JOHANNESBURG – A growing number of white South Africans who emigrated years ago are now returning home, saying life in South Africa offers a better quality of life than what they currently experience in the United States of America and parts of Europe.
The trend comes amid heated political debate in Washington, where U.S. President Donald Trump and some conservative groups have claimed white South Africans are being persecuted by the country’s Black-led government.
However, several returnees say their decision to come back has less to do with politics and more to do with lifestyle, family ties, and rising concerns about safety and social instability in the United States.
One of them is Andrew Veitch, 53, who moved to California in 2003 after experiencing crime in South Africa. After more than two decades abroad, he now plans to return. He said:
“People are being shot in broad daylight. American citizens are being shot and killed. I don’t want to live in a place like this.”
Growing Interest in Returning Home
South African authorities say the number of citizens abroad exploring the possibility of returning has increased significantly.
A government portal launched in November 2025 to help South Africans restore or verify citizenship has already attracted around 12,000 inquiries. The platform was created after courts overturned a 1995 law that had automatically stripped some South Africans of citizenship if they took another nationality without permission.
According to Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber, at least 1,000 people have already reclaimed their citizenship, and officials expect the number to grow as awareness of the programme spreads. Schreiber said:
“There is definitely a sense of optimism for South Africans abroad.”
Cost of Living and Lifestyle Key Factors
For many returnees, the biggest attraction is a lower cost of living combined with a more relaxed lifestyle.
Naomi Saphire, who spent two decades in the United States before relocating from North Carolina to the coastal town of Plettenberg Bay last year, said the move was largely about family and quality of life. Sapphire said:
“My heart is just full of gratefulness to be here. The U.S. has been really good to me, but I felt like I was depriving my kids of this life.”
She said her children now spend more time outdoors, schooling options are strong, and healthcare costs are more manageable than in the United States.
Recruitment Agencies See Surge
Recruitment firms that specialise in helping South Africans relocate say interest in returning home has surged.
Johannesburg-based recruitment firm HomecomingEx reports about a 30% increase in inquiries since 2024, while global employment agency DNA Employer of Record says requests from white South Africans wanting to return have jumped around 70% in the past six months.
The rise of remote work since the COVID-19 pandemic has also made relocation easier. Many professionals are choosing to live in South Africa while continuing to work for companies abroad.
Debate Over Safety and Opportunity
Crime and unemployment remain major challenges in South Africa, and critics say these issues still push many citizens to emigrate.
Official statistics show unemployment sits at around 35% among Black South Africans and about 8% among whites.
Despite that, some returnees believe the country is improving.
Engineer Eugene Jansen, who moved back from the Netherlands with his family in December, said many expatriates he knows feel optimistic about the country’s direction.
“The opinion is that the country is improving.”
Power shortages, once a major frustration, have eased significantly compared with previous years, while lifestyle factors such as climate, family networks and cultural familiarity continue to draw expatriates home.
Politics vs Personal Reality
While international political narratives about alleged persecution continue to circulate, many returnees say their decision is ultimately personal rather than ideological.
For them, South Africa still offers something difficult to find elsewhere, a sense of home.
And increasingly, that is proving strong enough to bring many back.
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