casual/formal at work (depending on occasion and season). Dress in public is what you'd find in the USA. Formal dress is useful if your work involves representational events in the evening.
Health & Safety:
1. Are there personal security concerns to be aware of at this post? Please describe.
Personal security concerns are the primary drawback to life here. Violent crime has surged. We live amid bars, barbed wire, guards and alarms and follow the Regional Security Officer's guidance every day. I don't go hiking alone, and I don't hike with a friend unless I know for sure the venue is secure. I never walk in the neighborhood after dark. This factor will be a big thing in your life here. You can manage it, but you can't avoid it.
2. Are there any particular health concerns? What is the quality of available medical care? What medical conditions typically require medical evacuation?
No health concerns. No malaria. Medical care is extremely high quality and very affordable.
3. What is the overall climate: is it extremely hot or cold, wet or dry, at any time of year, for example?
The climate is delightful. But winters (July and August) are genuinely cold especially as houses are not insulated and do not have central heating.
Schools & Children:
1. What is the availability of international schools? What has been your general experience with them, if any?
There is an American international school with a campus in Pretoria and in Joburg. They are fine, if a bit boring and mission-statement-driven. My own kids preferred to avail themselves of local prep schools, of which there are many choices: Crawford Preparatory, St Mary's, Waterkloof House, and so on.
2. Are local sports classes and/or activities available for kids?
There are many offerings for kids, from ballet and hip hop dance to sports to summer camps a few hours away to riding and ziplining to arts and crafts. It's a big market here.
Expat Life:
1. What is the relative size of the expatriate community? How would you describe overall morale among expatriates?
Pretoria is a big expat community, but also a big Afrikaans community. I think most diplomats recognize they live in a pretty quiet dormitory compared to Joburg and Cape Town. Morale is decent, because life here is easy and pleasant.
2. Is this a good city for single people? For couples? For families? Why or why not?
Families do well here. I think singles are often bored.
3. Are there problems with ethnic, race/racial minorities or religious prejudices? Gender equality?
Racial tensions in South Africa are persistent and deeply felt. Just read the news. There is also a strong current of xenophobia against foreigners, though most of the targets of this are from other African countries.
4. What have been the highlights of your time in this country? Best trips or experiences?
There are unlimited opportunities for travel in South Africa. You'd better make a list and work on it early, or you'll find yourself running out of time to see everything in country and in the region. We love the game parks and the Indian Ocean coastline drives. And Stellenbosch. And Cape Town ... oh Cape Town.
5. What are some interesting/fun things to do in the area? Can you recommend any “hidden gems"?
You will have zero problem finding activities and diversions. Anyone with a taste for the outdoors will be thrilled. Foodies should hit the Saturday Hazelwood Market in Pretoria -- a great gathering of cooks and vendors. Bring a bottle of wine and sit under the trees sampling paella, sushi, kebabs, koeksesters, samosas... it's great.
6. Is this a "shopping post"? Are there interesting handicrafts, artwork, antiques, or other items that people typically buy there?
Lots of handicrafts here. There is also a twice-yearly market called Kamers which features stuff a bit nicer than the usual street goods. Between Pretoria and Joburg there are several weekend markets that you can easily research online.
7. What are the particular advantages of living in this city?
Comfortable small city with good resources and amenities. Don't confuse it with a real metropolis.
Words of Wisdom:
1. What do you wish you had known about this particular city/country before moving there?
I did not grasp quite how much a headquarters for Afrikaner culture Pretoria is. This is not how it is in the rest of the country. They still have political demos at the universities and schools about preserving the Afrikaans language.
2. Knowing what you know now, would you still move to this city?
I'm here for the work. The city is just a sunny background.
3. If you move here, you can leave behind your:
Fur coats and snow boots. It's cold but not that cold. And your expectations of customer service in the local economy, which is often dazzlingly bad.
4. But don't forget your:
Favorite websites for ordering clothing and shoes. Offerings here, outside of high-end boutiques, leave a lot to be desired.
5. Do you recommend any books or movies about this city/country for those who are interested in learning more?
Winston Churchill's account of the Boer War, when he was imprisoned and escaped a Pretoria jail, is great reading!
