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YOUR BEST OF 2012 Controversial, unusual, crazy... Our readers’ 10 best stories during the past year
T
by HEATHER WALKER
O end off the year, we’ve rounded up our 10 mostread stories during 2012. Read the full stories on www. TheSouthAfrican.com/news.
Don’t lose your citizenship Applying for your British passport but want to retain your SA citizenship? Don’t forget to apply for the retention of your SA citizenship first, or you’ll lose it, the High Commission confirmed. Australian tourist survives bungee accident at Victoria Falls Erin Langworthy, a 22-year-old Australian, wanted to usher in 2012 with an adrenaline rush at Vic Falls, but got far more than she bargained for when her bungee cord snapped on the way down. SA mom gives birth to quadruplets (& twins) Emma Robbins, a South African living in Bristol, gave birth to quadruplets on ‘leap year day’. The four boys were born 11 weeks early, on 29 February. Her pregnancy was conceived naturally, with two of the babies identical twins.
INSIDE:
SA wedding decor trends for 2013 | p12 The ‘Boers in Exile’ protest in London, Julius Malema tells us about his ‘misinterpreted’ views on nationalisation, and quadruplets Rueben, Zachary, Joshua and Samuel keep mom Emma Robbins busy in Bristol. contesting notions of volatility in the country’s politics, went viral in October. FirstRand founder Paul Harris responded to a concerned friend believed to be living overseas.
at a group of Afrikaners caused a sensation when it emerged in April. The ‘Boers in Exile’ had been staging a protest outside the church hall where a Freedom Day event was held.
‘Earn £31k or leave UK!’ In February, UK Immigration Minister Damian Green unveiled a new plan that would see migrants kicked out after five years if they earn less than £31,000 a year.
How many South Africans live overseas? In recent years, for the first time the number of South Africans emigrating to Australia rose above those leaving for the UK. But the UK still leads the way when it comes to the number of SA-born residents.
“Zuma out before Christmas” – An interview with Malema We tracked down Julius Malema for an exclusive interview during his visit to London in July. Malema told us he had come to Britain to speak to people about his economic ideas such as nationalisation, which had been misinterpreted.
‘Don’t stress about SA’: The e-mail that went viral… A letter by a prominent SA businessman, dispelling fears of a South African ‘Arab Spring’ and
‘Kill the Boer’ causes a stir in London A video showing a member of the ANC in London directing a tirade of ‘Kill the Boer’ hate speech
Disclose your UK earnings to SARS? Earlier this year many South Africans living in Britain were outraged to discover that the South
UK Immigration • UK Visas • Permits • EEA visas • Residency • Citizenship • Appeals • Sponsorship Licences South African Immigration
African Revenue Service expects them to declare their worldwide income. “Mandela’s death will trigger mass killing of whites in SA” An anonymous South African posted an ‘Urgent Security Alert’ on the Facebook page ‘South Africans in the UK’. Reminiscent of pre-1994 hysteria in South Africa, it controversially claimed, “Certain sources claim that the day Nelson Mandela dies, this would trigger the mass killings of many non-African South African citizens – prepare to protect your families. Plans have being made by the nation’s Communist Party to slaughter all whites in the country upon his death.” This article sparked a hugely divided response.
Planning a wedding in South Africa next year? The coming year has a few interesting decor trends and innovative ideas using traditional concepts with a few twists.
Census: SA immigration to the UK rises | p2 The number of South Africans living in the UK has risen dramatically between 2001 and 2011, the 2011 census figures for England and Wales show.
Kerfees in Engeland | p6 Soos meeste van ons makkers na SA vlieg is daar van ons wat moet agterbly. Dit is egter nie alles net donker en depressief nie. As jy wel moet agterbly sal jy gou leer dat Engeland in ‘n sprokieswêreld gedurende dié tyd kan verander.
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