COME HOME NEWSLETTER

Number 49 - April 2008

 

Dear Readers

We apologise for this newsletter being so late – we had technical difficulties.  The April/May issue will reach you shortly.

 

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.

SOLIDARITY OFFICE IN BELGIUM

Solidarity has just opened an office in Belgium under the management of Ingrid Scholtz. The purpose of this office is, amongst others, to establish ties with related organisations in Europe and to exchange information about training programmes. People who would like to get in touch with Ingrid, can contact her at ingrid.scholtz@yahoo.co.uk.

HELP REQUIRED BY ARRIVE ALIVE WEB SITE

Johan Jonck regularly sends us useful information about the conversion of foreign drivers’ licences, as well as other road safety issues.  Now he needs your help.  He writes:

I would like to request your expertise and advice in making the best information on road safety available for cell phone users.  We are in a month trial period with the domain www.arrivealive.mobi which can be accessed from your cellular phone.  I believe this can add value to road users with important information on emergency numbers and accident scene safety etc.  Please send your suggestions on content you believe should be made available to benefit road safety or any other suggestions you might like to offer.  During the next month we will try to improve this new development through the input from experts across the industry!  Kindest regards - Johan Jonck (www.arrivealive.co.za)

EMPLOYMENT!

Fanie Coetzee who represents one of the major construction companies in South Africa, is still looking for senior people in the fields of construction and engineering.  He is also willing to help people in other related fields to find employment as well.  Contact him at fanie@oneworldhc.com.

READER’S REQUEST

Beryl Rathbone would still like to get in touch with people of 60 and over who are returning or have returned to SA after a long stay abroad.  Please let us know if you would like to share experiences with her.  Once again use our address please, alana@afriforum.co.za.

INFORMATION ABOUT INCOME TAX REGISTRATION IN SOUTH AFRICA

Register for tax with South African Revenue Service (SARS)

Tell SARS you are back in town:

  • You have to declare all your offshore interests - it is in your own interest;
  • You will have to prove the value of your offshore investments on the date of your return;
  • You may be required to prove that the money was earned offshore (hence the need for your salary slips).

If you have foreign investments, you will probably have to register as a provisional taxpayer.

Remember you are now taxed on your world-wide income in South Africa.

  • If you qualify as a provisional taxpayer you have to register as one within thirty days of qualifying;
  • Pay someone who knows what they are doing to file your return.  Always rather pay extra for the best; they will end up saving you more than the premium you pay them.

If you have been out of South Africa for quite some time and you do not qualify as a South African tax resident anymore, take note of the following:

  • When a non-South African tax resident becomes resident for South African tax purposes, they are deemed to have acquired their worldwide assets on the day they become resident.  A valuation would need to be performed of their worldwide assets on this date.
  • When a South African tax resident ceases to be tax resident in South Africa, the individual is deemed to have sold his worldwide assets on the day prior to ceasing to be tax resident. A CGT exit charge arises which is calculated as the difference between the base costs of each chargeable asset on the day a person becomes resident and the market value of those assets when he ceases to be resident in South Africa.
  • As the “exit charge” is calculated with reference to the deemed disposal of an individual’s worldwide assets, i.e. even though the individual may not sell any asset, he/she will be liable to pay the tax on the deemed disposal, which presents a significant financial burden as the individual will be forced to pay tax from available cash rather than from the proceeds of a sale.  The advice is therefore on asking for a valuation of your foreign property and shares on the day that you enter South Africa on a permanent basis.

Sort out your foreign tax affairs

  • There are plenty of good companies who will take care of this for you for a fee, which is worth it;
  • Being summoned in South Africa for a big tax bill in foreign currency is a major disaster - if you are planning to skip without paying, make sure you keep enough money in a bank account for five years, so that if you are summoned, you can pay;
  • If you were employed in another country, you will most probably get some tax back if you were not working for the full tax year.

More information is available from the tax consultant, Fanus Jonck, at tax@jonck.net.

WEB SITE FOR ALL WITH AN INTEREST IN THE SOUTH AFRICAN DEFENCE FORCE

A reader writes:

Are you a former or existing soldier that was part of the South African military at some point?  Family in the military?  Interest in that unit your granddad was in?  Come and join the biggest SA military site from the 1st of April 2008 to share your stories and look for old mates.  Chat about all those stories from days gone by and share with guys and girls with similar experiences.  Mostly South African, but everyone with an interest in the SA military will be welcome.  Chat about history, from the Anglo Boer War to modern international wars, weapons, or just about your everyday news.  Meet people, find friends, or guys from different eras that served in your unit.  Come and join, FOR FREE, at http://www.sa-military.com.

HELP SERVICE FOR PEOPLE ABROAD WHO NEED REPRESENTATON IN SOUTH AFRICA

Are you abroad, but need someone in South Africa to buy flowers for you, do some administrative job or look for property on your behalf?  Then this web site is the very answer you need:  www.SouthAfrica-AtYourService.com.  Visit it today for more information on all the services on offer to you.

NEWS FOR NURSES RETURNING TO SOUTH AFRICA

Nurses can now also join Solidarity!  For more information, contact Fanie Vosloo at fanie@solidariteit.co.za.

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 .

RELOCATION HELP

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

NOSTALGIC MOMENTS

This month Ronell Kruger sends you cosmos flowers from Dullstroom:

FAR HORISONS

In addition to our nostalgia corner, we would like to hear and see more about the places where you are all across the world.  Tell us what is happening in your neck of the woods please?

Erika de Wet is a great correspondent and excellent photographer.  She visited the Niagara Waterfalls in March 2008 – a completely different scene from summer, isn’t it?  Thank you, Erika!

MEDITATION

This month we include a daily massage from “Vers ʼn Dag”, available from www.bybel.co.za.

Read Hosea 4: 1-10

Our ears enable us to receive messages and information.  Billy Graham said that we have two ears, but only one mouth, as God knows that it is much more important to listen than to speak.  Think about the words you hear.  There are words from the world of commerce which treat you as a potential client.  They would like to make money from you.  They often tell you about a need you have that you have never even bee aware of yourself, but this is only done to convince you to buy their product.  There are words of political propaganda coming from those who would like to further their own agenda in order to gain more power.  There are words from the world of entertainment which would like to bring joy and fun to your life.  Then there are also words of wisdom which would like to help you to understand yourself and the world you live in better.

The most important words which you can ever hear, however are the words of God, found in the Bible.  Sometimes God will give you a command, at other times He will inspire or encourage you.  God will comfort you and guide you to make the right decisions in your life.  He will warn you, advise you and teach you.  He will give you His promises, heal and empower you.

About 60 to 70 years ago, a Christian movement known as the “Oxford Group” was founded.  Their slogan was: “When people listen, God speaks.”  You can personalise it by saying: “When I listen, God speaks to me.”  Are you listening?

Prayer:  “Lord, help me to recognise Your voice as the most important voice of all and make me listen to You.”

 

Easter greetings and kind regards till next time!

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