Growing South African community praises Isle of Man opportunities
Safety and business opportunities are behind a rise in relocations from South African to the Isle of Man, members of the growing community have said.
The 2021 census showed around 1,200 people from the country had travelled to the island to live.
But Vanessa Naude from IOM Relocate said “anecdotally” there were “a lot more” South Africans on the island.
A festival celebrating the culture and music of South Africa held earlier in the year saw all 800 tickets sell out.
Ms Naude, a relocation advisor and organiser of the inaugural SAFFA Festival, moved to the island 2021.
She said it had been “a risk” to disrupt her children’s school careers at the ages of 13 and 16, but they were now “thriving” having previously been “terrified of the crime and unrest” in her home country.
Ms Naude also said she noticed a rise in interest from South African people looking to relocate for work, which had been increased by the government’s efforts to promote business links between the nations.
Roelf Odendaal, founder of Isle of Man Indaba, said roadshows in South Africa which included representatives from government agency Finance Isle of Man, had seen “mutual benefits” for both economies.
The island’s profile had been “lifted” because of the trips, which highlighted that the needs of some South African nationals with “feelings of insecurity” about the stability of their home country could be addressed using Manx services.
The wealth management consultant, who relocated almost two decades ago, said it was still “very hard” not being close to family, but the openness of the Manx community should be celebrated as “you don’t find that anywhere else”.
Suellen Daniel’s farmstead business has been bolstered by support from the Department for Enterprise, which has allowed for the purchase of polytunnels to grow a South African vegetable called gem squash.
The new structures are set to provide space to increase production in the 2024 growing season from 1,000 to 10,000.
Originally from Durban, Ms Daniel said the Manx government had been a “real force” in aiding the expansion of Sulby River Farm, which also sees the family keep Loaghtan sheep and produce honey.
Ms Whiteman, lead of the Isle of Man Chapter of the South African Chamber of Commerce, said she believed relocations were likely to increase further due to the business opportunities available.
The Manx government had some “very generous” schemes to help traders develop and “that’s the sort of message that can be transferred through the network”, she said.
By BBC
