SA Rocks

CueTV did an intriguing video on a production being put on at this years national arts festival. “Done London” is a story about South African’s experiences in London and returning home what it feels like.

From CueTV:

Been there, done that, seen the show. While you may still reminisce about mad house shares, job hunting and that ever-annoying voice repeating ‘mind the gap’, for many of you who have done London, South Africa seems to be where you end up. The grass is not always be greener on the other side and the cast of Done London at this year’s National Arts Festival in Grahamstown explain how their experiences in the big city influenced their roles in the play. cueTV went to see the show and all you got was this lousy clip.

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I’m very glad that someone put together a video of expats voting abroad and specifically in London. Glad to see it!

From the Youtube page:

Over 6000 South Africans travelled to the South African House in Trafalgar Square, London to cast their vote on the 15 April 2009. Thanks to a recent verdict from the Constitutional Court South African’s were allowed to vote abroad – the last time South Africans were able to vote overseas was in 1994. For more pics from the day see http://www.flickr.com/photos/frannies… Thanks to Fourmanfilms for loaning me the camera.

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Thanks to 2oceansvibe I finally found some photos of expats voting abroad in London:

Here’s the text that accompanied the photos:

Dear Seth,

I’m sure you’ll get a few of these today but here are a couple of pics of voters queuing up outside South Africa House in London this morning for the first ever overseas vote in the SA elections. A historic moment.

I took the photo at 8.55pm just after casting my vote. The voting station opened at 7am – I arrived at 7.10am and just over 1h30m later cast my vote. Hopefully it will make a difference!

Cheers

Johan

I echo Seth’s response: Well done to all expats who are making the effort to vote. Good on you.

UPDATE:

More photographs can be seen over at Ideate.co.za. Great to see more images coming through and the masses of queues at the voting polls.

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After much bitching and moaning, much torment, badmouthing and ragging of the SA government, a mere 16 240 voters registered to vote abroad for the 2009 elections.

Let’s see the breakdown shall we:

London with 7 472
Canberra, Australia with 1 235
Dubai, United Arab Emirates with 900
Wellington, New Zealand with 410
The Hague, Netherlands with 378
Dublin, Ireland with 360

Wow. Here’s a small fact for you: There are estimated to be over 600 000 South African expats living abroad in LONDON ALONE. Of those ± 600 000 an embarrassing 7472 registered to vote. That is a shocking 1.24% of the expat population in London that bothered to register or apply to vote abroad in the upcoming elections.

I hate to take a rough stand here, but I want the names of the 7472 voters that registered in London because they are the only people living in the UK from SA that I ever want to hear talk about South Africa in a good or bad light. Either make your way back here so that voting isn’t “such a mission” for you over there, or just let go of SA.

As for the rest of the expat population, shame on you. Or Goodbye and thanks for all the fish.

Thank you to the ± 16 000 people who registered to vote abroad, now just be sure to get that vote in, every vote counts.

According to the IEC, South Africans voting at missions abroad must produce both their South African green bar-coded identity document or valid temporary identity certificate as well as their passport when they vote.

“Without these documents, voting will not be permitted. At the mission, they will also be required to complete an application form for a special vote, called a VEC 1 form.

“Voting stations at South African missions abroad will be open from 7am until 7pm,” the IEC said.

Voting times on 20 and 21 April in South Africa will be from 9am until 5pm.

Be sure to remember to take all the necessary documents to avoid disappointment.

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Just saw this fantastic Steers advert on Zoopy. Never seen it before and think it’s a great play on the way things are right now with people coming and going from the UK to SA, to Aus and many other places. This is a great angle to take and think Steers pulled this off brilliantly!

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Expats in London are going ahead with a march on Saturday apparently. In spite of Saffas abroad being given the right to vote abroad by a court in PTA recently, the Londoners (expats) still believe that there is something worth marching for. I couldn’t agree more.

It is fantastic that the nod has been given to expats to allow them to vote, but that is in theory. In practice there is still alot to be fought for an won. voting stations, registrations polls, government money spent, political parties canvassing and so and and so on. There really are many different aspects to keep in mind here and it is not going to be a walk in the park, or up to an embassy to cast a vote overseas.

Here are the details if you are in London:

And for more information visit the South African Youth Forum Abroad website.

For good measure here’s a video of their last march in London:

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Have you noticed how many expat-Londoners are returning to SA recently? If you haven’t I think it’s time that I pointed it out.

It’s a strange anomaly I’ve begun to notice. The brain-drain scare has been around since ’94 in South Africa and rightfully so, people have been leaving.

I had noticed it over the past, say, six years. I left high school and a few mates left for “greener pastures”. I graduated from University and a few more left to travel the world, gain more skills, find something new and try out different places. Many left with a bitter taste in their mouths and many swore never to return. However many of them didn’t plan on the recession. Many didn’t plan on the UK working visa taking a turn away from South Africans and many simply realised that with all of our problems, South Africa is still their home and probably always will be.

I attended a pleasant little dinner part of Friday night. I was astounded to note that out of the eight people there I was the only one out of the group who hadn’t traveled to and lived in London. Even more exciting and intriguing was that all seven of the others had been to London, earned some money, saved, gained some extra skill sets and decided to return to SA over the past year or two.

Is this the great reversal of the brain drain? Is it possible that there are many, many more South Africans who are set to return in the very near future? I think it might be. I think there are many young South Africans realising that the earning potential for them if they return to our country is greatly improved now that the recession has hit, now that their visa’s have come to an end and now that families are beginning to buckle down here and stick it out.

The current political climate could also have a great affect on the decisions of returning South Africans. The fact that the ANC is being shaken up, that there are more options and that the political environment has become more competitive things are starting to look more interesting.

I have said this before and I will say it again, it is a very exciting time to be a young South African. Things are happening. We are beginning to realise that we have the potential to earn, to change, to fix, to heal and to make this nation the nation it has the potential to become.

To all the returning expats I say well done and welcome home. We hoped you’d come back.

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Homecomingrevolution blogged photos from News 24 today about the protest/march held in the UK that I could support and do support.

Here’s one of the photos:

Head over to the HCR Blog for more.

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This post is a contribution from Teresa Conlon:

I cant believe that it is finally happening, after 9 years in London, my husband our three children and myself are finally moving back to SA. Some of you might say what the hell for? Especially when you have three young children to look after.
Well that is exactly it. A friend of mine, Catherine Jenkin, once wrote on a note of her own about the 10 reasons to raise a child in South Africa, and they are the 10 reasons I want to go home.

I am missing my home more and more each day and cant belive that I ever dreamed I wanted to run away from YWP, from the smallness, all I ever wanted was to go to London and finally discover who I am, on my own. Which I was very fortunate enough to do. I got to meet a lovely English gent, who loves South Africa (who couldn’t). I found myself as I wanted to, and then found three more reasons to love being me and they are my children. They are also the reason to go home. I need my parents around me, to support me and remind me that I am doing a great job as a Mum. I need to go back to the smallness of the world and forget how big a place it really is, because over the 9 years that I have been away from home, I have lost the connections I once had with many friends and family, and am hoping if I bridge that huge gap over the continents I will one day have it back.
I am also hoping to provide my children with the childhood and friendships that you develop in South Africa with the different way of life and culture than you get here in London, where even if you live two roads away from your brother or sister you very rarely see them or their children.

Dont get me wrong, I am very happy that I chose to travel to London, as without it I would not have met the people I have met over the last 9 years, I would not have formed friendships that are unbreakable, but as they say all good things must come to an end.

So to cheers to London and thank you very much for the wonderful husband you have provided me with and to the three amazing children you have contributed toward me having, for the friendships you have helped me to develop with people from all over the world, and finally thank you for helping me to discover myself and find belief that I am the best possible version of me that I could hope to be.

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So I’m not particularly old, in fact I’m relatively young. So when someone trying to organise a ten year reunion for my primary school I get concerned.

However the most concerning thing is that out of about ten responses only two people can make it. The reasons given my all eight of the people not attending were the same, London.

A quick percentage survey of the whopping ten people shows that 80% of the people I grew up with are overseas, in London. What the hell is that? I don’t get it. Overseas, great but London? I just never understand that.

The sad thing is that there is certainly a percentage of these people who will end up staying over there never to return. Why? I don’t know. I would definitely choose to live in SA over London any day of the week. Traveling is great but I honestly don’t count England as traveling anymore. There are just too many South Africans over there right now.

I just hope that some of them start coming back so that my 20 year reunion is ruined too!

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