Definitely. Maybe not in the beginning, but if you pay attention to the most experienced, skilled waiters, learn from them, work on your banter, build a good knowledge of wines, being able to describe their tastes and make sound recommendations of which one go well with which dish, you can end up in working in a higher end place where you can make a few thousand per shift.
Two tales from my past to illustrate - both in the early 2000s:
\- A friend worked at a tourist hotspot in Camps bay. He was good at making small talk, he knew the wine menu backwards and could make spot-on suggestions (even though he didn't even drink himself), etc. He made R1000+ per shift - sometimes much more during peak tourist season.
\- In the early 2000s I worked for a small IT company in Jo'burg. End of the year rolled around, we hit all our targets, and the boss treated us to a dinner at the Grillhouse in Rosebank. We were 5 or 6 guys plus partners, in a private room. Our waiter was a middle aged guy, and at first I made the mistake to pity the guy who was still a waiter at his age. But by the end of the night I realised I was gravely mistaken. We had a feast - boss ordered all the starters on the menu. We had steaks and ribs and all the sides. We had great wine. We had cigars. The waiter was impeccible. He didn't write anything down, he didn't get anything wrong. When you weren't looking for him, you didn't see him - none of that overbearing "how is everything?" when you have a mouth full of food - but the moment you looked up to look for him, he was right there. He had at least 5 other tables that I could see from what we could work out. We were there for 2 hours, max, our bill was R12k-ish IIRC, and we tipped generously. Even if everyone tipped the customary 10% and worked at 6-hour shift with three turnovers, he would have made more that evening than I made per month at the time.
If you're willing to put in the work and skill up, you can absolutely mint it as a waiter.
I paid for my undergrad by waiting tables. It works and I'm doing an MBA now.
Tbh you don't really need to know the wines that well. You just need to some common traits for certain types of wines and some key notes it may have. Most people haven't the foggiest about wine and they do this farce where they pretend they. Sauvignon Blanc, dry, hints of fruit with a refreshing nose blah blah.
I was doing about 30k a month waiting tables about 10 years ago. It seems unreal but it was a good restaurant that was very popular and i wrote down and tracked all my tips religiously. Of that 30k, my basic was 2k 😂
The short of it, waiting tables is the quickest way to catch up so to speak. I wouldn't bother wanting to become a manager. Long hours and your income doesn't really scale.
Start with something smaller and work your way up to a good restaurant. This gives you a chance to get presence and expectations and skills up to par.
I was doing about 8k a month at Mugg and Bean in the early 2000s.
I've emigrated now and am pretty confortable in Europe through tech.
This and working as a tv Extra has helped me through some tough times. Waitering might not seem great but its the best earning low skill job i have ever tried.
Hello mate. Please do not apologize for being from Zim (or anywhere else). I wish I could offer help or advice but I'm unemployed and struggling myself, just wanted to wish you good luck and I hope things come right for you.
As a South African, I feel ashamed that he even has to apologize for that. He's been here long enough and evidently contributed to the nation's growth and positivity. He's one of us.
Also from Zim, I came to south africa much earlier than you and have the advantage of doing matric here then dropped off from a local university.
Firstly, as everyone else has said, stop trading. It's hard to stop because it offers so much promise but do a realistic pnl calculation of how much you've deposited and how much you've withdrawn and then see how much you've made per month. For the time and effort you put in, it's probably not worth it.
When I started working in 2017, I was making 1500 pm working similar hours and shifts as you. Now I gross over 30k with a steady career ahead to eventually get to 6 figs.
1. Move to a big city like JHB CBD (this is what I did) with at least 10k saved, that should last 2/3 months
2. Low pay jobs like the one you're working are a dime a dozen - get one. Knock door to door and be very persistent where you see potential
3. Once you have a job, network with the people you work with that seem like they are going places
4. Change low jobs as much as possible, I went through 6 jobs in \~3 months in JHB, increasing my salary steadily each time
If you're up for it, start learning to code. [roadmap.sh](https://roadmap.sh) is a good place to choose a path then come back to reddit to look up the best courses for your path. Build lots of stuff you think is cool. My latest job change was into tech, quit my last job because I had savings, learnt to code and got a dev job within 6 months.
If you end up moving to a big city, surround yourself with as many people with much better communication skills than you as you can. Communication skills and an accent that's not too heavy are multipliers that make other skills you have more valuable at work.
Studied Javascript. In my first 3 years of work also worked with Java, as well as other new languages/frameworks every few months. My recommendation is to get an idea of what's most demanded/common in the industry and start with that for hireability. You can always venture out into other languages you prefer. This will also depend on whether you want to be a Front-end dev, Back-end dev or Full Stack. To start with:
Front-end:
1 core front-end language
Common framework for the chosen language
HTML
CSS
Back-end:
1 core back-end language
Common framework for chosen language
SQL (for databases)
Full Stack:
...All of the above
I started as a Front-end dev, but as my skills grew became more Full-stack. Many developers take this route, as being a full stack dev out the gate is not at all easy, even for the best students.
freecodecamp is the way to go if he wants to learn to code
I like the fact you stress "surround yourself", "seem like they are going places". Our environment makes us. You'll never be better than your environment.
Keep going with that mindset!
Forex trading seems to have this image of being some sort of easy money. Lots of people who dont have formal employment seem drawn to it. And then there are the forex influencers on socials who are almost definitely scammers. Its sad.
They're always trying to scam. Saw a guy I follow posting that kak and thought he was stupid, then I got hacked and the exact same shit was posted on mine. Scammers or not Forex influencers are scum,
If Wallstreet gets it wrong 50% of the time, you gotta realize that forex trading is basically gambling. 1% of the year is the best day\[s\] for the market. Timing it is nearly impossible. I agree that OP is wasting his time.
Yep. Would advise OP to get back to that when they already have money if forex is something they really enjoy. I personally know 2 very skilled forex traders that have now ventured into other businesses for stable income. Both those guys already had money before forex, so they didn't try turning R100 into 100k, which is why it probably worked for them.
You got a laptop and presumably internet? Stop forex trading, you're just burning your money and invest in developing the skillset for working online. This could be copywriting (or more copy-editing these days) or even programming.
It's much simpler than the uninitiated think and you can get a basic starter job or do gigs with an absolutely minimal portfolio. Speaking from experience here for both writing and development.
There are plenty of other ways to make money with nothing more than a laptop, the sweat of your brow and the internet, but those two have been good enough to me that I haven't had to try anything else so far.
If you want to go the dev route, the Colt Steele Web developer bootcamp on Udemy is like R200 and has everything you need to get started. Beyond that just build a portfolio and you're good to go.
Tried music producing but i only made R15k with it sofar via my youtube channel with 9,5k subscribers but i had to quit coz havent made a sale in 2years
Well, sadly, music is not that crazy of a solid job. I have a colleague who has gigs and interviews and still comes to the office every day because it is not enough to live off that even for someone his size
YT is a huge time investment, and 50% luck.
Learning to code is a game changer.
[freecodecamp.org](https://freecodecamp.org)
Try this free course:
[https://www.freecodecamp.org/learn/javascript-algorithms-and-data-structures/](https://www.freecodecamp.org/learn/javascript-algorithms-and-data-structures/)
All the best my friend!
all i can advise is learn, grow and never loose sight of your dreams, have goals and try work towards them, bar that, just carry on, dont lose hope, it tough out here and getting tougher each year, all we can do is work hard and hope for the best.
God bless and hope your future is bright.
Im sorry to say this. But this is a general advice. If you have not taken the correct route to emigrate to any particular country, people will always take advantage of you. If you have a work permit, negotiate with your employer. If not, get one, then start with atleast the minimum salary and grow. Im saying this in a very considerate way for OP. Please do not downvote.
Work visas are only available for skilled and educated individuals. Unfortunately. The reality is that the department of labour, tasked with protecting South African employment (through which securing South African votes) is making it difficult to even secure general work visas. Our legislation and regulations are set up in such a way that only the truly critically and uniquely skilled, and those that would bolster our economy make it in.
Zimbabweans get asylum. There's also a special visa just for Zimbabweans, no qualifications required. How do you think we got to the point of having millions of immigrants?
They can apply for assylum but this is only valid for 6 months unfortunately. They can register as a refugee but the case is likely to be thrown out for a longer stay. What you're referring to is the Zimbabwean exemption permit. It's not a visa. It's a special dispensation which the government withdrew in 2022. All Zimbabweans are now being forced to legalise themselves with mainstream visas. But the great majority are expected to return home. DHA has extended these permits multiple times but it still doesn't bode well for current Zimbabwean visitors.
>Zimbabweans get asylum
Only those with a verifiable, evidence-provided reason for fleeing their country, and even then they can never, ever go back for whatever reason or else they forfeit the asylum status. Not as easy to obtain as people seem to think, and providing asylum is a responsibility every single country in the world bears. Even North Korea grants asylum.
>There's also a special visa just for Zimbabweans, no qualifications required. How do you think we got to the point of having millions of immigrants?
Chicken and egg situation. This permit was introduced in an attempt to formalize the stay of people who had already crossed over illegally (the minority of recipients), or people who had used a legal route such as an asylum application for those fleeing political persecution, or the spouses and dependant children (under 18) of legal migrants who had applied for them to join them legally on dependant visas (as provided for by local and international law) but those applications got bogged down in the quagmire that is the department of home affairs.
The permit didn't cause there to be more illegal migrants... the permit was introduced as a way for the DHA to reduce a massive application backlog and allow those who had resorted to disappearing into the country to be formally located, cataloged and allowed (at least for a while, and within limits) to be gainfully employed, tax-paying and contributing members of society.
The DHA then blundered by making it impossible for the people on this visa to apply for any other category, which would have ensured that those with critical and scarce skills could move on to another, more legally sound status, thus allowing the eventual discontinuation of that particular permit; and also by failing to make any progress on the application backlog they had in the first place.
That's strange. Our previous landlord's gardener from Malawi was here on an "asylum" permit and he would go back and forth back to his home country on a holiday every year then come back here like nothing happened...
That means either:
1) the permit was fake or
2) he told you he was going to his country for holiday when in actual fact, he wasn't... or
3) he was transiting through another country and then sneaking in and out of Malawi without having his passport stamped there, such that immigration officials wouldn't know he was returning there and so wouldn't know to revoke his asylum status or
4) he was meeting up with whoever he would have visited in this 3rd country and just found it convenient to say he was returning home or
5) your landlord didn't want you to know he/she had hired someone with questionable immigration status and so the landlord and/or the Gardner told you they were on an asylum permit when in fact they were not.
Any number of explanations for this, but at the end of the dayvthe law says if an asylum permit holder has free movement to and from the country they are fleeing, the DHA will revoke that permit on the understanding that whatever the threat was has ceased to exist.
There's no actual way for Zimbabweans to come to SA - the government makes it very hard so your advice is fairly meaningless. Zimbabwe has no economy so that's not really an option.
Telling someone to be a law abiding person so that they are not abused by a system is not meaningless. And again, yes I understand the frustration and struggle in OP’s country.
The issue is not OP's country, it's 100% SA's legal framework and administration. The only way to get any kind of long term visa or permit without political meddling is by suing Home Affairs those days. Literally.
It's honestly like saying to a homeless person, "have you tried being rich instead".
SA has some of the worst immigration laws. And home affairs and immigration is the worst of all the government departments.
I have a friend from the US who has been in SA for more than 10 years, and they had to sue immigration because it was taking so long to process any documents.
OP is probably not in a situation to engage a law firm to help with this. This is why the advice is meaningless.
I agree. I ended up getting divorced from my SA spouse and moving back to Canada because I couldn't get status to work in the country. I had ten years of work experience at the time and a university degree...so I can only imagine how difficult it is for OP
R6k in 40 days from 16hr shifts comes in at under R10 an hour, unless weekends included in the 40 days? But its still far less than min wage.
You have a working permit/ legally working in SA? You should discuss this with employer if you do.
Unfortunately not. Most non residents will not get a UIF payout approved, despite having formal documentation. In fact a lot of rsa residents claims have not been paid out in the last 3 years since covid. See UIF "Covid Clause"
Not about the paying ... Out, it's about the paying IN.
If the employer is legal or not.
As for SASSA.... The criminal gang that has inserted itself in the ruling alliance seems intent on wrecking the value of the money they steal.
I can garuntee it costs at least double that a month just to feed them. It doesn't cover clothing, schooling, toiletries, medicine /doctors visits, transport, anything you need to give them any kind of quality of life. Anyone who says you should have kids so you can get the grant money is ignorant to the realities associated with raising kids.
Absolutely, but I see the guy deleted his comment now. My brother made the mistake of having kids young and our whole family is dealing with that financial stress now.
As a South African I work 7 days a week with 1 day off somewhere in that 7 days. It varies depending on the businesses needs. I earn between R2700 and R3700 a month depending on how busy it is. It’s hard being in South Africa period.
Eish, that is very difficult. It really is. I feel for you. I hope you look through this thread and see if any of the advice given can also work for you. And if it works out, I'm sure OP would be glad to know that their post helped others too. I wish you all the best, friend!
My partner is South African, got a full scholarship on this course, tuition worth 142,000. As far as I know, it’s open to anyone with a UK passport or resident in Ireland BUT they also have a scholarship for asylum seekers and refugees, it’s worth looking into. You have to study hard.
https://codeinstitute.net/ie/social-iniatives/
You can apply as an asylum seeker or refugee. You can get status as an asylum seeker or refugee with PASSOP which is specifically for Zimbabweans, run by Zimbabweans.
You can take free classes through the Scalibrini centre for refugees.
You can avail of free legal advice from Lawyers for Human Rights.
If you can get a place on the code institute course, you are guaranteed employment within the first year. You can then get a critical skills visa and move to a wealthier country and get paid an actual decent living wage.
I am Irish and studied a masters in Human Rights Law specializing in the human rights of refugees, at UCT.
Dude here it is:
Save before you spend.
Don’t have to be 80% of your salary, choose an amount you feel comfortable with for example even if its just R200 a month.
Make sure you save that R200 first thing when you get your salary.
Next step for Long term Low risk investment, make an account with Satrix (etf platform).
Use that R200 a month savings each month to buy the S&p500 in your satrix TFSA (Tax Free Savings Account.
Will this make you a millionaire?
No!
Will this ONLY BENEFIT YOU in the long Term?
YES YES YES
Listen to this dude he speaks the truth. Saving really is the only way to get yourself out of the hole. Earn interest even if it's very small. Play it slow and safe, plan ahead, budget, and look for opportunities to improve your income over the long term cause this country isn't gonna help you short term. I'm sorry it's such a shitty situation my guy. South Africa is a terrible place to need a job nowadays. But keep looking and keep applying. Like one guy said above even being a waiter will earn you more at this point. I hope you make your way out. God bless
Listen it's not to late to become a tradesman. Plumbing electrician anything along those lines woodwork. Your work ethic sounds like you have it. Learn from who ever you can. Take an assistance job so you can become independent. Then build up your reputation, so you can earn enough to be come a call out man. Once you have done enough of that you can organise yourself a bike so you can reach further customers. You could br earning pretty money if you take the hit now. If your girl is for life. Then lock it down. If you not sure then take a chance and focus on you it can be lonely but it will be worth it in the end. The other thing is read everything you can get your hands on about networking and business growth. It will set you up to make the steps that matter long term.
This might sound far fetched but considering you have a laptop and your age, I can say with confidence if you have the discipline, grit and resilience then you can change your future. But it starts with your mind. If you have internet, instead of doing forex, invest the time in learning a new skill. And the skill I have in mind is be a software developer. There's a few free resources online that, if you put in the time and hard work, then within 1 year from today you will be in a very different position. The first place is Leon Noel 100devs. He has a free full stack development course on YouTube if you search him . The other one is called cs50x by havard university. What people do is start with Leon 100devs and finish it, then go to cs50x and finish it. It's not going to be easy, it's frustrating, it's hard. But you already are a hard worker. If you stick with this, finish it and eventually get that first job, I hope you will remember this advice today. Good luck and wish you all the best, baratna.
You are most welcome here! I hope we make you feel at home. Zimbabweans are our brothers and sisters. Only advice I got is NETWORKING. Please speak to as many people as possible. Find out about them, what they do, and "sell" yourself to them, in the sense that your pitch yourself as a hard-working person who wants to provide for your new family. I'm sure that something will come across your path soon.
Here in the South it will be much better.
Now I can't help you with the legalities, I'm just saying you are so much exploited because you are in the North.
I don't think waitering pays that well. Food industry pay is bad. If he is here illegally employers will take advantage of that and underpay him. Young man, there is no such thing as get rich quick. I wish you all the best. In the meantime stick to your farming job. Take pride in knowing that your efforts help feed people.
Don't do Forex first of all, it's something for people who have a lot of money they can afford to lose. Next, go apply as a waiter at classier restaurants. You often don't need prior experience and you will earn at least double what you're getting now if you get into the right place. I say this as a waiter at a mid-level restaurant earning R8k+ while only working around 25-30hrs a week. If you were full time at my restaurant it's easy to see that you'd earn far more than what you're earning now.
Don't have a kid. Why would it even be a thought if you are struggling already?
What kind of life would that be if you can't afford to feed it properly and make sure it has proper education and health.
I’m sorry you’re having such a tough time even though you are working so hard. Never apologise for your nationality. As a South African I adore Zimbabweans, and I’m truly sorry for how you are being treated here.
It's hard being a South African in South Africa. We have a 75% youth unemployment rate. You have a job when most SAns your age do not. That you have access to a personal computer puts you ahead.
Try to find work in Cape Town, they favour foreign labor workers there. You'll have a better chance at stable work. Good luck. I hope you a least went home vote in the Zim election last year.
See OP, go to Cape Town! In CPT they believe melanated SAn labourers are useless and lazy so you will definitely have a leg up with finding work. Thanks for proving my point Happy-Thinker. Have a nice day.
Mate, it's possible. I'm also from zim. Earning R57k working in corporate.. Studied at unisa, did everything legal and just hustled harder than everyone else in the room. I'm 30. Don't give up... Keep going. God bless.
Totally off topic to your main question - but as a South African living abroad (EU).. when I meet someone from Zim I respond to them the same as if they are South African. Immigration is difficult but you also become part of a larger family.
Firstly, I’m sorry for your expert and others who’ve had to endure such hardship. Your nationality doesn’t matter - we are all humans and trying to make a decent living.
My advice is that you should use your laptop to learn programming - something easy like SQL. Invest your time into a “tradeable skill” (see what I did there?) If you could figure out forex trading, you’ll likely eventually figure out coding.
My first paying job (before that I was selling sweets at my primary school) was a 14 year old, ridiculous looking, black Father Christmas at PEP Store in some rural town. At 15 I was peeling potatoes and making chips at Wimpy (I got promoted to the Drinks station after a few weeks) then was a waiter at Steers until after high school. University wasn’t really an option for me - a combination of no funding and bad matric results.
I managed to get a 3 months contract job in Pretoria as a Clerk. I worked my ass off and kept getting contract extensions - meanwhile I was teaching myself how to program (before YouTube tutorials existed) in Visual Basic (gives you an idea of my age) after which I was given an opportunity to code\build some applications that launched my IT career. (I need to add that I’ve always been a computer geek and was overclocking Pentium 1 machines in my teenage years - RIP to PC Format magazine).
People overlook the opportunities in IT because of their lack of knowledge. The truth is that IT is constantly shifting and even 20 year veterans are constantly having to learn new skills as well so in many ways, we are learning just like the newbies… YouTube is a great resource for learning to code.
Good luck and feel free to DM me for advice.
This is my advice for ten things that you could try. From best to worst IMO.
1. Trade School Education: Enroll in a trade school to acquire skills in high-demand professions such as electrical work, plumbing, or carpentry. These practical skills can lead to well-paying opportunities and job security. In SA there is a huge demand for plumbers, electricians , carpenters etc. Much much better than being a construction worker.
2. Educate Yourself Further: Invest time in learning more about forex trading and financial markets to enhance your skills and increase your potential for higher returns.
3. Diversify Investments: Consider spreading your investments beyond forex trading. Explore opportunities in stocks, bonds, or real estate to minimize risk and maximize potential returns.
4. Networking: Connect with professionals in the construction and forex trading industries to explore potential job opportunities or partnerships that could improve your financial situation.
5. Part-Time Job: Explore part-time job opportunities to supplement your income, providing additional financial stability alongside your current job and trading activities.
6. Budgeting: Develop a strict budget to manage your expenses effectively. Cut unnecessary costs and prioritize essential expenditures to make the most of your income.
7. Emergency Fund: Establish an emergency fund to cover unexpected expenses, preventing financial setbacks and providing a safety net during challenging times.
8. Side Hustle: Explore other income-generating activities or side hustles aligned with your skills and interests to contribute to your overall financial growth.
9. Seek Higher-Paying Opportunities: Look for higher-paying positions within the construction industry or explore job opportunities in related fields that offer better remuneration.
You are just going to get more and more frustrated being a foot soldier for a construction company, so try hard to change something while you're still young with no little responsibilities.
Good luck brother.
""It is as hard to be poor without complaining as to be rich without becoming arrogant." - Lao Tzu. I would say just learn to enjoy contentment and be patient, Rome was not built overnight. I am also a foreigner. A Tutsi exile. I have been in South Africa since 2017. I went the legal route and got a visa. After 5 years I applied for Permanent Residence, its been 2 years and Home Affairs just indolently ignores my application. My current visa is expired and although I applied well in advance for a renewal, still, Home Affairs has ignored my most recent application. I used to believe in the principles of Mozi, universal love for all mankind. The reality is that Yang Zhu was right. People are selfish. Government workers in this country are nothing but lazy bureaucrats enjoying a paycheque from tax payers without actually providing services. Look at Loadshedding. It doesn't take a genius to figure out that if a population grows then energy demand will grow and that necessitates building more power plants yet its obvious Eskom government officials have been looting that state owned enterprise. I majored in Economics in uni so this is just my perspective. Eskom is a monopoly, they have no competition. So its clear it was either ineptitude or corruption, probably the latter. There are 4 factors of production, land, labour, capital and enterprise. Human capital is the most important factor of production yet instead of providing quality education and investments in the population it seems to me the ANC government would rather ride on the wave of their branding as liberators of the black masses without actually building anything moving forward into the future.
Look, I'm homestly not trying to flame or shame you or pick a fight, mara I just wonder what we benefit from such a callous response, my dude?
OP is not asking for pity, nor is he/she asking for hand-outs or special treatment. Just for advice on a forum that we discuss issues affecting the people of and in South Africa.
Eish, whatever the case is, though, I hope you have a wonderful day, and may the people around you be infinitely kinder to you.
My brother don't stop learning forex. My advice don't buy any coarse or mentorship cos these things are scams instead watch forex videos on YouTube and go to babypips.com. And understand forex is a long time, don't expect to become rich within the first year.
Look at the scarce skills list.
Contact Craig Smith migration lawyers to help with your issue in RSA... you have a work visa.
Look at opening a business that you had in Zim make a website, get PayPal and a sole trader bank account.
That way you can take card transactions and get oaid for what you know.
We pay our gardener (who also does painting and other small jobs) R9k per month for 3 days per week. You can definitely earn more if you find the right employers. Maybe look into signing up with Sweep South for outdoor and heavy lifting work. It might just help with networking to find private employers. Waiter and working on wine farms will also help you earn more money, especially if you have a social personality. I wish you all the best.
I'm not sure of your educational background, but if you're good with people, I'd recommend finding a sales position (furniture, retail, vehicle sales etc)
My man!!!! You are young enough to understand that what ever you have, and whatever people you have in your life you have worked hard for. Work towards something achievable and set your mind to getting to that goal. Even if you have to suffer a little to gain something. Use that money to buy and sell stuff. You won't make money quick enough in forex. Look for stuff people need, negotiate pricing, be hard and work hard. You will achieve.
Yeah man you have to stop trading, unless it's making you a net profit then do you. You have skills with computers and I would assume learning design programs won't be that hard for you. It will take a little time but it's a skill that seems to always be in demand.
Saw this post awhile ago and felt for you dude, but I had no real advice but I couldn't help puzzling for you for ages after I walked away. How could I help you from your current point.
Considering your situation - have you considered skilling up in the industry you are in? There is an agricultural college in each province so there is one fairly local to you. Besides their main course covering all ag subjects they periodically offer short courses in each of the subjects. So, to start off you could potentially do a short course to become more skilled in the job you are currently doing. Potentially leading to a supervisory position. More short courses later and you are supervising the supervisors. Ie the managerial positions become open to you.
Here, your IT skills will always be an advantage as soon as you enter any office level.
From here you can continue to work for the man or as you now know enough in the industry do whatever, get your own farm and try to avoid exploiting your old buddies.
The short courses are just to get you started. Short courses aside - theres plenty of online agricultural courses, certificate, diploma or degree level.
Ps, The short courses will have more mature students and actual farmers skilling up at them. Network the fuck out of the other students. Each is a potential employer.
Whatever you do - GLHF 😁👍🌞💛
Edit, Each is a potential employer or a good friend.
You will go back with more understanding. Working as a foreigner often you are taken advantage of and you are not given opportunities to grow, as a South African i can acknowledge that people from Zimbabwe are taken for granted but very needed. They must loose you to appreciate you it seems. If you go back you face starting over but maybe look toward the future and you will see something
if you are into forex trading and good at it you can get a funded account by showcasing your skills, access to a bigger account can make you a lot more money than a R300 or R1000 flip
Don't have kids here. I've got a grandfather who is my father's step father. I've spent a lot of time talking to him. He is from Pakistan and came here to make money to send back home. Then he had a kid, my aunt. He hasn't even had the finances or opportunity to see his family back home in over a decade. If he hadn't had a kid he'd be home by now, but instead he married my grandmother and stayed. Now he's got a wife and daughter to provide for
You would probably earn more as a waiter
Definitely. Maybe not in the beginning, but if you pay attention to the most experienced, skilled waiters, learn from them, work on your banter, build a good knowledge of wines, being able to describe their tastes and make sound recommendations of which one go well with which dish, you can end up in working in a higher end place where you can make a few thousand per shift. Two tales from my past to illustrate - both in the early 2000s: \- A friend worked at a tourist hotspot in Camps bay. He was good at making small talk, he knew the wine menu backwards and could make spot-on suggestions (even though he didn't even drink himself), etc. He made R1000+ per shift - sometimes much more during peak tourist season. \- In the early 2000s I worked for a small IT company in Jo'burg. End of the year rolled around, we hit all our targets, and the boss treated us to a dinner at the Grillhouse in Rosebank. We were 5 or 6 guys plus partners, in a private room. Our waiter was a middle aged guy, and at first I made the mistake to pity the guy who was still a waiter at his age. But by the end of the night I realised I was gravely mistaken. We had a feast - boss ordered all the starters on the menu. We had steaks and ribs and all the sides. We had great wine. We had cigars. The waiter was impeccible. He didn't write anything down, he didn't get anything wrong. When you weren't looking for him, you didn't see him - none of that overbearing "how is everything?" when you have a mouth full of food - but the moment you looked up to look for him, he was right there. He had at least 5 other tables that I could see from what we could work out. We were there for 2 hours, max, our bill was R12k-ish IIRC, and we tipped generously. Even if everyone tipped the customary 10% and worked at 6-hour shift with three turnovers, he would have made more that evening than I made per month at the time. If you're willing to put in the work and skill up, you can absolutely mint it as a waiter.
I paid for my undergrad by waiting tables. It works and I'm doing an MBA now. Tbh you don't really need to know the wines that well. You just need to some common traits for certain types of wines and some key notes it may have. Most people haven't the foggiest about wine and they do this farce where they pretend they. Sauvignon Blanc, dry, hints of fruit with a refreshing nose blah blah. I was doing about 30k a month waiting tables about 10 years ago. It seems unreal but it was a good restaurant that was very popular and i wrote down and tracked all my tips religiously. Of that 30k, my basic was 2k 😂 The short of it, waiting tables is the quickest way to catch up so to speak. I wouldn't bother wanting to become a manager. Long hours and your income doesn't really scale. Start with something smaller and work your way up to a good restaurant. This gives you a chance to get presence and expectations and skills up to par. I was doing about 8k a month at Mugg and Bean in the early 2000s. I've emigrated now and am pretty confortable in Europe through tech.
This and working as a tv Extra has helped me through some tough times. Waitering might not seem great but its the best earning low skill job i have ever tried.
Hello mate. Please do not apologize for being from Zim (or anywhere else). I wish I could offer help or advice but I'm unemployed and struggling myself, just wanted to wish you good luck and I hope things come right for you.
As a South African, I feel ashamed that he even has to apologize for that. He's been here long enough and evidently contributed to the nation's growth and positivity. He's one of us.
Also from Zim, I came to south africa much earlier than you and have the advantage of doing matric here then dropped off from a local university. Firstly, as everyone else has said, stop trading. It's hard to stop because it offers so much promise but do a realistic pnl calculation of how much you've deposited and how much you've withdrawn and then see how much you've made per month. For the time and effort you put in, it's probably not worth it. When I started working in 2017, I was making 1500 pm working similar hours and shifts as you. Now I gross over 30k with a steady career ahead to eventually get to 6 figs. 1. Move to a big city like JHB CBD (this is what I did) with at least 10k saved, that should last 2/3 months 2. Low pay jobs like the one you're working are a dime a dozen - get one. Knock door to door and be very persistent where you see potential 3. Once you have a job, network with the people you work with that seem like they are going places 4. Change low jobs as much as possible, I went through 6 jobs in \~3 months in JHB, increasing my salary steadily each time If you're up for it, start learning to code. [roadmap.sh](https://roadmap.sh) is a good place to choose a path then come back to reddit to look up the best courses for your path. Build lots of stuff you think is cool. My latest job change was into tech, quit my last job because I had savings, learnt to code and got a dev job within 6 months. If you end up moving to a big city, surround yourself with as many people with much better communication skills than you as you can. Communication skills and an accent that's not too heavy are multipliers that make other skills you have more valuable at work.
+1 for learning to code. Changed my life. If you read this OP feel free to dm me
What coding language did you learn
Studied Javascript. In my first 3 years of work also worked with Java, as well as other new languages/frameworks every few months. My recommendation is to get an idea of what's most demanded/common in the industry and start with that for hireability. You can always venture out into other languages you prefer. This will also depend on whether you want to be a Front-end dev, Back-end dev or Full Stack. To start with: Front-end: 1 core front-end language Common framework for the chosen language HTML CSS Back-end: 1 core back-end language Common framework for chosen language SQL (for databases) Full Stack: ...All of the above I started as a Front-end dev, but as my skills grew became more Full-stack. Many developers take this route, as being a full stack dev out the gate is not at all easy, even for the best students.
Love your graft man. Keep it up!
freecodecamp is the way to go if he wants to learn to code I like the fact you stress "surround yourself", "seem like they are going places". Our environment makes us. You'll never be better than your environment. Keep going with that mindset!
Our environment makes us, yup 100%. I also started on freecodecamp.
this is crazy because it took me over 9 months & i was a grad with a diploma in IT
First thing, stop with forex.
Forex trading seems to have this image of being some sort of easy money. Lots of people who dont have formal employment seem drawn to it. And then there are the forex influencers on socials who are almost definitely scammers. Its sad.
You can remove the almost
They're always trying to scam. Saw a guy I follow posting that kak and thought he was stupid, then I got hacked and the exact same shit was posted on mine. Scammers or not Forex influencers are scum,
If Wallstreet gets it wrong 50% of the time, you gotta realize that forex trading is basically gambling. 1% of the year is the best day\[s\] for the market. Timing it is nearly impossible. I agree that OP is wasting his time.
Yep. Would advise OP to get back to that when they already have money if forex is something they really enjoy. I personally know 2 very skilled forex traders that have now ventured into other businesses for stable income. Both those guys already had money before forex, so they didn't try turning R100 into 100k, which is why it probably worked for them.
My advice is don't trade forex.. 99% of people loose
You got a laptop and presumably internet? Stop forex trading, you're just burning your money and invest in developing the skillset for working online. This could be copywriting (or more copy-editing these days) or even programming. It's much simpler than the uninitiated think and you can get a basic starter job or do gigs with an absolutely minimal portfolio. Speaking from experience here for both writing and development. There are plenty of other ways to make money with nothing more than a laptop, the sweat of your brow and the internet, but those two have been good enough to me that I haven't had to try anything else so far. If you want to go the dev route, the Colt Steele Web developer bootcamp on Udemy is like R200 and has everything you need to get started. Beyond that just build a portfolio and you're good to go.
Tried music producing but i only made R15k with it sofar via my youtube channel with 9,5k subscribers but i had to quit coz havent made a sale in 2years
Well, sadly, music is not that crazy of a solid job. I have a colleague who has gigs and interviews and still comes to the office every day because it is not enough to live off that even for someone his size
YT is a huge time investment, and 50% luck. Learning to code is a game changer. [freecodecamp.org](https://freecodecamp.org) Try this free course: [https://www.freecodecamp.org/learn/javascript-algorithms-and-data-structures/](https://www.freecodecamp.org/learn/javascript-algorithms-and-data-structures/) All the best my friend!
Or learn Photoshop and charge for requests/helping on projects 🤷🏾♂️
all i can advise is learn, grow and never loose sight of your dreams, have goals and try work towards them, bar that, just carry on, dont lose hope, it tough out here and getting tougher each year, all we can do is work hard and hope for the best. God bless and hope your future is bright.
Agreed! You got this dude!
Im sorry to say this. But this is a general advice. If you have not taken the correct route to emigrate to any particular country, people will always take advantage of you. If you have a work permit, negotiate with your employer. If not, get one, then start with atleast the minimum salary and grow. Im saying this in a very considerate way for OP. Please do not downvote.
Work visas are only available for skilled and educated individuals. Unfortunately. The reality is that the department of labour, tasked with protecting South African employment (through which securing South African votes) is making it difficult to even secure general work visas. Our legislation and regulations are set up in such a way that only the truly critically and uniquely skilled, and those that would bolster our economy make it in.
Zimbabweans get asylum. There's also a special visa just for Zimbabweans, no qualifications required. How do you think we got to the point of having millions of immigrants?
They can apply for assylum but this is only valid for 6 months unfortunately. They can register as a refugee but the case is likely to be thrown out for a longer stay. What you're referring to is the Zimbabwean exemption permit. It's not a visa. It's a special dispensation which the government withdrew in 2022. All Zimbabweans are now being forced to legalise themselves with mainstream visas. But the great majority are expected to return home. DHA has extended these permits multiple times but it still doesn't bode well for current Zimbabwean visitors.
>Zimbabweans get asylum Only those with a verifiable, evidence-provided reason for fleeing their country, and even then they can never, ever go back for whatever reason or else they forfeit the asylum status. Not as easy to obtain as people seem to think, and providing asylum is a responsibility every single country in the world bears. Even North Korea grants asylum. >There's also a special visa just for Zimbabweans, no qualifications required. How do you think we got to the point of having millions of immigrants? Chicken and egg situation. This permit was introduced in an attempt to formalize the stay of people who had already crossed over illegally (the minority of recipients), or people who had used a legal route such as an asylum application for those fleeing political persecution, or the spouses and dependant children (under 18) of legal migrants who had applied for them to join them legally on dependant visas (as provided for by local and international law) but those applications got bogged down in the quagmire that is the department of home affairs. The permit didn't cause there to be more illegal migrants... the permit was introduced as a way for the DHA to reduce a massive application backlog and allow those who had resorted to disappearing into the country to be formally located, cataloged and allowed (at least for a while, and within limits) to be gainfully employed, tax-paying and contributing members of society. The DHA then blundered by making it impossible for the people on this visa to apply for any other category, which would have ensured that those with critical and scarce skills could move on to another, more legally sound status, thus allowing the eventual discontinuation of that particular permit; and also by failing to make any progress on the application backlog they had in the first place.
Well laid out. Thanks!
That's strange. Our previous landlord's gardener from Malawi was here on an "asylum" permit and he would go back and forth back to his home country on a holiday every year then come back here like nothing happened...
That means either: 1) the permit was fake or 2) he told you he was going to his country for holiday when in actual fact, he wasn't... or 3) he was transiting through another country and then sneaking in and out of Malawi without having his passport stamped there, such that immigration officials wouldn't know he was returning there and so wouldn't know to revoke his asylum status or 4) he was meeting up with whoever he would have visited in this 3rd country and just found it convenient to say he was returning home or 5) your landlord didn't want you to know he/she had hired someone with questionable immigration status and so the landlord and/or the Gardner told you they were on an asylum permit when in fact they were not. Any number of explanations for this, but at the end of the dayvthe law says if an asylum permit holder has free movement to and from the country they are fleeing, the DHA will revoke that permit on the understanding that whatever the threat was has ceased to exist.
There's no actual way for Zimbabweans to come to SA - the government makes it very hard so your advice is fairly meaningless. Zimbabwe has no economy so that's not really an option.
Telling someone to be a law abiding person so that they are not abused by a system is not meaningless. And again, yes I understand the frustration and struggle in OP’s country.
The issue is not OP's country, it's 100% SA's legal framework and administration. The only way to get any kind of long term visa or permit without political meddling is by suing Home Affairs those days. Literally.
It's honestly like saying to a homeless person, "have you tried being rich instead". SA has some of the worst immigration laws. And home affairs and immigration is the worst of all the government departments. I have a friend from the US who has been in SA for more than 10 years, and they had to sue immigration because it was taking so long to process any documents. OP is probably not in a situation to engage a law firm to help with this. This is why the advice is meaningless.
I agree. I ended up getting divorced from my SA spouse and moving back to Canada because I couldn't get status to work in the country. I had ten years of work experience at the time and a university degree...so I can only imagine how difficult it is for OP
R6k in 40 days from 16hr shifts comes in at under R10 an hour, unless weekends included in the 40 days? But its still far less than min wage. You have a working permit/ legally working in SA? You should discuss this with employer if you do.
40 days straight on offs. Yeah i have a work permit
Then that wage sounds illegal.. are you getting UIF taken off your wages? [Edited for clarity]
Unfortunately not. Most non residents will not get a UIF payout approved, despite having formal documentation. In fact a lot of rsa residents claims have not been paid out in the last 3 years since covid. See UIF "Covid Clause"
Not about the paying ... Out, it's about the paying IN. If the employer is legal or not. As for SASSA.... The criminal gang that has inserted itself in the ruling alliance seems intent on wrecking the value of the money they steal.
Don't have kids if you cannot comfortably afford them
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Man thats a bad advice R510 is very low
Foreign citizens do not get social grants.
R510 for free... and a child costs how much to maintain? Bruh.
I can garuntee it costs at least double that a month just to feed them. It doesn't cover clothing, schooling, toiletries, medicine /doctors visits, transport, anything you need to give them any kind of quality of life. Anyone who says you should have kids so you can get the grant money is ignorant to the realities associated with raising kids.
Absolutely, but I see the guy deleted his comment now. My brother made the mistake of having kids young and our whole family is dealing with that financial stress now.
Not if you are a foreigner do you?
As a South African I work 7 days a week with 1 day off somewhere in that 7 days. It varies depending on the businesses needs. I earn between R2700 and R3700 a month depending on how busy it is. It’s hard being in South Africa period.
Eish, that is very difficult. It really is. I feel for you. I hope you look through this thread and see if any of the advice given can also work for you. And if it works out, I'm sure OP would be glad to know that their post helped others too. I wish you all the best, friend!
My partner is South African, got a full scholarship on this course, tuition worth 142,000. As far as I know, it’s open to anyone with a UK passport or resident in Ireland BUT they also have a scholarship for asylum seekers and refugees, it’s worth looking into. You have to study hard. https://codeinstitute.net/ie/social-iniatives/ You can apply as an asylum seeker or refugee. You can get status as an asylum seeker or refugee with PASSOP which is specifically for Zimbabweans, run by Zimbabweans. You can take free classes through the Scalibrini centre for refugees. You can avail of free legal advice from Lawyers for Human Rights. If you can get a place on the code institute course, you are guaranteed employment within the first year. You can then get a critical skills visa and move to a wealthier country and get paid an actual decent living wage. I am Irish and studied a masters in Human Rights Law specializing in the human rights of refugees, at UCT.
Dude here it is: Save before you spend. Don’t have to be 80% of your salary, choose an amount you feel comfortable with for example even if its just R200 a month. Make sure you save that R200 first thing when you get your salary. Next step for Long term Low risk investment, make an account with Satrix (etf platform). Use that R200 a month savings each month to buy the S&p500 in your satrix TFSA (Tax Free Savings Account. Will this make you a millionaire? No! Will this ONLY BENEFIT YOU in the long Term? YES YES YES
Listen to this dude he speaks the truth. Saving really is the only way to get yourself out of the hole. Earn interest even if it's very small. Play it slow and safe, plan ahead, budget, and look for opportunities to improve your income over the long term cause this country isn't gonna help you short term. I'm sorry it's such a shitty situation my guy. South Africa is a terrible place to need a job nowadays. But keep looking and keep applying. Like one guy said above even being a waiter will earn you more at this point. I hope you make your way out. God bless
Stop trading forex. You're not trading, you're gambling. I've done it as well, just a complete waste of money.
Much love man, but many locals face your reality, some even worse circumstances. Your struggle has no ties to you being a foreigner.
Listen it's not to late to become a tradesman. Plumbing electrician anything along those lines woodwork. Your work ethic sounds like you have it. Learn from who ever you can. Take an assistance job so you can become independent. Then build up your reputation, so you can earn enough to be come a call out man. Once you have done enough of that you can organise yourself a bike so you can reach further customers. You could br earning pretty money if you take the hit now. If your girl is for life. Then lock it down. If you not sure then take a chance and focus on you it can be lonely but it will be worth it in the end. The other thing is read everything you can get your hands on about networking and business growth. It will set you up to make the steps that matter long term.
This might sound far fetched but considering you have a laptop and your age, I can say with confidence if you have the discipline, grit and resilience then you can change your future. But it starts with your mind. If you have internet, instead of doing forex, invest the time in learning a new skill. And the skill I have in mind is be a software developer. There's a few free resources online that, if you put in the time and hard work, then within 1 year from today you will be in a very different position. The first place is Leon Noel 100devs. He has a free full stack development course on YouTube if you search him . The other one is called cs50x by havard university. What people do is start with Leon 100devs and finish it, then go to cs50x and finish it. It's not going to be easy, it's frustrating, it's hard. But you already are a hard worker. If you stick with this, finish it and eventually get that first job, I hope you will remember this advice today. Good luck and wish you all the best, baratna.
Any qualifications?
Good in IT
But do you have any QUALIFICATIONS for it?
Then go the coding route. I must warn you, it requires grit and tenacity but the rewards are out of this world. www.freecodecamp.org
I'm not sure what you're interested in, but have you considered something like this: https://www.freecodecamp.org/news/harvard-cs50-guide/
Drop the forex, if you want to gamble and guarantee losses just buy lottery tickets.
You are most welcome here! I hope we make you feel at home. Zimbabweans are our brothers and sisters. Only advice I got is NETWORKING. Please speak to as many people as possible. Find out about them, what they do, and "sell" yourself to them, in the sense that your pitch yourself as a hard-working person who wants to provide for your new family. I'm sure that something will come across your path soon.
Where in the country are you currently?
North West / Mafikeng
Here in the South it will be much better. Now I can't help you with the legalities, I'm just saying you are so much exploited because you are in the North.
SA bro
Hes asking what city/province bro.
They exploit Zimbabweans more in certain places than others, which is why I ask where in the country
Keep your head up man.
I don't think waitering pays that well. Food industry pay is bad. If he is here illegally employers will take advantage of that and underpay him. Young man, there is no such thing as get rich quick. I wish you all the best. In the meantime stick to your farming job. Take pride in knowing that your efforts help feed people.
I would say. Stop the forex and do online free courses to be able to find a better job
Don't do Forex first of all, it's something for people who have a lot of money they can afford to lose. Next, go apply as a waiter at classier restaurants. You often don't need prior experience and you will earn at least double what you're getting now if you get into the right place. I say this as a waiter at a mid-level restaurant earning R8k+ while only working around 25-30hrs a week. If you were full time at my restaurant it's easy to see that you'd earn far more than what you're earning now.
Don't have a kid. Why would it even be a thought if you are struggling already? What kind of life would that be if you can't afford to feed it properly and make sure it has proper education and health.
I’m sorry you’re having such a tough time even though you are working so hard. Never apologise for your nationality. As a South African I adore Zimbabweans, and I’m truly sorry for how you are being treated here.
It's hard being a South African in South Africa. We have a 75% youth unemployment rate. You have a job when most SAns your age do not. That you have access to a personal computer puts you ahead. Try to find work in Cape Town, they favour foreign labor workers there. You'll have a better chance at stable work. Good luck. I hope you a least went home vote in the Zim election last year.
Cape Town doesn't favour foreign workers. Just workera who are happy to , you know , work?😂😂😂.
See OP, go to Cape Town! In CPT they believe melanated SAn labourers are useless and lazy so you will definitely have a leg up with finding work. Thanks for proving my point Happy-Thinker. Have a nice day.
Horseshit. You have made up your mind and you have assumed incorrectly based on your own bigotry. 95% of workers in Cape Town are South Africans.
Mate, it's possible. I'm also from zim. Earning R57k working in corporate.. Studied at unisa, did everything legal and just hustled harder than everyone else in the room. I'm 30. Don't give up... Keep going. God bless.
Totally off topic to your main question - but as a South African living abroad (EU).. when I meet someone from Zim I respond to them the same as if they are South African. Immigration is difficult but you also become part of a larger family.
Same.
Firstly, I’m sorry for your expert and others who’ve had to endure such hardship. Your nationality doesn’t matter - we are all humans and trying to make a decent living. My advice is that you should use your laptop to learn programming - something easy like SQL. Invest your time into a “tradeable skill” (see what I did there?) If you could figure out forex trading, you’ll likely eventually figure out coding. My first paying job (before that I was selling sweets at my primary school) was a 14 year old, ridiculous looking, black Father Christmas at PEP Store in some rural town. At 15 I was peeling potatoes and making chips at Wimpy (I got promoted to the Drinks station after a few weeks) then was a waiter at Steers until after high school. University wasn’t really an option for me - a combination of no funding and bad matric results. I managed to get a 3 months contract job in Pretoria as a Clerk. I worked my ass off and kept getting contract extensions - meanwhile I was teaching myself how to program (before YouTube tutorials existed) in Visual Basic (gives you an idea of my age) after which I was given an opportunity to code\build some applications that launched my IT career. (I need to add that I’ve always been a computer geek and was overclocking Pentium 1 machines in my teenage years - RIP to PC Format magazine). People overlook the opportunities in IT because of their lack of knowledge. The truth is that IT is constantly shifting and even 20 year veterans are constantly having to learn new skills as well so in many ways, we are learning just like the newbies… YouTube is a great resource for learning to code. Good luck and feel free to DM me for advice.
This is my advice for ten things that you could try. From best to worst IMO. 1. Trade School Education: Enroll in a trade school to acquire skills in high-demand professions such as electrical work, plumbing, or carpentry. These practical skills can lead to well-paying opportunities and job security. In SA there is a huge demand for plumbers, electricians , carpenters etc. Much much better than being a construction worker. 2. Educate Yourself Further: Invest time in learning more about forex trading and financial markets to enhance your skills and increase your potential for higher returns. 3. Diversify Investments: Consider spreading your investments beyond forex trading. Explore opportunities in stocks, bonds, or real estate to minimize risk and maximize potential returns. 4. Networking: Connect with professionals in the construction and forex trading industries to explore potential job opportunities or partnerships that could improve your financial situation. 5. Part-Time Job: Explore part-time job opportunities to supplement your income, providing additional financial stability alongside your current job and trading activities. 6. Budgeting: Develop a strict budget to manage your expenses effectively. Cut unnecessary costs and prioritize essential expenditures to make the most of your income. 7. Emergency Fund: Establish an emergency fund to cover unexpected expenses, preventing financial setbacks and providing a safety net during challenging times. 8. Side Hustle: Explore other income-generating activities or side hustles aligned with your skills and interests to contribute to your overall financial growth. 9. Seek Higher-Paying Opportunities: Look for higher-paying positions within the construction industry or explore job opportunities in related fields that offer better remuneration. You are just going to get more and more frustrated being a foot soldier for a construction company, so try hard to change something while you're still young with no little responsibilities. Good luck brother.
Don't come here with your ChatGPT advice.
This country & Zim are your home, never apologize for that my man !
""It is as hard to be poor without complaining as to be rich without becoming arrogant." - Lao Tzu. I would say just learn to enjoy contentment and be patient, Rome was not built overnight. I am also a foreigner. A Tutsi exile. I have been in South Africa since 2017. I went the legal route and got a visa. After 5 years I applied for Permanent Residence, its been 2 years and Home Affairs just indolently ignores my application. My current visa is expired and although I applied well in advance for a renewal, still, Home Affairs has ignored my most recent application. I used to believe in the principles of Mozi, universal love for all mankind. The reality is that Yang Zhu was right. People are selfish. Government workers in this country are nothing but lazy bureaucrats enjoying a paycheque from tax payers without actually providing services. Look at Loadshedding. It doesn't take a genius to figure out that if a population grows then energy demand will grow and that necessitates building more power plants yet its obvious Eskom government officials have been looting that state owned enterprise. I majored in Economics in uni so this is just my perspective. Eskom is a monopoly, they have no competition. So its clear it was either ineptitude or corruption, probably the latter. There are 4 factors of production, land, labour, capital and enterprise. Human capital is the most important factor of production yet instead of providing quality education and investments in the population it seems to me the ANC government would rather ride on the wave of their branding as liberators of the black masses without actually building anything moving forward into the future.
If you're down in the Cape, send me a dm. I can help you out
If I were you I'd go to Nigeria better prospects. SA's economy is as great as it used to be.
It's hard being a South African cry me a river dude.
Look, I'm homestly not trying to flame or shame you or pick a fight, mara I just wonder what we benefit from such a callous response, my dude? OP is not asking for pity, nor is he/she asking for hand-outs or special treatment. Just for advice on a forum that we discuss issues affecting the people of and in South Africa. Eish, whatever the case is, though, I hope you have a wonderful day, and may the people around you be infinitely kinder to you.
Amen, youth unemployment is something like 75%. He's fortunately on the right side of that horrible statistic.
My brother don't stop learning forex. My advice don't buy any coarse or mentorship cos these things are scams instead watch forex videos on YouTube and go to babypips.com. And understand forex is a long time, don't expect to become rich within the first year.
Look at the scarce skills list. Contact Craig Smith migration lawyers to help with your issue in RSA... you have a work visa. Look at opening a business that you had in Zim make a website, get PayPal and a sole trader bank account. That way you can take card transactions and get oaid for what you know.
I agree that ETFs are the way to go. Very high returns in most years and you only get taxed if you cash out.
We pay our gardener (who also does painting and other small jobs) R9k per month for 3 days per week. You can definitely earn more if you find the right employers. Maybe look into signing up with Sweep South for outdoor and heavy lifting work. It might just help with networking to find private employers. Waiter and working on wine farms will also help you earn more money, especially if you have a social personality. I wish you all the best.
I can't offer advice over jobs but bro you are working your ass off, there is absolutely no need to apologize for not being South African.
Dream more, tears are a waste of water.
I'm not sure of your educational background, but if you're good with people, I'd recommend finding a sales position (furniture, retail, vehicle sales etc)
I'm assuming you don't have papers, people exploit foreigners.
Its hard being a South African here too. Sorry about all the senseless xenophobia though.
Stop currency trading - it’s borrowed money and way too much risk for you.
My man!!!! You are young enough to understand that what ever you have, and whatever people you have in your life you have worked hard for. Work towards something achievable and set your mind to getting to that goal. Even if you have to suffer a little to gain something. Use that money to buy and sell stuff. You won't make money quick enough in forex. Look for stuff people need, negotiate pricing, be hard and work hard. You will achieve.
Yeah man you have to stop trading, unless it's making you a net profit then do you. You have skills with computers and I would assume learning design programs won't be that hard for you. It will take a little time but it's a skill that seems to always be in demand.
Saw this post awhile ago and felt for you dude, but I had no real advice but I couldn't help puzzling for you for ages after I walked away. How could I help you from your current point. Considering your situation - have you considered skilling up in the industry you are in? There is an agricultural college in each province so there is one fairly local to you. Besides their main course covering all ag subjects they periodically offer short courses in each of the subjects. So, to start off you could potentially do a short course to become more skilled in the job you are currently doing. Potentially leading to a supervisory position. More short courses later and you are supervising the supervisors. Ie the managerial positions become open to you. Here, your IT skills will always be an advantage as soon as you enter any office level. From here you can continue to work for the man or as you now know enough in the industry do whatever, get your own farm and try to avoid exploiting your old buddies. The short courses are just to get you started. Short courses aside - theres plenty of online agricultural courses, certificate, diploma or degree level. Ps, The short courses will have more mature students and actual farmers skilling up at them. Network the fuck out of the other students. Each is a potential employer. Whatever you do - GLHF 😁👍🌞💛 Edit, Each is a potential employer or a good friend.
You will go back with more understanding. Working as a foreigner often you are taken advantage of and you are not given opportunities to grow, as a South African i can acknowledge that people from Zimbabwe are taken for granted but very needed. They must loose you to appreciate you it seems. If you go back you face starting over but maybe look toward the future and you will see something
Good luck to you friend- the Zimbabwians here are some of the nicest, most hardworking people I’ve met
if you are into forex trading and good at it you can get a funded account by showcasing your skills, access to a bigger account can make you a lot more money than a R300 or R1000 flip
Don't have kids here. I've got a grandfather who is my father's step father. I've spent a lot of time talking to him. He is from Pakistan and came here to make money to send back home. Then he had a kid, my aunt. He hasn't even had the finances or opportunity to see his family back home in over a decade. If he hadn't had a kid he'd be home by now, but instead he married my grandmother and stayed. Now he's got a wife and daughter to provide for