Yip, same here. Left SA four years ago. My wife and I are from Durban, now living in NZ. We grew up same as everyone else there, the barred windows, the cameras and high walls etc. Had a childhood friend who was stabbed in the chest on 2 occasions (second time killed him), also had a few cars stolen. Saw my dad go in and out of hospital a few times, shot in the leg twice, machete attack to the top of his skull once as well (my dad was a policeman in the 90’s). It’s weird how it’s all just kind of a normal part of everyday life down there. I’ve told a few kiwi friends that one of my earliest memories was playing outside in our front yard and being startled by the screaming of an African woman while her husband stood over her kicking her in the ribs.

For me the time came in 2017 just after my wife and I had gotten married. We were walking through a mall after seeing a movie. Passed the entrance of a jewelry store, and I just happened to turn and look inside. I saw a guy smash the glass counter with a hammer while the two women behind it stood there in terrified silence. There was a second guy standing by with a rifle in his hands. It was just one of those wrong place at the wrong time moments, but our eyes locked and I swear to god I saw his trigger finger twitch. He was waiting to see what I was gonna do. I somehow had the presence of mind to just shrug and keep on walking, but I grabbed my wife’s hand and GTFO of there as fast as I could. We had a long talk that night when we got home about how we were ever gonna have kids in a place like that and what kind of a life it would be for them. Money was the only thing preventing us from leaving (which it is for most people), but we cashed in everything we owned, emptied out our savings and never looked back. My daughter was born two years later and everyday I feel more and more like I made the right choice, but my heart breaks for the friends and family I had to leave behind. Haven’t been back, and can’t at the moment due to Covid, Frankenvaccines and vaxports. I want no part of any of that shit. But my parents are getting up there in age, and I really worry my daughter will never get the chance to meet any of them. It’s hard.

Jesus Christ,, that's unimaginable. I'm staggered.

Post more often, you have much to contribute. thx