Renowned businessman Paul Harris said people who want to leave South Africa for good because they think there is no future in the country should think again.
I have summarised this article, for full release.
Harris is widely celebrated as one of South Africa’s great entrepreneurs, behind some of the country’s most successful businesses.
Harris shared his thoughts about South Africa and emigration during an interview with The Relocated South African podcast, hosted by Jan Hugo.
UN data shows that in 1990, approximately 295,400 South Africans were living internationally. By 2000, it reached 495,000, and by 2010, it rose to 705,000.
In 2020, 900,000 South Africans lived abroad, and this number surpassed 1 million in 2024. This translates to an average of 74 people leaving every day between 2020 and 2024.
Harris is well-positioned to discuss this topic as he previously left South Africa but decided to return and make it his home. “I emigrated. Whatever way you look at it, it takes five years out of your life. Before you go, it is all you think and talk about,” he said.
“When you arrive in the new country, it is a struggle to find where you should live, who you are going to make friends with, and what home you can buy. Going out and getting a more worldly view is important and fantastic. Young people who want to work overseas, go for it,” he said.
“However, if you are leaving South Africa for good because you do not think there is a future here, you should think again.”
He argued that South Africans are resourceful and aspirational and have solved many of the challenges associated with living in South Africa. This includes private security to protect against crime, private education, and private healthcare to bypass poor state hospitals. He admitted that these options are not available to all South Africans and that you need to be wealthy to benefit from them.
However, if you are in this position, the country offers excellent opportunities and gives you the ability to make a real difference in people’s lives.
He gave the example of his daughter, who runs a non-governmental organisation (NGO) that helps young children learn to read.
“She helps 220,000 kids to read. Her network includes 20,000 computers in schools across South Africa, and employs 800 people,” he said.
He said experiencing the excitement of the kids in the townships working on the computers leaves everyone with a tear in their eyes.
“South Africa offers you the opportunity to contribute. It is off a very low base, which means a small thing can make a difference, here is nothing that can replace that for me. An environment where you can make a huge difference. Sadly, many South Africans sit around and complain about the country and its problems”.
He advised, “Forget about that. Get on with it and go and do something, I am not saying for one moment that there are not massive frustrations. However, that is part of the path to achieve something.”
Editor’s comment: I have many friends who have moved overseas, and friends whose children work overseas. The Stats reveal that approximately a third do well and make a success of it: a third get stuck, are miserable, and cannot afford to return; and a third return within a couple of years. “We were very clear about why we wanted to leave but we were unclear about what we were going to, there was much we took for granted; like networks, personal history, culture, familiarity, humour, ability to make a difference, and yes, schooling! We missed those more than we ever appreciated.” (Check out the facebook page ‘Reasons for Returning to South Africa.”
The post Billionaire Paul Harris’s message to people who want to leave South Africa appeared first on The Home Of Great South African News.
Renowned businessman Paul Harris said people who want to leave South Africa for good because they think there is no future in the country should think again.
The post Billionaire Paul Harris’s message to people who want to leave South Africa appeared first on The Home Of Great South African News. Read More
