Expat Communities in Cape TownThere are many expat communities from all over the world in vibrant Cape Town. Immigrants and expatriates from every corner of the world are living peacefully together with the South African citizens. The expatriates I will refer to in my website do come here for job assignments from many European, American and Asian countries. You will meet many expatriates in South Africa and the support in the communities usually is high, even if they might seem to be small by numbers. With their clubs and associations they provide important links to the expatriate's home country, culture and customs. Here you will find info on the biggest expat communities living in the Mother City, their associations and clubs.
Major nationality groups in Cape Town South Africa?British expatsThe expatriates living in South Africa mainly come from the UK and South Africa counts up to 600,000 UK passport holders. This is no wonder as the British have close ties with South Africa historically being the first immigrants to the country with the Dutch.The first British landed in Cape Town in 1795 and so the British lifestyle and customs influence still widely today’s living in the Mother City. The British nationals surely also form the biggest contingent of expatriates in Cape Town. Therefore you find many English products in the local supermarkets and not only the British enjoy marvelous tea time at the Mount Nelson Hotel. English is the main business language in Cape Town and many independent schools even offer teaching according to the UK curriculum.
Germans, Austrians and Swiss communityThen there are the Germans: around 100,000 of them are living in the Cape Peninsula.The numbers are even higher in the South African summer due to the many German pensioners coming down south to flee the cold weather in German winter. There is a German school (DSK) in Cape Town with 750 students which celebrates 125 years of education in South Africa this year. You will be able to find German bakeries and butcheries in Cape Town and German church communities. If you want to learn more about the German language and culture you can contact the Goethe-Institut Cape Town and the German-South African Cultural Association SAGAA to find out more and get in depth info for this community. There are close ties between Cape Town and the German city of Aachen, as they established a city partnership in the year 2000. Swiss and Austrian nationals also build their own communities and have their own association with meetings in the Club House of the Swiss Social & Sports Club in Greenpoint. The Swiss Club with around 300 members offers many activities for its members and organizes many events throughout the year.
French expatriatesThe French who are a another big group in the Cape population can look back on a long history in the Cape.In the early settlement of the Cape when 200 French Huguenot families moved to the Southern tip of Africa they mainly settled in the Franschoek (French corner) area. Nowadays you can meet many French expats also in the Mother City. The French have their own school: French School François le Vaillant in Cape Town since 1985 and offer bilingual education to 140 kids. There is a French Cultural Insitute in Cape Town, the Alliance Française and the French Institute of South Africa (main office of the IFAS located in Newtown near Johannesburg) organize many cultural events. And for your interest, Nizza is also one of the twin cities of Cape Town.
Dutch people, Flemish expats and BelgiansAnd there are as well as many Dutch Flemish expatriates from the Netherlands and Belgium who usually are quick to acculturate because their Flemish language is very similar to Afrikaans, one of local languages.See also the website www.Belgium-SA.com for info about Belgians in Cape Town.
American expatsThere are also around 5,000 Americans living in the consular district of Cape Town, mainly in the Southern Suburbs of the city as the International American School has got a primary and high school in Constantia and the American Consulate is also located in the area.
Read my Interview with an American Expat here. You can also contact the American Society of South Africa if you look for more info about their association.
Italian and Portuguese expatriatesAbout 38,000 Italians are there in South Africa and many of them are living and working in the Mother City. And they also have got their own Italian Club in Rugby/Cape Town.In 2007 the Giovani Italo-Sudafricani, GIS, launched in Cape Town. This social club for 18-45year olds is staging regular events for the Italian community and interested South Africans. In Rugby, near Milnerton, the Portuguese expat communities meet as well. Find info through the Portuguese Association of the Cape of Good Hope. There are around 300,000 Portuguese living in South Africa.
The Irish in Cape TownAlso quite a few people of Irish descent are living in Cape Town and are said to build the fifth largest group of Irish people worldwide outside of Ireland.There is an
Irish expat association
in Cape Town, the ISAA-Irish South African Association which seems to be quite active and arranges various functions throughout the year with a big St. Patrick’s Day Dinner and dance as an annual highlight.
Jewish expatsCape Town has a large Jewish Center and a population of 16,000 Jews.The Jews were among the first settlers to the Cape, but only after Religious Freedom was granted in the Cape colony, they founded their first Hebrew congregation on South African soil in 1841. Please find info on their many communities, schools, associations and organizations in Cape Town under: Jewish Web South Africa or www.jewishvirtuallibrary.co.za, where you can find Cape Town shopping tips as well. Haifa is another one of Cape Town’s twin cities.
Russian expat communityThe Russian expat community also is growing in the recent years and many other nationals from Eastern Europe such as Bulgarians and Polish are coming to live and work in Cape Town.
Asians in Cape TownThere are growing numbers of Chinese expats and also the Indian expat communities are increasing in numbers in South Africa.The Chinese City of Hangzhou formed sistership relations with the City of Cape Town in 2005 and since 1998 the Shandong Province is a sister province to the Western Cape. There are roughly 200 Japanese expatriates living in Cape Town. You will find the Cape Town Japanese Language School in Milnerton.
More info
Should you want to have more info regarding the outbreaks of violence in some South African cities in 2008 and the current situation, please refer to my page on the xenophobic attacks on foreigners in South Africa, The situation is more stable now, although some townsips still occasionally experience unrest, but in general there is no reason to feel unsafe as a foreigner in Cape Town. The elections 2009 went peacefully and South Africans and expats living in Cape Town reaffirm strongly that the country is very attractive and safe for expatriates and tourists to come to and enjoy life here in South Africa.
Join the Cape Town Expat CommunityGet all the Cape Town Insider News regarding Cape Town's expat communities when you subscribe to my monthly ExpatCapeTown Newsletter.
Please share your info on any of the expat communities in Cape Town and help other expats with your information and advice. Or maybe you could fill in an interview form? My ExpatCapeTown interviews will be added shortly:) Thanks a lot for your co-operation. Return from Expat Communities, Associations and Clubs to ExpatCapeTown
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