South Africa

ebilcake said:
I've heard about the power cuts in South Africa, daily occurrence apparently.

Honestly, even ignoring all the other issues in South Africa, that's enough reason to leave. Power is kind of important and it doesn't sound like it's getting any better.
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It started in 2008 - the government were warned in 1997. They did nothing.

Last 12 months has been brutal. Fortunately I have solar and batteries as backup at home, so house always has power. However, we are often out of the house at shops and it's quite an experience being at the shops and them power goes out - just darkness. Even worse when you're at a restaurant waiting for food.

Not going to get better over the next decade, no.

Freddie1980 said:
The UK has its problems but saying the place is a disaster and it's on the decline are either just bitter remainers or immigrant bashers.

There's plenty of opportunities in the UK for anyone who has ambition and is prepared to work hard, you don't have to look far to find examples of this. Our current prime minister is the son of migrants so saying the UK is terrible place are just talking out their behinds.
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I don't buy the argument that the UK is a disaster; but I have a very different perspective of what a disaster looks like in a failing country.

I have zero doubt that my family will be better off in the UK, in many ways.
 
sigma said:
Pot holes are really bad in places also.
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Yup, Cambridgeshire county council is notorious for it but the roads around here are abysmal.

I was watching that new episode of The Grand Tour where they are going through Eastern Europe thinking how well maintained the roads were, and actually just how everything looked quite nice.
 
sigma said:
I've noticed recently that councils don't seem to be cutting green areas back much this year, presumably to cut costs? Despite councilor tax going up by what, 5%? This might not seem like a bit deal to some but it's hardly a sign of prosperous country.
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Because we know now keeping green spaces a bit wilder is much better for us all.

sigma said:
Power cuts have been mooted in the UK also.
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Yes, rightly planned for and never occurred.
 
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My 2c here on the government.... The Tories are doing a bloody good impression of the ANC. No accountability, jobs for pals, corruption, the works. They've been in power too long.
There's two differences though- there's light at the end of the tunnel as it really doesn't look like they'll survive the next GE, and the civil service is still largely functional and insulates the country from some of the possible consequences of the ****-poor leadership we have at the moment.
 
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I find it hard to understand SA personally...my father grew up there for a few years in his teens and loved his time there, we are talking back in the 30s though perhaps. COuldnt it be a rather resource rich country?
 
200sols said:
Its a win all round then isn't it?

Council tax going up 5% is still a real terms cut in their funding.
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If council funding is cut then it means they have less money to serve us. Does that mean services are more likely to improve or decline?
 
Sinbad2000 said:
My 2c here on the government.... The Tories are doing a bloody good impression of the ANC. No accountability, jobs for pals, corruption, the works. They've been in power too long.
There's two differences though- there's light at the end of the tunnel as it really doesn't look like they'll survive the next GE, and the civil service is still largely functional and insulates the country from some of the possible consequences of the ****-poor leadership we have at the moment.
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Labour might be slightly less corrupt but let's not kid ourselves that they're going to be much more competent.
 
cu3ed said:
I find it hard to understand SA personally...my father grew up there for a few years in his teens and loved his time there, we are talking back in the 30s though perhaps. COuldnt it be a rather resource rich country?
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30's was a different time; might as well say it was a different country then, completely unrecognisable from today in literally every sense.

The sad thing is; South Africa could easily have been one of the best countries in the world - but we're far too gone for that now.
 
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