I see you are looking at SA through those rosy coloured specs that most SA expats wear having left SA in the early 90s. You come here on holidays and experience the splendours of SA of which there are thousands, as you rightly have identified. But what you don't notice in your two-four week holiday is what day to day living in SA is like.
Without going into the negatives, this is something you should start researching more than the "warm summers, rainy winters, generally nice flying conditions. Not to mention great lifestyle, beautiful and unspoilt surroundings" that you speak of.
The only reason, as I see it, to join SAA at this present time is to get a valuable and free type rating, maybe a few thousand hours on type even.
But you appear to already have that opportunity where you are now.
Have you thought about an eventual exit strategy should you, for any reason, not wish to continue flying for SAA in the future? The salary at SAA, whilst seemingly competitive on the surface of it all, is not worth much once converted into Pounds or Euros. What currency are you going to have to convert your hard earned rands into? Also, add to that the difficulty for the average man on the street to haul his life savings out of SA with a meager 2 million Rand foreign investment limit per person, courtesy of the exchange control legislation. When you eventually sell your Stellenbosch "mansion" for 1.8 million Rand, say, what will you be able to buy in Europe for E150 000??
"Obviously I am aware of the political situation and the power situation (hehe) and am sure it will, in time, improve." again you are hanging onto hope here..........has history taught you nothing?
I too have roots in both Africa and Europe, except that I left SA recently, and a lot later in life than you did, subsequently at a much larger cost to my family and me.
As much as my heart pulls me back to Africa, my brain overrides the urge to give up the hard slog for a "scenic" life down south.
The future there simply has to many variables, "if's" and "hopes".
It's great to go back on holidays and enjoy the absolute beauty of SA for 2 or 4 weeks, especially when spending Pounds or Euros, without having to actually live there every day.
All that I'm saying is, look at the whole picture and don't just go on your emotions.
As far as the thread topic goes: To all the Dash 8, J41 , HS748 drivers down there at the moment, go for it, get that jet type rating and see what doors open from there.
