Fact is that SA is still a good place to live if you are in the upper income groups.
Remoak, your statistics may well be correct if you are considering living in a hut in the platteland, a bone through your nose, coal burning stove and a sack tied around your fat little belly... a word of advice:
Research the country before posting meaningless stats. There are two ecomomies in SA, one skews the other in a big way.
I for one am considering emigrating due to the crime, as most SA'ers are, however not everyone has this option, and for ex pats and foreigners to diss SA, and the people that live there is puerile. Most of all, dont criticise people living there, because they live there!
There are many good people in SA, both Black and White trying to make a living and living the dream, crime or no crime. It may or may not happen, but to those who are trying you may be better people than me. I cannot understand why ex pats spend so much time criticising SA instead of trying to integrate into their new lives... the reasons may never be understood!
However, Remoak, if I were going to NZ to work, I would try and make it a positive experience. You clearly are an exceptional person / pilot, with skills that SA has never seen before, and perhaps you will make a success in SA. But a warning, where the Aussies are very intolerant of arrogance and will close doors, South Africans will meet your arrogance head on... we dont have the same big stick hanging over our heads all the time. Tone it down, be grateful that you have this opportunity where there are so many that dont and enjoy SA for all it has to offer. It really is a special place, and the people that are trying to make it work will make you forget all about your ridiculous statistics which make NZ the utopia you make it out to be.