Dear Readers

Welcome to our 41st 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.

Below are interesting news about Afrikaans publications and innovations.  I am sure similar initiatives exist for English-speaking South Africans, but where can we get information in this regard?  Let us know please?  We start with our media statement of the 9th of August 2007. 
Foreign spouses are most welcome to contact us!

MEDIA STATEMENT RE FOREIGN SPOUSES OF RETURNING SOUTH AFRICANS

While the country celebrates Women’s Day, the civil rights organisation AfriForum’s Come Home Campaign has just announced a strategy to assist the foreign spouses of South African citizens in circumstances where they are, as a result of migration legislation, “being treated like minors”.

Current legislation denies foreign spouses access to a South African ID number for the first five years of their lives with South African spouses, and therefore they also do not have access to South African driver’s licences or certain financial transactions either.  An official one-stop service for foreign spouses does not exist currently and by establishing a support group for them, the Campaign hopes to ensure that their rights will be protected in future.

Alana Bailey, head of the Come Home Campaign, mentions that South African migration legislation has been adjusted the past three years in an effort to prevent illegal immigration via marriages of convenience.  Unfortunately the legislation also makes it much more difficult for legal and mostly highly skilled spouses to settle in South Africa, while illegals are still pouring across the border.

Spouses of citizens who had already spent a year or longer together in a verifiable spousal relationship abroad should in Bailey’s opinion get a residence permit which gives them automatic access to a South African ID number, employment, entrepreneurial and study opportunities.  At present such a relationship has to be longer than five years before the foreign spouse is allowed to apply for permanent residence status (which includes access to an ID number).  The processing of such an application takes additional months or even years.  Meanwhile it is common for employers to refuse to employ highly schooled spouses whose skills are essential for South African economic growth, as the employers simply are not prepared to go through the long-winded work permit application process required by the Department of Home Affairs.  Even if a spouse uses this time to study, a separate study permit application is required for every course taken.  Although foreign residents are required to convert their foreign driver’s licences to South African ones within a year after settling in the country, this is not allowed without a South African ID number.  Even standard transactions such as opening a bank account or getting financing for a vehicle, may be impossible.  “Such regulations and legislation therefore in effect reduces highly schooled adult spouses to dependant minors, which means that their basic human rights are violated and that they can easily be exploited”, adds Bailey.

The Come Home Campaign’s support plan includes the opportunity for foreign spouses to inform the Campaign about their problems in order to find possible solutions.  The support group will henceforth also sensitize the pubic and relevant authorities to the unique challenges facing foreign spouses and lobby for more fair regulation.  Some of the spouses would also like to talk to each other to share tips and frustrations and the Campaign will act as facilitator to put them in contact with each other.  Spouses are most welcome to send email to alana@afriforum.co.za, or visit www.comehome.co.za.

INFORMATION FOR IMMIGRANTS AND PROSPECTIVE REMIGRANTS

In July Annatjie updated our free brochure with information about the cost of living in South Africa, etc.  To receive a free copy in MS Word, please send an email with the subject “lMFO” to alana@afriforum.co.za.

TAX INFORMATION

Fanus Jonck sent useful information on the question –

Are flight tickets tax deductable?  He writes:

More and more South Africans are living abroad and have property in South Africa.  Many of these people decide to invest in property in South Africa and to have a holiday home in South Africa or start to buy a flat or more in South Africa as future pension income.

I have had numerous queries from expatriates asking me if they could deduct their travel costs to South Africa.  The answer is “yes”, it is tax deductible if the travel cost is in the production of income.  If you for example fly to SA to check on repairs, then it is a tax deductible expense.  What normally happens, is that you combine it with a holiday in South Africa.  The South African Revenue Services could therefore assess that only 50% of the ticket was in the production of income.

If you fly to South Africa to come and have a look at a few properties to buy, then your expense will be of a capital nature (and will decrease your capital gains tax liability on selling the property).  The same applies if you have a flat and your previous tenant had left and you are now doing repairs to the property before you let it out again, or if you have just bought it and do repairs before you start to let it out.  The Receiver will deem the repairs as of a capital nature and also your travel costs.  The reason for this is because the expense was to get the flat ready to let it out (an expense in creating an income producing asset).   It might be a good idea if you come to South Africa to view more properties to buy, to keep the brochures of property that was given to you by estate agents and to keep their names.  Also keep any projections made to you regarding the feasibility of the project, how much the rental income in that area would be and how much the rates, insurance, repairs, etc. would cost you.  This will be of use if there are any queries from the Receiver.  These capital costs will be deductible in calculating your capital gain on selling the property.  Any travel cost to South Africa to sell the property is also of a capital nature and will decrease your capital gains tax liability.

Remember that you have to register in South Africa as a provisional taxpayer if your South African rental income is more than R12 000 per year.  The 2007 income tax returns have been issued and must be submitted on or before 31 October 2007.  Please do not hesitate to contact me (tax@jonck.net or 0027-21-9134161) should you have any further tax queries – Kind regards - Fanus Jonck

HELP WANTED

Jannie and Judy are soon returning from Canada to Pretoria.  They would like to hear from anyone returning at the same time and interested in sharing a container with them, shipped from Toronto to Durban.  You may contact them directly at info@gloryofafrica.com.

NEWS FROM THE SA CONGREGATION IN THE UK

The SA Congregation (“SA Gemeente”) in the UK says:

SA Gemeente is an inter-denominal, Christian congregation of mainly Afrikaans-speaking South Africans who are currently residing in the UK.  Currently there are more than 5 000 Christians in our congregation!

We have several service points all over the UK currently managed from four congregations – London, Suidwyk, Noordwyk and Middellande-wyk.  If you are presently living in the UK, or intend to settle here, you definitely have to visit our website at www.sagemeente.com.

MEDICAL SCHEMES

Lucy sent a very relevant question to our medical scheme expert, Ronell Kruger. More questions are most welcome!

Hello, I have a query for you.  My dad lives in South Africa.  Me and my brother live in England and are interested in paying for his health insurance from here.  He is over 60 though and has not been on health insurance.  Is there anything on offer to us?  Kind regards - Lucy

Ronell answers:

Dear Lucy, I understand from you mail that:

  1. Your dad has never been a member of a medical scheme.
  2. Does not suffer from any chronic illness or disease.
  3. Is a pensioner that does not have a monthly income, but is the holder of a SA bank account.

 

If all of the above are correct please keep the following in mind:

  1. All open medical schemes are under obligation by law to accept any person interested in joining the scheme.
  2. To cover the unknown risk the schemes are taking on, they WILL enforce the following on your dad:
  • Late joiner penalty - schemes apply a penalty (in the form of a higher premium) to members over the age of 35 who have not previously and consecutively belonged to a scheme.
  • Impose a condition specific 12 month waiting period for individuals who have not been members of a scheme.
  • A three month waiting period will automatically be enforced.  The three month waiting period means that the member will be expected to pay the full premium for that period, but will not be able to submit any claims.  A 12 month condition specific means that for any specific chronic condition the member suffers from, there will be a 12 month period where no claims relating to that condition will be paid.  The member will be expected to pay the full premium.

Depending on the needs of the member, the following options are available:

  1. Look for a basic option where the member will be able to see a specific service provider as listed by the scheme.
  2. If the member is not prepared to visit a new service provider, look for the option where any service provider/s can be seen.
  3. Make sure that the member know which benefits are available in terms of hospital coverage and also if the member needs to visit specific hospitals only.
  4. Member must know that he will be expected to make use of prescribed medication according to a formulary (this will apply to all but the very top options of all medical schemes in SA).

As there are 49 open medical schemes in the country and Solidariteit Gesondheidsorg (SGS) does not have broker agreements will all, it is not possible for me to forward all the info or to advise you on all.  I suggest that you visit the web pages of a few schemes, which will help you in making an informed choice:

AFRIKAANS COMPUTER

Herewith a most interesting snippet from the newsletter of the Suid-Afrikaanse Akademie vir Wetenskap en Kuns (www.akademie.co.za) of June 2007:

‘n Rekenaar wat kan sê "Goeie more"

Rudolph Barnard is ʼn man wat hou van Afrikaans.  Hy is ook iemand wat hou van rekenaarsagteware en hy is in die finale stadium om ʼn program te ontwikkel, wat volgens Danie Gordin van Microsoft Africa "uniek is in die wêreld".  Rudolph kan ʼn rekenaar laat Afrikaans praat – en meer nog – die "g"-woorde klink soos Afrikaans, nie soos die kenmerkende "Goose" vir Goosen nie!  Waar het dit alles begin?

Rudolph het ongeveer 3,5 jaar in die VSA gebly, maar het so na Afrikaans verlang dat hy begin het om fonetiek op die rekenaar te doen (natuurlik nie dieselfde fonetiek wat ons op skool geleer het nie).  Toe hy besef dat groot organisasies soos Microsoft en AppleMac bykans alle ander tale behalwe Afrikaans na elektroniese stemme omgeskakel het, was daar geen keer nie.  Die "g"-woorde was vir Microsoft onoorkomelik, maar Rudolph het vasgebyt en vandag het sy rekenaar ʼn Afrikaanse woordeskat van 14 000 woorde (hy noem dat hy hard aan die werk is om ʼn verdere 300 000 woorde by te voeg).  Hierdie sagteware skakel teks na stem oor, en hou groot moontlikhede in vir byvoorbeeld die onderrig van gesiggestremdes of kommunikasie met ongeletterde persone.  Dit werk op 'n AppleMac rekenaar, onder Unicode UTF-8 asook UTF-16 lêers, op ʼn UNIX platform, maar vir ons gewone mense is al wat regtig saak maak, dat die rekenaar Afrikaans praat.  Tik bloot ʼn paragraaf in en kies die stem opsie, en ʼn sjarmante damestem praat duidelike Afrikaans – ja, ons het dit self gehoor!

Volgens Rudolph is daar tans ʼn paar beleggers wat in die produk belangstel.  Hy is ook besig met die ontwikkeling van stem-na-teks in Afrikaans, wat ʼn wonderlike hulpmiddel in die besigheidswêreld is, byvoorbeeld vir notules en rekords van samesprekings.  Die toepassingsmoontlikhede van hierdie sagteware is volgens Rudolph baie wyd – ons dink aan stem-aankondigings by lughawens, treine, sportbyeenkomste ensovoorts, veral waar noodsaaklike inligting onmiddellik aan groot groepe oorgedra moet word (wat ook ongeletterdes kan insluit).  ʼn Beheerkamer sou dan die teks op rekenaar tik/ontvang, en dit word per elektroniese stem via ʼn openbare mikrofoonstelsel uitgesaai.

Rudolph vertel van 'n opwindende ontwikkeling deur NASA, genoem sub vocal speech recognition.  “Sub vocal speech recognition is basically the understanding of words without the requirement for sound … reading thoughts not yet spoken, by analysing nerve commands to the throat [released by NASA on March 17, 2004].  A person using the sub vocal system thinks of phrases and talks to himself so quietly, it cannot be heard, but the tongue and vocal chords do receive speech signals from the brain.  Handicapped persons could use this system for a lot of things. The signals are sent to a processor, with special sensors and then to a computer program that translates them into words.  Small, button-sized sensors, stuck under the chin and on either side of the "Adam's apple" could gather nerve signals.”

Rudolph het in sy loopbaan onder andere netwerkinstallasie gedoen by Compensation Law Firm, Florida VSA, verkope by Microdata en was ʼn IT Projekbestuurder by NAMPAK.  Hy het etlike rekenaarkursusse gedoen, maar steeds bly sy groot liefde sy moedertaal.  Lede wat belangstel om meer van die projek te wete te kom, kan kontak maak met Rudolph in Pretoria by 0027-76-5432675 of rudolph.barnard@gmail.com.

TJOKKERVELLETJIES – READING MATTER FOR YOUNG AFRIKAANS READERS

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News for young readers from Johann de Jager of Bent Uitgewers:

"Literêre dermatoloë – gits mens, wat is dit?"  So roep `n vraagvraer uit, en van die kranse af eggo dit terug: "Die lesers van VELLETJIES man, die nuwe, twee keer per maand se elektroniese letterkunste nuusbrief en nou ook TJOKKERVELLETJIES."  Want met die winterslaap, het VELLETJIES se mamma mooitjies vervel.  Nou lê die splinternuwe TJOKKERVELLETJIES op haar rug geabba, langs sy ouboet en bak in die naderende somerson.  Die ouer velletjie word nou `n lyfband om langbroeke bo te hou ...

TJOKKERVELLETJIES is sy ouboet se ewebeeld, maar vir die jôôông jongklomp bedoel, dus vol stories en versies en blokraaisels en inkleurprentjies en soek-die-verskille tekeningkies, spesifiek vir hulle – ons haasbek toekomsies wat ons etos en kultuur eendag moet aanvat soos ʼn aflosstokkie; die outjies wat ons tjokkers noem, en omdat dit VELLETJIES se kortbroek boetie (dalk langvlegsel sussie) is, noem ons hom TJOKKERVELLETJIES.  Na ʼn proefoplaag, het ons reaksie van die omringende volwasse Afrikaanse kranse om ons gekry dat dit nogal opvoedkundige waarde kan besit.  Daaraan sal ons met aandag moet werk, en verwelkom dus deskundiges om ons entoesiasme te help klee (`n vel omsit?).  Kom slaan dus saam drom.

Enquiries may be addressed to Johann at 0027-12-3330330 or bentakom@absamail.co.za.

RESEARCH ABOUT SOUTH AFRICAN EMIGRATION

Pieter de Lange sends his appreciation to all who have already completed his questionnaire and thereby helped with his research.  Here is more information for all who have not heard about it yet.  Pieter says:

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.

Pieter originally went to practise in London as dentist in 1974.  He is currently living in the UK.  To date, more than 200 people have completed his questionnaire and he especially also welcomes people who share their experiences with him in detail.  He is currently busy with research about emigration at institutions such as the Free Market Foundation, Universities of the Free State, and Stellenbosch, SA Institute for Racial Relations and with the assistance of internationally renowned authors such as Hermann Giliomee and R.W. Johnson.  If you are prepared to answer the questionnaire, send an email with the subject QUESTIONNAIRE to de_langepieter@hotmail.com.  All emails will be answered after 10 July 2007.

PROPERTY NEWS

Read more about property matters in South Africa at www.realty-1.co.za.

RELOCATION HELP

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

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

Irma Hurn Visser of Engineering Drawing Office would like to hear from anybody in the engineering of draughting line of work (especially people with Auto Cad and Solid Edge experience). Send your CV to IHurn@Angloplat.com or call her at 0027-83-2278063.

MEDITATION

This month’s meditation is by Rev. Gawie Cloete of Mariental, Namibia.  He can be contacted at 0026-4-63-242143 or gawie@mweb.com.na.

It can be very hard to remain focused.  Just think back to our days as students, either at school or afterwards.  Ever so often our thoughts wandered when we had to concentrate!  So many things lead our thoughts astray.  And I am sure that we also still remember the results of this problem:  Either we had to start studying all over again, or during the exams released that things would not go well ...

In the life of a child of God who has to live in such a manner as to draw others to the Lord, it is not easy either.  Here we also find it hard to concentrate and remain focused on our calling.  Like Paul states to the Christians in Philippi – one has to develop a depth of insight, so that we may be able to discern what is best and of true relevance (Philippians 1:9 & 10).  Fortunately Jesus did not call us to follow Him and then left us to our own devices.  No, He gave us a gGuide – the Holy Ghost.

When things in the world around us lead our attention astray, and I specifically refer to temptations and hardships, the Holy Ghost is there to comfort and reassure us.  When we have to make sure of where we are and where we are going to, He is there to fill us wisdom and insight.  When we have to set things right in our lives, He convinces us of our sins and guides us towards truth.

Yes, you are neither alone, nor helpless.  He who directs you, also gives you the strength necessary for the journey.  We can persevere, for He is with us.  Please join me in prayer now, wherever you are, and ask Him to guide us today.

“I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever— the Spirit of truth ... He lives with you and will be in you.” (John 14:16-18).

 

Spring will arrive in South Africa soon – have a wonderful August!

Alana & colleagues

AfriForum

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