The British and Irish remain by far the biggest international group of property buyers in South Africa and increasing flocks of ’swallows’ have been significant in helping property prices in the Rainbow Nation to rocket.
By UK standards, property remains relatively cheap. Contracts with armed response units are also widely popular.Political stability is another issue that faces the potential investor in South Africa. Most commentators say that the disaster that is being witnessed across the border in Zimbabwe will not spread south. There are areas you shouldn’t go, just as there are in London.”Some residential developments are of a compound nature, with houses clustered together behind high-security fences, but most homes are equipped with their own security devices.

But I believe crime is down 46 per cent in the Cape, and the Victoria and Alfred waterfront is quite safe. Andy Collett, a resident of the Cape Town suburb Somerset West, says he neither has a burglar alarm nor bars on his windows. “Petty crime is the biggest problem – theft from cars, that sort of thing. But safety is a perennial issue here, with most prosperous neighbourhoods patrolled by armed guards who respond to burglaries with guns at the ready.Johannesburg is generally regarded as more dangerous than Durban or the Cape, but with the increase in tourism, attempts are being made to halt the crime wave – a difficult task, since a starving man is a dangerous man.

I particularly recommend the coast north of Durban – Umhlanga and Ballito – which is becoming increasingly popular. A four-bedroom stand-alone house can be bought for about 1.5m Rand (£120,500).”South Africa undoubtedly offers a marvellous way of life: plenty of sunshine, great food and glorious wines at less than half the price you pay at home. Inland, you’ll find game reserves and fabulous mountain scenery.Andy Collett, a director of Pam Golding International, the leading real estate company in South Africa, believes Durban remains a great opportunity for potential investors.”You can get property here for half the price it achieves in Cape Town. Summers are hot and humid, but the Indian Ocean is warm and the beaches endless. Property is about half the price of that in Cape, probably because it is not quite on the must-see tourist agenda.While the Cape enjoys a Mediterranean climate with mild (but sometimes windy) winters and lovely balmy summers, the sea is invariably too cold to swim in – which comes as a shock to many British tourists.But Durban, high up on the east coast of South Africa, enjoys a sub-tropical climate with few changes to the seasons. These are picturesque resorts where excellent buy-to-let opportunities exist.Across the country towards Durban (once known as the last outpost of the British empire), real bargains remain.