Unlike your Polish Great Uncle's family, it has become damned near IMPOSSIBLE to get out of RSA, which has been true for several decades now. OTOH, many Afrikaners DID leave, by hook or crook, 30 and even 20+ years ago.
Prior to Mandela, the army was placed on ALL of RSA's borders to keep the ILLEGAL ALIEN BLACKS, from nearby nations, from coming in.
Mandela relaxed it somewhat, then that practice was stopped completely, so there has been an influx of blacks, from other nations, who NEVER lived under Apartheid, to get in and stay.
When it was still allowed, the Brits and a few other Commonwealth nations allowed white RSAers, who could PROVE that they were descended from Brits, to emigrate, but NOBODY else. That all stopped a while back.
When NO nation will take you in...HOW is escape to even be a thought?
AI says:
Legal/Administrative Process:
South African citizens can obtain passports and leave the country relatively easily. The main bureaucratic step is getting required documents like police clearances, which can take time but isn’t prohibitively complex.
Main Challenges:
Financial barriers: Many countries require proof of substantial savings or income. Popular destinations like Australia, Canada, and the UK have high financial thresholds for immigration
Skills/education requirements: Most countries prioritize skilled workers, so having in-demand qualifications helps significantly
Age limits: Many immigration programs favor younger applicants
Processing times: Visa applications can take months or years
Currency weakness: The rand’s poor performance against major currencies makes it expensive to meet financial requirements
Popular Destinations:
Australia, Canada, UK, New Zealand, and the US are common choices, each with different visa pathways and requirements.
The bigger question for many isn’t whether they can leave, but whether they can afford to and qualify for visas in their preferred destination countries. Economic factors and crime concerns motivate emigration across racial lines, though the specific challenges and resources available can vary significantly between individuals and families.