COME HOME NEWSLETTER

Number 45 - November 2007

 

Dear Readers

The year is almost over – herewith our penultimate newsletter of 2007.

 

Once again, we start with the usual essential news:  This is the free newsletter of the Come Home Campaign of AfriForum for all South Africans intending to return to South Africa, in process of returning or just back home.  To subscribe or unsubscribe to the newsletter, send your comments or make a contribution, contact us at alana@afriforum.co.za.  Mark the email “COME HOME SUBSCRIBE”, “COME HOME UNSUBSCRIBE”, or with the topic of your choice.  The newsletter is a monthly email publication which is available in either Afrikaans or English.  New subscribers are always most welcome.  Also bear in mind that although we select our advertisers with care, we cannot guarantee or be held responsible for the quality of their services or products.  Advertisements are published free of charge.  Please also feel free to comment on their service delivery.

 

CHRISTMAS STORIES

Our request in the previous newsletter has not had much success yet – come on, readers, please let us know how you plan to celebrate Christmas 2007?  Are you doing something in tune with where you are, or are you planning something special to remind you of South Africa?  Does the area where you are have any interesting Christmas customs?  Please tell us?  The reader or family with the most original ideas or interesting story will get a special surprise from us.  Photographs are most welcome too!

THE SA TAX FORM

Fanus Jonck, our collaborating tax expert, sent the following information:

A large number of South Africans currently working abroad, completed their 2007 SA tax returns incorrectly and therefore have to contact the South African Revenue Service urgently to apply for the necessary corrections in order to avoid paying unnecessary taxes.  In the past, the income tax form asked how much the taxpayer’s foreign income amounted to and how many days of the tax-year had been spent abroad.  The 2007 return required much less information.  For example, it asked only how much the respondent’s taxable foreign income amounted to.  Taxable foreign income is only income earned abroad when the tax-payer spent less than 183 day outside South Africa in any period of 365 days (and for a minimum of one continuous period of 61 days spent abroad).  If for example a person started working in London in January and completed the return in October, he should not have showed income earned in London, if he did comply with the 183 days and 61 days requirements!  If a person had been aware that he would only comply with the requirements in December, he should have waited for December to submit the form.  If non-taxable income had been filled in, an urgent request should be made for the revision of the return.

South Africans working abroad should also bear in mind that they need not mention interest received in SA in their SA returns if they had spent a minimum of 183 days abroad during any 365 day period, as the interest will then not be taxable in South Africa!

You are welcome to contact Fanus Jonck (tax@jonck.net) for more tax advice.

SOUTH AFRICANS ABROAD WITH PROPERTY IN SA

Within the next week, yet ANOTHER increase in the interest rate is expected – bad news for all who still have South African loans.  Michele’s question below is related to this issue and to Fanus’ advice above.  She sent this question to us from the UK:  I’m not sure whether you can advise us – we still have a property in SA which financially is killing us here, with having to send money home as the interest rates are rocketing all the time.  Our tenants’ rent does not cover the bond repayments.  Is there any form of tax relief here in the UK we can claim?  Many thanks for your attention in this regard.

Fanus replied:  Dear Michele, you will be allowed to deduct your South African rental loss from any other non-UK income.  Unfortunately you are not allowed to deduct this loss from UK income.  Once you start making a South African rental profit, you will be able to deduct the previous rental losses from your rental profit.  If you are submitting tax returns in South Africa, then you will also be able to deduct the rental loss from any capital gain that you might have on selling the property.  Please do not hesitate to contact me should you have any further tax queries.  Regards!

POSITION AVAILABLE FOR AFRIKAANS-SPEAKING ARCHIVIST

ʼn Vakature bestaan tans vir 'n argivaris van die Gereformeerde Kerke in Suid-Afrika te Potchefstroom, aangesien die huidige argivaris op 31 Desember 2007 aftree.  Persone met 'n B-graad of toepaslike diploma en ervaring van argiewe, biblioteekkunde en museumkunde kan aansoek doen.  Vorige argiefblootstelling vir minstens 3 jaar is 'n vereiste.  Die applikant moet goed geskool wees in die kerklike werkswyse van die GKSA.  Ervaring van museumkunde sal ʼn sterk aanbeveling wees.  Goeie rekenaarvaardigheid ten opsigte van MS Office-programme en Internet Explorer, is 'n vereiste. Vergoeding sal onderhandelbaar wees.  Keerdatum vir aansoeke: 26 Januarie 2008 en diensaanvaarding: So spoedig moontlik.  Rig aansoeke aan dr. At Kruger, Administratiewe Buro GKSA, Posbus 20004, Noordbrug Potchefstroom 2522 of e-pos aan atkruger@gksa.co.za.  Aansoeke moet vergesel wees van 'n volledige C.V., verwysings van vorige werkservaring, getuigskrifte, 'n afskrif van die eerste bladsy van u identiteits-dokument en jongste bewys van u huidige vergoedingspakket. Indien u nie binne een maand na die keerdatum terugvoering ontvang het nie, kan u aanneem dat die aansoek onsuksesvol was.

LOOKING FOR PASTOR BAILEY

Mr. Billy Bands (tel: 0027-78-2498084) is urgently looking for Pastor Douw Bailey who emigrated to the USA.  The pastor had been attached to a pentecostal church – can anyone help please?

NEW PUBLICATION: UITDAGING EN ANTWOORD. ‘N VARS PERSPEKTIEF OP DIE EVOLUSIE VAN DIE AFRIKANERS

This book is available in Afrikaans only, as short and to the point summary of South African history, and the history of Afrikaners in particular.  It is aimed primarily at the youth, but adults will find it equally riveting.  The price is R70 each, but for orders of 20 or more, R50 each, excluding postage and packaging.  For more information, e-mail elizegrobler@telkomsa.net or call 0027-82-4133799.

REQUEST BY SHARON

In reaction to the previous newsletter, Sharon asks:  I read about Mavrin and her family’s return to SA, and that she is wanting to get in touch with people who have returned to SA, but for those of us that are still wanting to return but cannot right now, would it be possible for Mavrin to give us an update every now and again as to how they are getting on, we love to get as much feed back as possible from those who have returned.

This request is not limited to Mavrin only – anybody who has returned is most welcome to share their experiences with us.  Please send your e-mails to alana@afriforum.co.za.

HOLIDAY PLANS?

Ruth Mills of Beachcomber Cottages in Springer Bay, Boggoms Bay & vicinity might be able to help with accommodation.

www.beachcombercottages.co.za
info@beachcombercottages.co.za

GIVE A HELPING HAND TO A GRADE 1 PUPIL!

Several ten thousands of Grade 1 pupils will start their school careers next year, armed with a school-bag, pencils, crayons, modelling clay, scissors, pencil sharpener and other stationery.  Thousands of Afrikaans Grade 1s however are so poor that they will not be able to afford even a single pencil.  The trade union Solidarity’s Helping Hand Fund has decided to launch a huge project to ensure that all Afrikaans children will be able to start the 2008-school year with a school-bag, as well as the necessary stationery.  The Solidarity Helping Hand intends to mobilise the Afrikaans community during the coming month-and-a-half in order to collect approximately R1,5-million (or in effect 5 000 school-bags with stationery parcels) for indigent Afrikaans children.  An appeal will be made to churches, community organisations, companies, and especially individuals to support this project.  Project School Bag will help children from the Western Cape to Limpopo.

“A child from an indigent background already has enough problems to overcome.  He/she does not deserve to be handicapped even further because his/her parents cannot afford to buy him/her a school-bag or basic stationery.  The leap to Grade 1 is the most dramatic of all grades and we have to make it as easy for the children as possible.  Education is the first step to freedom from the paralysing cycle of poverty and the Helping Hand would like to help children to qualify themselves in order to break free from the net of indigence.  A school-bag and stationery will easily cost parents from R300 to R400.  The Solidarity Helping Hand’s parcel for poor Afrikaans children will comprise of a school-bag, a 2ℓ ice-cream container (for storing the stationery), 4 HB pencils, a set of 12 coloured crayons, a pencil sharpener, 2 glue sticks (50g), 3 boxes of retractable wax crayons, a pair of scissors, modelling clay, a beanbag, a 35-piece jigsaw puzzle, a medium sized plastic ball and a plastic apron.

Churches, schools, companies or individuals who would like to sponsor a child, may contact the Solidarity Helping Hand at telephone number 0027-861-25-24-23, send an email to helpendehand@solidariteit.co.za or if in South Africa, send a SMS with the word “skooltassie” to 35960.  Direct deposits may be made into the account of the Helping Hand at ABSA, Centurion Branch (632005), current account number 09082262243.  The word “skooltassie” must be used as reference.

EXTRA LUGGAGE UPON YOUR RETURN

All who return, do not necessarily have a container full of goods to bring with them.  If you only have a few extra kilograms of goods, what then?  Last year we were told that www.excess-baggage.com offers an affordable service in this regard.  Does anybody know more about similar services?  Please let us know at alana@afriforum.co.za.

RESEARCH ABOUT SOUTH AFRICAN EMIGRATION

Pieter de Lange is still busy with his research project about South African emigration.  He explains:

For some time now, there has been a marked exodus of skilled South Africans, to such an extent that it was estimated that in 2000 more than 20% of South Africans with a tertiary education were working abroad.  This questionnaire aims to determine what caused South Africans to leave in the first place, how they see themselves living abroad, how they perceive the “new South Africa” and what their future intentions are.  The objective is to publish a book, which will reflect this, so any individual contribution regarding personal experiences or particular viewpoints will be welcome.  No ideological agenda or commercial gain is connected to this information.

If you are prepared to answer the questionnaire, send an email with the subject QUESTIONNAIRE to de_langepieter@hotmail.com.

CONSIDERING A CAREER AS FINANCIAL ADVISOR?

Old Mutual Personal Financial Advice is looking for people to be trained as financial advisors.  The successful candidate will be:

  • A highly energetic person
  • 23 years or older
  • With Grade 12 or a higher qualification
  • Someone with their own transport, living in Pretoria or vicinity
  • Computer literate and able to work independently.

Remuneration = R6 000 + commission per month.  If you are interested, please send your CV to Jannie Heymans at .

EMPLOYMENT AVAILABLE

Fanie Coetzee represents one of the largest construction companies in southern Africa.  They are URGENTLY looking for site agents, civil engineers and other construction specialists for projects in Gauteng and elsewhere in South Africa.  If you are interested, contact Fanie at 0027-84-2333112 or fanie@oneworldhc.com.

RELOCATION HELP

Contact the following agents for quotes to ship your goods back to South Africa:

MEDICAL SCHEMES

Eva asks: I am returning to South Africa.  I am at present 68 years old.  I need quotes for Medical Insurance please?

Ronell Kruger of Solidariteit Gesondheidsorg replies:  Eva, Your email was forwarded to Solidariteit Gesondheidsorg.  Medical Schemes in South Africa will not give you a quote as such. The best way to see how much your premium will be, would be to access the different scheme's web addresses:

www.discoveryhealth.co.za
www.fedhealth.co.za
www.sizwe.co.za
www.bonitas.co.za
www.pharos.co.za
www.telemed.co.za
www.momentum.co.za

Select the options pages and look at what the different options offer.  Then see if you can find the option with the benefits that you would prefer.  Also keep in mind that the medical schemes will give you a penalty in terms of your premium, and because of your age.  You can work that out by adding 100% to the premium indicated on the web page.  Also you will have 3 months waiting period and if you have serious conditions it may be excluded for a period of 12 months.  To confirm the above, I would suggest you contact the scheme of your choice when you arrive in SA, and request an application form. Send that in for implementation, they will then give you a written underwriting decision, which you can or cannot accept. This letter is then send back to the scheme and they will implement or cancel on your decision in the letter.  Hope the above will help you to make a decision.  Kind regards!

NOSTALGIC MOMENTS

Saturday evening after 23:00 Ronell and I were e-mailing each other about Eva’s question (above) – yes, we are not that tied to office hours and our weekends are not necessarily very exciting ...  Anyway, I was amazed to learn that at that moment, Ronell was in Bethulie for work.  She is a very talented photographer, and sent me some shots of her trip through the Karoo.  One look and my feet started itching - I miss those open plains with all of my heart.  We wondered whether you also have some photos like that to share with all readers – that one photo which makes you cry for South Africa.  A shot of a scene that is as South African as biltong, boerewors, marogo and krummelpap?

Here is our first contribution – from Ronell with kind regards from the Karoo!

MEDITATION

It is almost Christmas.  We are flooded with thoughts of shopping, travel plans, year-end functions, all the work that still has to be done, and and and ...  We ask ourselves:  “Where has the time gone?  It still feels like January 2007 and here we are almost at the start of 2008?”  Relax a while, and remember:

John 3:16-17:

For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.  For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.

 

Kind regards till the end of the month

Alana & colleagues
AfriForum
[www.komhuistoe.co.za / alana@afriforum.co.za]