Moving Companies

Leaving SA is Overwhelming: Here’s How to Pick the Best Moving Companies

It is human nature to strive for better living conditions. Often, this means packing up one’s life belongings and moving to another continent. As South Africa struggles to free itself from corruption, load-shedding, B-BBEE, land grabbing, and the pandemic, there is an uptake again in the number of South Africans leaving the country.

Our beautiful country is encountering a massive surge in migration to countries like New Zealand, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, the USA, Germany, and Switzerland. In 2019, thousands of families and executives left South Africa. Nevertheless, in 2020, along came COVID-19, closing borders and putting a spanner in the relocation process. It is worth mentioning that current border restrictions are not keeping South Africans from making plans. If anything, citizens are only using this time to better prepare. So, what are the reasons for so many families securing residency in other countries?

Why South Africans Are Giving Up Their Country of Birth

New World Immigration is experiencing a 50% increase in inquiries from South Africans wanting to move abroad, with around 2 500 families immigrating each year in search of better opportunities. South Africans favour political, economic, financial, and social stability. However, these are things that South Africa can no longer offer its people. Crime is at an all-time high, with 50 people killed from violent crime and 42 vehicles hijacked each day. Moreover, with poverty on the rise, crime will ultimately worsen, which it normally does as a result of said poverty.

South Africa is on the list as one of the most dangerous countries in South Africa, coming in second to El Salvador, the leading murder capital. Moreover, cities such as Durban, Johannesburg, Pretoria, and Pietermaritzburg are on the blacklist for the top 20 most dangerous cities on the planet. Crime, however, is not the only reason citizens are surrendering their citizenship.

According to Stats SA, the current unemployment rate is skyrocketing, reaching a staggering 30,8%. As corruption and unemployment, amongst other things, paint a bleak future for the next generation, IT managers, engineers, and medical professionals are securing better job opportunities and education for their loved ones abroad. Then there is the threat of load-shedding, land grabs, inheritance distribution, and corruption leading SA to economic ruin and junk status.

Lack of jobs, poor economic growth, and disrespect of state resources make the great migration a South African reality. But packing up one’s lifelong valuables into a container and sending it halfway across the planet on a ship is nerve-racking. If moving to a new house within the same city is one of the top 10 most stressful events in a person’s life, moving across the world can push stress into the red zone. That’s why choosing the right “Michelin Star” international moving company is essential. Here’s how to pick the best one for your needs and budget.

Certifications

A lot like any other professional service, licensing is foremost and can be the difference between your cargo landing on the shores of some island and arriving at your door without a scratch. You need to know you are dealing with a trustworthy company, and the best way to ensure this is to choose a licensed one with FIDI (Fédération Internationale des Déménageurs Internationaux). FIDIs FAIM certification sets the gold standard for companies in the international relocation industry. Doing business with FAIM certification means you are entrusting your belongings with the best.

Insurance Matters a Lot

Another important tip when choosing international movers is to look into the companies’ insurance policies. Moving overseas is much more complicated than moving domestically, and protecting your lifelong valuables against damage and loss makes good logical sense. While it is quite rare for cargo to arrive broken, especially when dealing with an accredited moving company, you get peace of mind knowing that the moving company’s insurance will cover the value of your cargo if something were to happen to your valuables.

End-to-End Services

It is not uncommon for movers to make empty promises, leading to unanticipated costs. You need a moving company that provides an end-to-end service – from collection to delivery. Services must cover speciality packing, a survey of items, disassembly and reassembly, customs clearance, land and sea transport, warehouse handling, and freight forwarding to door-to-door delivery. Further, there is also hoisting services and electrical services.

Experience and Reviews

Today, it is not uncommon to trust your lifelong possessions to a fly-by-night courier company. Moving to a new country is a massive undertaking. It is a project that involves proper coordination and execution, and you are taking an enormous risk without researching the companies’ experience and customer reviews. For example, how long has the company been in business, and what do their customers say about them? If you want to learn the truth about a company, always seek customer feedback. However, websites usually censor their reviews, so do a broad Google search to find the truth.

Insist on Customs Clearance Expertise

Countries have their own customs policies. Australia’s top front line TV show – Border Security, and New Zealand’s TV show – Border Patrol, is proof of that. The incorrect paperwork at customs can mean long delays and extra costs. Make sure the moving company has expert knowledge of the customs regulations of your designated country. They should also lay out all customs duty fees in the cost estimate and provide you with the customs clearance certificate.

Get Three Cost Estimates

Most international moving companies base their rates on weight, volume, valuables, distance, and the hire of any sub-contractors like electricians. As a result, the cost of relocating from one country to another varies from one company to the next, and you are also facing different foreign exchange rates. Very much like a second and third medical or mechanical opinion, it is always best to get at least three quotes as this can knock a significant percentage off your moving costs. Once you make the comparisons, using the tips above, you will find the right one to suit your needs and budget.

Packing your life into boxes and leaving South Africa for better prospects is an overwhelming experience. It’s one thing to worry about the logistics of getting your family abroad safely. It’s another stressing about your precious heirlooms not arriving in one piece. An experienced international moving company can take much of the anxiety out of the moving process, but only if you choose the right one.

At Elliott, customers have come to us with many disastrous stories that turned into litigation and other tragic accounts that keep moving professionals awake at night. As one of the leading national and international moving companies in the Southern Hemisphere, we relocate hundreds of families abroad each month. In 2019, we relocated around 2 500 South African families to countries like Canada, Europe, New Zealand, and Australia. That makes us one of the most credible moving companies in South Africa to get the job done.