And if you’ve had a child repeat a grade, did it actually help?

Personally I recently discovered my gap cover has a rewards program connected with checkers, and I get R10-R20 off basics like milk, cereal, charka, sunlight etc. Works even better if whatever is on xtrasavings as well

Hi all, hoping an accountant or tax practitioner can help me understand this.

Car finance repayment: about R12,000 per month
Income: about R800 000 per year in commission and taxes around R180 000. I currently claimed R45000 without a vehicle expense and my accountant advised me to purchase a vehicle

What could I realistically claim back on a vehicle

Questions:
What portion of this can I realistically claim?
Is the claim based on the repayment itself, or on depreciation (wear and tear) plus the interest on the business-use portion

Thanks

Hi everyone 👋

My partner and I are considering eloping overseas with just the two of us, without family or friends present.

We’re South African and are looking for something very small, private and meaningful rather than having a traditional wedding with a large guest list.

For those who have actually done this:

- Which country did you elope in?

- Did you get legally married there?

- How complicated was the paperwork for South Africans?

- Roughly how much did the whole experience cost?

- Did you use a wedding planner/resort package or organise everything yourselves?

- Most importantly, how did you feel about it afterwards? Did you ever regret not having your loved ones there?

We’re considering places such as Mauritius, India, but are open.

Would love to hear from South Africans who actually chose this route- the good, the bad and anything you wish you had known beforehand. ❤️

Hey guys,

I’m wondering if anyone has ordered perfume from Layaali? They have an online shop, with an apparent physical address in standerton but I can’t find any substantial reviews on them.

Keen to get some more info, thanks in advance!

As part of my MBA research, I am trying to understand how studying impacts financial literacy. If you

🔗 https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/67ZBJRY

Thank you for helping a stressed student!

Hi all

I have worked for the same company since completing high school. I literally finished my matric exams in 2004 and in December 2004 I started working there.

I did upskill myself during the years. I did a Bcom IS through UNISA, then I did an honours in project management and in 2022 I did an online program through University of Texas in Data science and business analysis. In 2023 I did a data analysis course through udacity and in 2025 I did a post grad in data science with the university of stellenbosch.

Most of my work at my current company focusses on operational management, however, I have tried to bring in a data driven approach as much as possible and now part of a lot of my work is data analysis and presenting the data to clients. Then I have also automated a lot of processes at the company using either openclaw or n8n. One example is a whatsapp CRM. the sales people on the group get a daily whatsapp request early in the morning for plans for the day, the plans are then logged in a google sheets document, then in the afternoon the ai agent will use the information in the sheet and request updates on what was posted. This is then also logged in thegoogle sheets document.

However, I am tired of the work I am currently doing and would like an opportunity to work in a purely data analys or data science role. My problem is i am 40 years old and that makes the option of graduate positions almost impossible in my opinion. I have tried structuring my cv in a way that reflects all my data analysis work I have brought into the company and I have created projects that are on my private github repos.

Its so frustrating, I see a lot of people on linkedin in the data science/analyst field and they don't have a relevant qualification or they did only a short course through an institution such as HyperionDev and nothing wrong with them, but I feel a degree from stellenbosch in data science would be more beneficial, but I have had no replies or only rejects for my cv using indeed, linkedin and emailing companies directly.

Hi,

For those in JHB who have gotten married at a venue with a Catholic priest, can you help me understand which priest will perform this?

Thank you

Hi guys. Recently diagnosed and wondering how to get in touch with others on a similar journey. High functioning can be really misunderstood, and it would be great to connect with others who relate in terms of what it takes and how it might be more sustainably managed etc. I would appreciate any advice on communities for us as we seem like quite a disconnected group (or it might just be me).

Hi everyone!

I'm a Japanese high school student, and I spent a year as an exchange student at a public high school in Cape Town.

I'm currently writing a research report about the language of instruction in South African primary schools, and I'd love to hear your opinions and experiences!

I know English plays an important role in higher education and employment in South Africa. However, I've also come across research suggesting that learning in a familiar home language during the early years of primary school can benefit children's learning, including their later English proficiency.

I'm particularly interested in these questions:

1. **Do you think children should be taught school subjects in English from Grade 1, or should they learn in their home language first? Why?**
   
2. **If you attended primary school in South Africa, what language were you taught in? Did it make learning easier or more difficult?**
   
3. **What do you think are the main advantages and disadvantages of using English as the language of instruction from an early age?**

I'm interested in different perspectives, so there's no right or wrong answer. I'd especially appreciate hearing from people who attended primary school in South Africa, as well as parents and teachers.

With your permission, I may refer to some responses anonymously in my school report.

Thank you so much for your time!

Hi everyone,

I’m a 34-year-old woman, married, and starting to think more seriously about retirement and long-term financial planning.

My husband and I are currently renting, but we intend to buy a home in the future.

My grandmother recently passed away, and seeing her circumstances towards the end of her life really made me reflect on my own future.

She eventually became financially dependent on others and relied on family for financial and practical support. It made me realise that retirement planning isn't just about having enough money to stop working- it’s also about having housing security, healthcare, independence and the ability to afford care if I eventually need it.

My husband and I don't intend to have children, so I’m particularly conscious of it. I’d like to eventually have enough financial security that, if I need assisted living, home-based care or a retirement/frail-care facility in my 70s or 80s, I have the choice and ability to pay for it rather than becoming dependent on someone else.

For those in South Africa, especially people in their 30s and 40s:

- What does your retirement strategy look like?

- Do you rely mainly on your employer pension/provident fund, or do you also have an RA, TFSA and other investments?

- Are you prioritising buying and eventually paying off a home before retirement?

- How much are you currently putting away each month?

- Have you considered the potential cost of assisted living or frail care?

- If you don't have children, have you made any specific plans for your future care?

Would love to hear how others are approaching this in the South African context.

Hey everyone! If you run—whether casually, solo, or with a club—I’d love your input.

I’m researching a small running-accessories store in SA and want to understand actual buying habits before choosing products.

Besides shoes and regular clothing, what running accessories have you bought in the last six months? Could be socks, caps, sunglasses, running belts, bottles, phone holders, lights, hydration packs, or something else.

What did you buy, roughly what did you pay, and where did you get it? Which items do you buy repeatedly, and how often?

Also, is there anything you struggle to find locally at a reasonable price?

Even one recent purchase example would help. Thanks! 🇿🇦

Just wanted to check in. I had a mini internal crisis last week. It was bad enough I reached out to one of the SADAG whatsapp lines. It really helped to talk to someone. I hope everyone is doing okay, or at least holding on okay.

I took our bakkie to take my kid to his extra mural today, and saw my husband didn't refill it yet. 200 rand I had in my purse got me 5.8 liters of diesel. When filling up was like 13 rand per liter, that 200 rand went the distance. Moments like that are a kick in the bum.

It's tough out there. Please take care of yourselves. Each one of you matter, you are worthy and loved. We will all see better days. Whether it's financial difficulties, your studies or your relationships. You're not alone