What is New Zealand and Australia like compared to South Africa?

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Zebra

Had to laugh at this. How many murders were there in South Africa last year? Just under 9,000!!! How many in New Zealand, only 88! With 78 of those resolved (the murderers were caught). That's 88 people murdered in NZ & 9,000 in SA!! And not all murders are reported to police in SA so there could be double that for all they know. So the person in post no. 1 has no idea what she is talking about. Most South Africans live in gated communities for their own personal safety. In NZ & Australia we have no concept of living that way.

source re SA murders -
http://www.saps.gov.za/statistics/reports/crimestats/2007/april_sept2007/catagory/murder.pdf

source re NZ murders - http://wdmzpub01.stats.govt.nz/wds/TableViewer/tableView.aspx

Check this out for statistics for murders around the world
http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/cri_mur_percap-crime-murders-per-capita

South Africa is no.2 in the whole world for the most murders! Australia is no. 43, NZ is no. 52.

Crime is worse in Australia than NZ but both are pretty safe countries. Australia seems to have alot of drug crime, maybe because they are so close to Asia, where they import most of it from.

There are loads of South Africans living around me as I live on the North Shore in Auckland, NZ so I know alot of them & work with loads of them also. They laugh at our crime rate here. They don't think we have crime!

South Africa's weather is similar to Australia's. New Zealand is colder, but in the North of the North Island, like Auckland upwards, & on the East Coast of the North Island & in Nelson at the top of the South Island, it can get pretty hot & humid but temperatures aren't much over 30 degrees, whereas Sydney in February can be 40 degrees with 90% humidity. And as for outback Australia - it's more like 50 degrees.

One thing we find about South Africans is that they are not fashionable like us, even in their outlook (they are very sexist but we were the 1st country in the world to give women the vote so it's a shock to meet South Africans & realise they are sexist). Also they are very forthright, even very aggressive some of them. But I guess it's a survival thing with all the crime there & the fact that apparently they have no social welfare system like us & Australia, so in SA if you don't fend for yourself & get a job & look out for no. 1, you could starve to death. All South Africans I've met here said they carried guns back home & even their children did in some cases! Well if there child was maybe 13 or older that is.

New Zealanders are polite & laid back & friendly & helpful. Apparently this is because we are still a new country so we have that pioneering spirit like our ancestors did when they arrived here. I think this is why we are also known for being resourceful & innovative also (NZers have a go at anything, starting a business, crazy & dangerous sports, the arts, etc).

Australians are louder & more abrasive. People in Sydney & Queensland can be vulgar & outspoken & tactless. I know because I lived there for 3 years. I also found them oversexed! In some ways they are alot like Americans! But they take themselves less seriously.

amo amas amat...

having lived in both south africa and new zealand, i would say that the crime rates in new zealand are far lower then south africa. However, cape town (SA) is still a beautiful city and has quite a buzz to it. Beach-wise all 3 destinations have some awesome surf which i would highly recommend!!

DMC

Australia and New Zealand are two great countries to visit I would definitely recommend them!!!!!!!!!
South Africa has an extremely high crime rate - a high proportion of the crimes is actually murders :o

mareeclara

I have never been to SA, but a few south africans I have known say the crime rate etc is much lower and the security is much greater in SA.....
There are a few similarities with all 3 countries in the people ( as I found out when I lived in England for a while!!!) in interests and how you live etc.

I guess there are some lovely places to visit in SA that you don;t get in NZ or OZ but I guess its the lifestyle, cost of living etc which you chose./

Ronald P

Paradise is the word to describe New Zealand and Australia. I have been to all three and I loved New Zealand and Australia. South Africa is a beautiful place, but has to much crime. I was at each place while I was in the military.

Doris

Far better than SA. Still alot of crime, and far less.

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