Anyone who has spent a summer in Cape Town (or along the Garden Route) will attest to the ever-growing number of foreigners retiring to our shores to live handsomely off their euros, pounds and dollars. They are a great boost for local business, of course, but must they insist on wearing those banana-hammocks at the beach?

It seems we may have a new influx of foreigners heading to our shores if the head of business crime and forensics at Werksmans, Bernard Hotz, is to be believed. And, with this lot, budgie-smugglers will be the least of our worries.

Whilst we are not in the world’s top ten ‘places to visit if you’re a terrorist organisation’ list we are making some headway. This from Mail&Guardian:

…[South Africa] has been steadily moving up the ladder from being ranked 140 out of 162 countries in 2010 to 48th place in 2014.

The Global Terrorism Index measures incidents of terrorism, geographical activity, organisations involved and the national economic and political context.

So how have we risen like a phoenix up this index? Just a spot of lawlessness, government corruption and some funky financing methods. Research suggests there are already a few nasties set up on our shores already. From the Mail&Guardian again:

Historically al-Qaeda and Hezbollah operatives have been discovered to have had operations financed though South Africa, which is possibly continuing to date,” he said.

“It’s speculated that Boko Haram might have operations in South Africa … but it is more difficult to ascertain due to the growing relationship between South Africa and Nigeria.

Charming. It’s not like we don’t all know about our problems (see Johann Rupert laying it out clearly HERE) but doing something about them is a completely different kettle of fish altogether.

In the meantime we should all welcome those foreigners and their Speedos with open arms. It could get worse before it gets better.

[source:m&g}