| Change postal address of all accounts to a reliable friend or family member two months before you go (so you can see which companies did not make the change, and you have enough time to sort it out before you go. Things like telephone account, DSTV & MNET, City Council, Security company, insurance (both short term and life), Bank (all accounts - some bank’s you have to change it for each account!), Medical Aids, Shopping Cards, Memberships, Doctors, Specialists etc.) |
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| Set up a free email account like gmail and start using it two months before you leave. Then you can see who is still emailing your old email address. Put an auto-forward on your old email address directing all mail to your new address. Remember when you cancel your ISP you will lose your email address. |
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| Start obeying the South African speed limit and road rules. It takes time to get used to watching that speedometer and the cars behind you edging you to go faster. Australia works on the Driver’s license point system. Too many speeding fines will see you losing your driver’s license. Learn how a traffic circle is supposed to be used. The Australians know how to use one, South Africans do not. |
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| Get a reference letter and client code from your bank. Get your bank branch’s SWIFT code. |
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| Sign a fax indemnity with your bank. This allows you to give faxed instructions for transactions etc. |
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| If you don’t already have internet banking, get it set up and test it. |
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| Get a reference letter from your short term insurance detailing your no claim bonus etc. |
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| Cancel Telephone account (Do this in writing and keep proof - applies to all cancellations) |
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| Cancel cell phone contracts (all three VC, MTN, Cell C contracts may require 3 months notice). |
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| Cancel ISP |
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| Cancel DSTV / MNET |
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| Cancel Security Company |
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| Cancel SABC license (good luck with this) You will need to provide them with clear documentary proof that you no longer live in RSA - copy of airline tickets plus copy of visa plus copy of passport with stamps clearly showing exit and re-entry dates plus a letter from employer confirming appointment and indicating date when employment begins. |
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| Make the decision whether or not you will continue paying your policies (Life Insurance, Annuities etc) from Australia. Speak to your broker about the effects of early cancellation. |
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| Cancel your medical aid (read the fine print - they may require 3 months notice) |
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| Close your store accounts. |
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| Cancel all membership debit orders etc that won’t continue. |
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| Get all you kids’ immunizations up to date and have it recorded on their immunization cards. (To attend school in Australia it has to be up to date). |
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| Get a letter of membership and involvement from your church. Advise them that you are leaving. |
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| Get a reference letter for your family if you were involved in volunteer work. Volunteering is big in Australia and if you were involved in volunteering, it goes a long way - also, when you want to get involved again in Australia, you will need references. |
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| Back-up everything on your computer (photos, documents, inbox, sent items etc) and take the CD’s with you on the plane. Even better, remove the hard drive and insert into a movable hard drive protective case. If you ship the hard-drive you pay for the replacement value of the software on it. |
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| Make certified copies of ALL important documents (passports, visas, ID books, birth certificates etc) and leave it with a reliable friend or family member. Even better yet, have it scanned and leave a copy of the disk - take the other one on the plane with you. |
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| Update your will and leave a copy with a reliable friend/family member. |
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| Give a reliable person power of attorney to attend to your business on your behalf. Make sure they have details of all your bank accounts, policy numbers, contact persons etc. As well as copies of all important documents. Please remember that the banks do not honour a general POA. Check with your branch what they require. You might have to ‘register’ the POA prior to your leaving the country with them. |
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| Get transfer cards from your kids’ schools and their latest report cards or a progress report. |
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| Get reference letters from your kids’ activities e.g. ballet report, etc - this will assist in placing them in the right group when they take it up here. If your child performed in anything, get proof. You WILL need it! |
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| Take the whole family for a medical check-up, have their eyes tested, go to the dentist, get that filling etc. Dental and optometry is very expensive. |
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| Get the contents of your medical files from all your doctors and specialists. Saves you from going through the whole process again - they don’t take your word for it! If you have a special condition, let the doctor write a letter. If you have contacts or glasses, get your script. |
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| Get scripts for all medication your family is currently using - especially chronic. You can bring 3 month’s prescription medication if you have a written script. Take it on the plane with you in case your container is delayed etc. (Also bring some general medication that your family uses regularly if it is anything stronger than panado or if it is something specific such as anetheine cream, myprodol, etc). |
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| Apply for an international driver’s license. (This point is debatable as your current SA license is sufficient - well, for three months anyway). |
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| Leave your flight details, first accommodation details etc with a family member/friend. Also leave the details of your next of kin with this person. Write this person’s contact details in the back of your passport. |
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| Research the different Australian Superannuation funds. You will need to transfer your pension into this fund and will have to leave signed instructions with your funds in RSA. If you have cash surplus to your immediate needs consider putting them into superannuation. This is an allocated pension. Either you can run a self managed superannuation fund, or else elect to use one of the big funds. All income within the fund is tax free and all drawings are also tax free if you are of pensionable age. |
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| One of the first things you will need once you land in Aus is to get set up with telephone and internet. Do your research on the different packages and options available in Australia before you come. It is worth shopping around. If your home phone, your broadband and your mobile are with the same service provider, you get the best deal. What you want to be able to do is to walk into the dealer on day one of arrival and buy the right SIM card without having first to do your research here. Look at their international calling costs. |
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| Service your washing machine and dryer if it hasn’t had one in the last 12 months (just a call out by a technician for a quote is A$75). |
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| Pay your UIF and de-register. Give your employees their UIF documents as well as a letter that they no longer work for you. (UIF does not only accept the UIF document - they also require a letter that they no longer work for you). Keep proof of all of this. Give your employees reference letters and assist them in finding work elsewhere. (Advertise with you school, church, neighbours etc that they will be available from a specific date etc). Pay them their last salary, notice pay, leave and pro rata bonuses. Keep proof. |
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| Go to the AA travel shop and buy some SA to Auz/NZ plug adapters. Pop them in your hand luggage! Then buy some ‘multi-plugs’. The kind with 4 or 5 plugs on a cord. Then when you get to Australia replace the main plug with your Aussie plug - you can then use your old SA plugs in the multi-plug. Do not forget your RSA two-pin adapters for things like cell-phone adapters. |
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| If you haven’t yet sold your house, but are planning to do so, get an electricity certificate before you leave. Give it to your agent or the person who will be handling the sale of your property. Keep a copy. |
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| Inform your tax consultant that you are leaving. He will still have to complete a tax return for you for the current tax year. Then he may need to deregister you as a tax payer at some point and arrange a tax clearance certificate. In which case you might need to sign papers before you leave. |
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| Help the older members of family set up Skype before you leave. Buy them a microphone and webcam for their computer as a gift. Install it for them. |
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| Take photographs of everyone and everything, your friends, family, the neighbours, your pets, the kid’s friends (give your digital to your kids to take to school for a day). Take photographs of your house, neighbourhood, church, school, street.... This is all you will have of your life in South Africa. It may not seem important now, but when your kid’s or grandchildren one day, want to know what life was like, you’ll have more than enough visual memories to share. |
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| Have a farewell party at least 3 weeks before you leave. Less tears & emotion than having the goodbye’s at the airport!! |
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| Sell your cars. |
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| Arrange your transport to the airport and fly to your new life. |
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Michelle Oztas: 
Tracey Lawrence: