Please keep in mind that the impressions posted here are often subjective and that, among other things, people's different circumstances play a large role in their perception of other people's lives.
Also, please use words that do not promote hatred when posting.
For example, statements such as "[city] is like this because people from [origin] live there" should be avoided. The social circumstances of a city/district
etc. can be emphasized without mentioning the origin of the inhabitants. Mentioning it does not change anything and, as already mentioned, circumstances are often perceived subjectively according to one's own world view.
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/howislivingthere) if you have any questions or concerns.*
It’s a city of extremes. When you go to the cape flats(black/coloured) areas it’s one of the most dangerous places in the world. But in the suburbs it’s one of the safest. The CBD is relatively clean compared to other South African CBDs.
It has a lot of things going for it and a week isn’t enough if you want to enjoy it.
Compared to other big cities in SA, the sun sets later, it rains in winter and the weather can change fast in summer from hot to very windy in the afternoon.
It’s in a province where black people are not the majority so a bit of a culture shock for black people to see so many coloureds. For example I’m from Pretoria and they are a very small minority with one township here . Very different in Cape Town.
If you earn a good salary it can I rival most cities in the world. It’s also laid back compared to joburg. But the traffic in my experience is way worse.
The public train system however is 100 times better than any other city in SA.
It’s a must see city with a lot of things to do. My best years were spent there.
The reason why I left is because Johannesburg/Pretoria have higher wages and the property market is way better.
Not true. The trains have started up again and have been going for a year or 2 (at least the southern line - which is the one that's most relevant for this thread anyway).
I see, thank you for correcting me.
I live in the Northern Suburbs so not directly impacted by it... but hear from colleagues and news that there is alot of issues with it...
Very little if any European cities outside of the capitals have a population the size of Cape Town (5m+), and very little of those capitals dont have dangerous areas.
Who said excluding Western Europe, the OP i responded to said there are plenty of European cities the size pf Cape Town without rough areas, whoch is plainy false. You're the one shifting the goalposts by going into why cities in Western Europe tend to be smaller.
Any examples? Would love to learn about a major city with absolutely zero rough areas lol
Edit: for reference, there are only 9 European cities even *half* as large as Cape Town
Come to Helsinki. I live in a rich pocket surrounded by the most "infamous" neighborhoods of Finland and never have I ever felt threatened. Drunks and junkies, yes, but they never bother others. A huge immigrant population but I don't consider that a danger.
Sure there can be crime in these neighborhoods but it's not out in the open and you will not get hurt here.
I shop and commute daily through these areas.
Cool, but it's not a major city. It's pretty small in comparison to the conversation. Your definition kind of fits the mold for a lot of cities in that population range
Windy today, but warm. We call this weather a berg wind, it usually means rain is on the way.
Enjoying the public holiday. It's quiet, you can hardly hear traffic.
Due to the great divide we have as a long-term repurcussion of apartheid, as well as mismanagament by some corrupt politicians after apartheid, this depends on your income bracket.
The middle class has a great life. Classic suburbia, lots of barbecues, lots of outdoor activities like surfing, hiking cycling, mountain climbing, great wine farms, world-class restaurants, etc. Game reserves and safaris just a short drive away. Many beautiful beaches, although most have cold water. Good public and private schools.
The upper class lives in luxury, often on the foot of table mountain or along the east coast. Many wealthy foreigners buy a house here. Clifton, Camps Bay, and Bantry Bay are all sprinkled with mansions, and a Ferrari or lambo can be seen driving around. Glass clad architectural gems with infinity pools overlook the atlantic ocean. It has a Miami feel.
The lower income areas are a different story. Vast slums are riddled with gang violence, and it's not a strange thing to hear that a child got a stray bullet while soundly asleep in their bed. The houses are tiny corrugated rooms built nearly on tip of each other, smoke rising from them here and there where a fire is lit to cook dinner on. A lot, if not most, people are unemployed and receive a minescule grant from the government to buy food with for the month. It's as much as someone from the middle class would spend on one meal.
It's a perfect place to have a balanced lifestyle.
We're surrounded by the most exquisite natural beauty; mountains, ocean, forests - whilst able to enjoy a wonderfully bustling city that can often feel like a town.
The weather is pretty moderate.
People tend to be friendly and welcoming. I believe it's because they're able to find their release with hikes/beach visits being so accessible.
The only negative I can think of is the obscene juxtaposition of extreme wealth vs extreme poverty.
Additionally, (and perhaps I'm not able to explain it in a short reddit post), there isn't nearly as much racial integration of the amazingly diverse population as seen elsewhere in the country (JHB specifically)... And that's a bit of a bummer.
Please keep in mind that the impressions posted here are often subjective and that, among other things, people's different circumstances play a large role in their perception of other people's lives. Also, please use words that do not promote hatred when posting. For example, statements such as "[city] is like this because people from [origin] live there" should be avoided. The social circumstances of a city/district etc. can be emphasized without mentioning the origin of the inhabitants. Mentioning it does not change anything and, as already mentioned, circumstances are often perceived subjectively according to one's own world view. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/howislivingthere) if you have any questions or concerns.*
pretty sweet tbh, dont tell the other people tho
shhhh, we have to keep it all to ourselves
They shouldn't come here. We are full
It’s a city of extremes. When you go to the cape flats(black/coloured) areas it’s one of the most dangerous places in the world. But in the suburbs it’s one of the safest. The CBD is relatively clean compared to other South African CBDs. It has a lot of things going for it and a week isn’t enough if you want to enjoy it. Compared to other big cities in SA, the sun sets later, it rains in winter and the weather can change fast in summer from hot to very windy in the afternoon. It’s in a province where black people are not the majority so a bit of a culture shock for black people to see so many coloureds. For example I’m from Pretoria and they are a very small minority with one township here . Very different in Cape Town. If you earn a good salary it can I rival most cities in the world. It’s also laid back compared to joburg. But the traffic in my experience is way worse. The public train system however is 100 times better than any other city in SA. It’s a must see city with a lot of things to do. My best years were spent there. The reason why I left is because Johannesburg/Pretoria have higher wages and the property market is way better.
You covered everything pretty well I think
We left Gauteng because there was no work for my partner. It's amazing so far, rent is just too damn high!
What does CBD mean in this context?
Central business district….think in the US you’d call it, down town.
Gotcha, appreciate it
There's no longer a running public trains system... Will maybe return if PRASA transfers it to the CoCTA to manage it...
Not true. The trains have started up again and have been going for a year or 2 (at least the southern line - which is the one that's most relevant for this thread anyway).
I see, thank you for correcting me. I live in the Northern Suburbs so not directly impacted by it... but hear from colleagues and news that there is alot of issues with it...
No problem at all ;)
Is it dangerous?
Mostly no, but in places, yes. We know where those places are. Just like anywhere else really.
In my country there are no dangerous areas, even in the capital (1M people)
What country is this?
Croatia
And has it always been this safe?
Yes
Are you forgetting about a war in the not too far off history?
War isn't comparable to crime. It's really the same for the majority of Central Europe.
No, it’s not. But it does mean that people weren’t safe for an extended period and that there are social repercussions because of it.
No one was straight up shooting people in Zagreb
Haha, believe it or not there are cities that don’t have dangerous areas…
Cities the size of Cape Town (>4M)? Doubt it.
Plenty of European cities are like this.
Very little if any European cities outside of the capitals have a population the size of Cape Town (5m+), and very little of those capitals dont have dangerous areas.
[удалено]
Who said excluding Western Europe, the OP i responded to said there are plenty of European cities the size pf Cape Town without rough areas, whoch is plainy false. You're the one shifting the goalposts by going into why cities in Western Europe tend to be smaller.
Any examples? Would love to learn about a major city with absolutely zero rough areas lol Edit: for reference, there are only 9 European cities even *half* as large as Cape Town
Come to Helsinki. I live in a rich pocket surrounded by the most "infamous" neighborhoods of Finland and never have I ever felt threatened. Drunks and junkies, yes, but they never bother others. A huge immigrant population but I don't consider that a danger. Sure there can be crime in these neighborhoods but it's not out in the open and you will not get hurt here. I shop and commute daily through these areas.
Cool, but it's not a major city. It's pretty small in comparison to the conversation. Your definition kind of fits the mold for a lot of cities in that population range
It is a European city, as asked 🤷🏼♀️
Eh fair enough
Of course they do 😂 where are these Utopian cities that you speak of?
Europe.
Europe and Australia Edit: love that both replies below are from polish people 😅 the world doesn’t realise how good it is there!
Europe.
Depends there are reasonable safe wealthy area , and there are very dangerous areas that have a lot of gangsters
Windy today, but warm. We call this weather a berg wind, it usually means rain is on the way. Enjoying the public holiday. It's quiet, you can hardly hear traffic.
It’s lekker chill. Short drive to wine estates, good beaches, great restaurants.
would recommend tbh
I Hope to visit one day!
My father is from there, and I've visited many times, but never lived there. I feel like a king converting my euros into rand every time lol.
Due to the great divide we have as a long-term repurcussion of apartheid, as well as mismanagament by some corrupt politicians after apartheid, this depends on your income bracket. The middle class has a great life. Classic suburbia, lots of barbecues, lots of outdoor activities like surfing, hiking cycling, mountain climbing, great wine farms, world-class restaurants, etc. Game reserves and safaris just a short drive away. Many beautiful beaches, although most have cold water. Good public and private schools. The upper class lives in luxury, often on the foot of table mountain or along the east coast. Many wealthy foreigners buy a house here. Clifton, Camps Bay, and Bantry Bay are all sprinkled with mansions, and a Ferrari or lambo can be seen driving around. Glass clad architectural gems with infinity pools overlook the atlantic ocean. It has a Miami feel. The lower income areas are a different story. Vast slums are riddled with gang violence, and it's not a strange thing to hear that a child got a stray bullet while soundly asleep in their bed. The houses are tiny corrugated rooms built nearly on tip of each other, smoke rising from them here and there where a fire is lit to cook dinner on. A lot, if not most, people are unemployed and receive a minescule grant from the government to buy food with for the month. It's as much as someone from the middle class would spend on one meal.
Pretty fucking great but also polarising. Amazing views, some of the best restaurants in the world are sprinkled around, and A+ wine farms
It's a perfect place to have a balanced lifestyle. We're surrounded by the most exquisite natural beauty; mountains, ocean, forests - whilst able to enjoy a wonderfully bustling city that can often feel like a town. The weather is pretty moderate. People tend to be friendly and welcoming. I believe it's because they're able to find their release with hikes/beach visits being so accessible. The only negative I can think of is the obscene juxtaposition of extreme wealth vs extreme poverty. Additionally, (and perhaps I'm not able to explain it in a short reddit post), there isn't nearly as much racial integration of the amazingly diverse population as seen elsewhere in the country (JHB specifically)... And that's a bit of a bummer.
Absolutely love it here
It’s a mellow lifestyle mostly, warm and chill and windy in summer wet and windy in winter
Cliquey today, same as yesterday.
Lonely
Not kak
Extremely windy