Crime, Job Prospects Drive Rich, Skilled South Africans Abroad

Concerns about crime, the future of their children and career prospects have driven more than 1 million rich and well-educated South Africans to emigrate, a new report shows.

Nearly half of the 1,500 South Africans living in 73 countries polled for the South African Diaspora Report 2026 by the University of Cape Town’s Liberty Institute of Strategic Marketing cited fears about insecurity and safety as their main reason for leaving.