There are all sorts of reasons why people want to relocate within South Africa. But for teachers it’s not that easy.
First – if you are in a State School anywhere in South Africa, contact your Principal and ask if they will assist you to get a transfer. This means that a teacher in the place you want to relocate to wants to transfer to where you are now – and you simply swap posts. The problem here is that some Education Departments are very helpful about transfers, and others are not.

So – whether you are in a State, Independent or Private School, if you want to relocate you need to think long and hard before you make the final decision. Very few schools pay a relocation allowance, so what is it going to cost you? When you arrive in the new place – what about accommodation? You may be able to stay with family for a while, but once you need your own place is it going to be more expensive than where you were? Travel – in Gauteng distances can be huge, and traffic is horrid – travel might cost you more. Are you moving away from family and friends? How will you keep up with them? Only once you have done the homework can you start planning the move.

A lot of teachers send me their CV and say they will relocate to Gauteng if they are offered a job here. Unfortunately, schools are not very cooperative about this – and there are a number of reasons why not.

• People say they will relocate – and are appointed by the school. But then “stuff happens” and they change their minds, often letting the school down at the last minute.
• Some people arrive in Gauteng in January – but when the cold fronts of June arrive, they pack their bags and go back to the sun! It’s cold in Gauteng in winter, and particularly cold in schools!
• Schools insist on a face-to-face interview before they will appoint. That means the applicant has to pay transport and accommodation costs in Gauteng. And they might not be offered the job. They might come ten times and still be offered nothing.
• Gauteng learners are difficult. They are loud, swear at teachers and behave badly in class. Teachers from elsewhere in South Africa are often shocked, and don’t know how to deal with Gauteng learners. So, schools prefer to appoint teachers with experience teaching in Gauteng.

So – if you want to relocate – here is what we recommend.

1. Go to your current Principal and explain that you have decided to relocate, ask what notice the Principal will accept from you.
2. Give the notice in writing and work it out. Work hard. During your notice period, ask for a written reference from the Principal on a school letterhead, in which they speak in as much detail as possible about what you have done at the school and how well you have done it. Keep that reference where you can find it when you pack!
3. Then relocate
4. Put your new address on your CV, check that your phone number and email address is correct, and send the CV with the written reference to sendCV@staffroom.co.za
5. As soon as we get the CV with the reference – we will start to circulate it.

If you teach a scarce subject – high school English, Afrikaans, Maths or Physical Science, you are unlikely to be unemployed more than 60 days. But anything else will take longer. So have some savings – just in case.

Best of luck with your relocation!