Dear Readers

Welcome to the 54th edition of the Come Home Newsletter!

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.

IMFO

Remember, IMFO, AfriForum’s English brochure with news about the cost of living in South Africa, has been updated by Annatjie in August 2008.  For a free copy in MS Word, send an email with the subject IMFO to us at alana@afriforum.co.za.

QUESTION ABOUT COST OF GIFTS

We recently received a question about friends and relatives in South Africa having to pay duties on gifts from loved ones.  Here is a summary of our answer, which hopefully will be of use to you.  Customs and Excise regularly revises the amounts quoted below – send your questions to them directly via www.sars.gov.za.

When is a gift duty-free?  In terms of rebate item 412.10 of the Customs and Excise harmonized tariff system, the following applies: “Bona Fide unsolicited gifts of not more than two parcels per person per calendar year and of which the value does not exceed R500-00, excluding goods contained in passenger baggage, wine, spirits and manufactured tobacco (including cigarettes and cigars) consigned by natural persons abroad to a natural person in the Republic.”  Thus if the gift exceeds R500-00 all applicable duties are payable.

A passenger travelling to South Africa qualifies for a R3 000 duty free allowance.  Thus if the goods he/she is carrying with him/her are worth less than R3 000, no duties are payable.  Where the items exceed R3 000, duty at a rate of 20% is charged on the excess amount.  The R3 000 allowance is per person.  Specific exclusions are alcohol and tobacco products, which have their own allowance.

Then there is also the problem of parcels that “disappear” en route.  A good alternative is to order gifts in South Africa via the Internet – for example from www.kalahari.net – perhaps less personal, but much safer and cheaper for all.

IMPORTING USED VEHICLES TO SOUTH AFRCA

Johan Kriek tells more about the service he offers:

Some people say it is impossible to import a used vehicle into South Africa (if you are living here).  Others say that it is difficult.  Some will even say it is not worthwhile.  Allow Springbok Imports to help you make a decision.  We are the only business that specialises in obtaining import permits for vehicles imported into SA.  We can also give you an honest opinion whether it is financially viable to import a car in terms of its value in SA!  I was a SAFFA myself for two and a half years in the UK.  When I returned to SA and wanted to bring my two Suzuki Samurai 4X4 jeeps, I found out that it seemed to be a mission impossible! After many prayers and stress, my two beloved jeeps at last arrived in Durban Harbour.  After this experience, I helped others to import their vehicles and that is how Springbok Imports came about.

By the way, one of my Suzuki’s was sold for R58 000!  (In total it had cost me R30 000, including shipping it here).  The other I will never sell, as it has too much sentimental value, and where will I be able to buy such a great, reliable “toy” in SA for only R30 000?

If you are a guy who would like to release your beloved Mercedes Gelandewagen with which you toured all over the Outback in the Kalahari, you are welcome to contact us for assistance.  Also if you are a girl who would like to relocate your VW Golf Cabriolet from London’s traffic jams to Pretoria’s traffic jams, please contact me!  You are also most welcome to visit our web site at www.carshipping.co.za for more information and contact details.  We are looking forward to hearing from you!

REMEMBER:  No left hand-drive vehicles may be imported to SA any longer.

TRANSFER OF FOREIGN CURRENCY

Lawrence Jooste of Global Treasury Solutions (Pty) Ltd offers an excellent one-stop service for foreign currency transactions at extremely competitive rates.  Contact him for a quotation and see for yourself.  His rates are often way below those of commercial banks and he keeps track of the whole process, so you will always know exactly how far the process has progressed and how long it will still take.  You are also welcome to address questions about foreign exchange transactions to him.  A brief financial report by him follows below his contact details:

Lawrence Jooste

Global Treasury Solutions (Pty) Ltd

Tel: 0027-12-6580515 / 0027-83-6315350, lawrence@globalts.co.za, www.globalts.co.za.

South Africa’s rand rallied early August to 7.20/$ after speculators took advantage of thin European summer vacation trading conditions.  After the rally profit taking stepped in, pushing the rand close to the 8.00/$.  The U.S. dollar rallied against most major currencies causing commodity prices to drop, which had a further negative impact on the local currency.  We are currently trading at 7.70/$ with reasonable quiet market conditions.  S.A. Reserve Bank Governor Tito Mboweni left interest rates unchanged at the MPC meeting earlier this month. Economists predict that interest rates will remain sideways until April next when we could see the first cut in local rates.  Inflation remains high, however GDP figures were above expectations.

ZAR/USD 7.7200/$

EUR/ZAR 11.40

GBP/ZAR 14.1700

CPIX 13.00%

PPI 18.9%  

GDP 4.9%

Thank you, Lawrence!

POSITIONS IN PROPERTY MARKET

Henriette Basson writes:

Hello

We have positions available for experienced property marketing agents in our offices in the Franschhoek-Paarl Valley.  CVs or applications of such candidates are most welcome.  We would love to hear from returning South Africans – please contact me!

Kind regards

Henriette Basson, CRS(SA), CEA, MIRSA

Tel: 0027-21-8725236 / 0027-83-7773354, HenrietteB@Everitt.co.za, www.Everitt-Paarl.co.za.

MORE POSITONS AVAILABLE

Pieter Oosthuizen has the following positions available:

*           Junior millwright in Vereeniging on a mushroom farm.  Person will be responsible for maintenance work.  The salary is between R15 000 and R18 000 per month.

*           3 positions available for High Tension Electricians in the Northern Province. These are permanent positions, and candidates will be provided with accommodation; of which they will only pay 50 % of the cost.  The candidates will work on 6 000 to 11 000 kvA wires.  The salary varies between R16 000 to R17 000 per month.

*           Geologists, mining engineers and many more required.

Contact Pieter at 0027-11-6602751 / 0027-82-8558164, fax: 0027-86-6345884, pieter@enable.co.za.

POSITIONS – ESPECIALLY IN CONSTRUCTION

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.

RELOCATION HELP

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

v         Doug Wiviott, Rainier Overseas Movers, Inc, doug@rainieros.com;

v Paul McAvoy, George Baker (Shipping) Ltd, (UK Agents for South African Removals), paul.mcavoy@georgebakershipping.com or paul@southafricanremovals.com.

v People returning to South Africa from The Netherlands, also recommended the services of De Haan - www.dehaan.nl.

DEVOTION

Visit Rev. Naas Ferreira’s blog at http://ouderling.blogspot.com.

Spring greetings from Pretoria!

Alana & colleagues

AfriForum

[www.comehome.co.za / alana@afriforum.co.za]