SA Comforts & Connections
Your virtual slice of South Africa — right here in Germany.
Whether you’re craving a familiar accent, missing your mom’s cooking, or looking for ways to stay plugged into SA life from afar, you’ll find it all here. From streaming rugby to finding rusks, we’ve gathered the comforts that help you feel at home — even when you’re miles away.
Our Stories, Our Strength
Every journey carries a story — moments of courage, challenge, laughter, and hope. Here, we gather the voices of South Africans who have made Germany their home, whether fresh off the plane or seasoned by years.
These shared stories remind us we are not alone. They are threads in the rich tapestry of our community — each one a testament to resilience, adaptability, and the enduring power of connection.
Read, relate, and be inspired. And when you’re ready, add your own chapter to this ever-growing story.
Our Stories, Our Strength
Every Journey Tells a Story — Welcome to Our Migration Chronicles From distant shores to new beginnings, these stories carry the weight of hope, resilience, and the timeless quest for belonging Step into the footsteps of those who dared to dream beyond borders. Here, voices echo with memories of old homelands, the struggles of transition, and the triumphs of forging a new life. Each tale is a thread woven into the fabric of our shared heritage — a bridge between past and future, between where we come from and where we are headed. Have a Story to Tell? Whether your journey began yesterday or decades ago, your story matters. Inspire others, share lessons learned, or simply express your experience — we’d love to hear from you. Share your story More Stories Coming Soon… This space will soon be filled with real stories from South Africans living in Germany — tales of courage, culture shock, connection, and finding home away from home. Stay tuned, updates coming soon! Related Content Facebook Twitter LinkedIn WhatsApp Email
South African Communities
Looking for fellow South Africans near you? Curious about the voices, stories, and creators making waves in our community? We’ve gathered links to SA groups across Germany and spotlighted local social media channels that bring a bit of home to your screen. Dive in and discover your people.
South African Communities
Feeling homesick? Connect with fellow South Africans living in Germany through communities that offer friendship, support, and a taste of home. Whether you’re looking to share experiences, ask questions, or simply find a familiar accent, these groups are here to help you feel closer to home. Discover the best spaces to stay connected and feel supported on your journey in Germany. Church Groups American Protestant Church in Bonn – from August they will have an Afrikaans-speaking pastor, Ds Mario Weyers. If you would like more info feel free to contact DeWet Herselman Kirche in Aktion, het kampusse (gemeentes) in Frankfurt, Wiesbaden, Darmstadt, Offenbach en Mainz. By elkeen van die kampusse is daar SA mense betrokke. Heimat in Christus – evangelische Freikirche e.V. 📍 Robert-Bosch-Straße 51, 74523 Schwäbisch Hall. Pastors: Elemans (South African) & Ricarda Scheepers. 📧 Contact: ricarda.scheepers@heimat-in-christus.de For Christian Events have a look at cvents Facebook groups South Africans in Germany South Africans in Baden-Württemberg South Africans in Berlin South Africans living in Bonn South Africans Living in and around Düsseldorf, Germany South Africans (Saffas) living in Dusseldorf & NRW South Africans in Franconia South Africans in Frankfurt am Main South African Doctors in Germany – A group where South African trained doctors can support each other and give advice to those wanting to make the move to Germany 🙂 South Africans living in Freiburg South Africans in Hamburg South Africans in Munich South Africans in NRW South Africans in the Stuttgart Region SAD – Suid Afrikaners / South Africans in Deutschland South Africans in Germany cultural events South African Christian women in Germany South African Ladies Living in Stuttgart Websites This website -We have an online community on this website. You can join groups and find people with the same interests. To be part of this community, you will need to register on our website. Registration and memberships are free.Some of the groups are- Rugby, Wine lovers, Parents with toddlers, people living in “city” SA Munich – Your Southern African gateway into Bavaria WhatsApp Community Join Our South Africans in Germany WhatsApp Community! Are you a South African living in Germany or planning to move here? Connect with fellow South Africans, share experiences, ask questions, and support each other in our WhatsApp Community! To keep our group safe and free from spam, we don’t publish the direct link. If you’d like to join, simply send an email to admin@southafricansingermany.de with a brief reason for wanting to join. We’ll get back to you shortly with the link and welcome you to our community! Events Social events. Concerts or exhibitions by South African artists in Germany. Webinars and Online get-togethers. For Children Adventures in Odyssey – “an award-winning audio drama series created for ages 8-12 and enjoyed by the whole family. Episodes often start with the grandfatherly Mr. Whittaker (“Whit”), who runs an ice cream shop called Whit’s End. They last an average of twenty-five minutes and bring biblical principles to life, through a balance of fun, faith and imagination” Blogs, websites and Youtube chanels International Expat communities Internations – Connect with expats in your city Expat.com Wereldwyd – “Hierdie inisiatief is die ideale platform vir elke Afrikaner wat tans in die buiteland woon, maar graag steeds in voeling met sy geboorteland wil bly” Other organisations Sage Net – network of South African and German organisations. This includes clubs, companies, associations, and authorities, as well as individual members. AHK – Southern African-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry Related content Facebook Twitter LinkedIn WhatsApp Email
Our Stories
We all have different stories about why we came to Germany, how we ended up being here and whether we will stay or not. Every journey is different. We can all learn from and be inspired by each other. Youtube channels Tebogo Prinz – You can follow her on Instagram and Youtube Clyne Brunold shared his impressions on the cultural differences between SA and Germany on his Youtube Channel Ronet has a YouTube channel where she documented her experience in moving to Germany Personal Blogs and websites DeWet Herselman – aldiepaaie personal blog. Travel, Europe and general stuff Jason Markotter – Jason wrote about his experiences in Berlin, he moved there from Cape Town Bronwyn Koch – “So who am I…..I am a wife….a mother….a South African…an expat….as of two weeks ago I now find myself living in a foreign country surrounded by a foreign language, foreign people, a foreign way of living….this is my life in a blog and how I am adapting to living in Germany as a South African” Sarona Wolter from HypeWoman – is a podcast for women, where we share stories of everyday women doing extraordinary things Our social media accounts Facebook Twitter Instagram Related content
📺 Entertainment
From rugby matches to radio chat shows, soapies to Spotify playlists — this is where the spirit of South African entertainment lives on, even from across the globe.
Whether you’re streaming the Bokke in action, listening to Joburg’s morning traffic reports, or dancing in your kitchen to kwaito classics, these links and resources bring the familiar voices, beats, and stories of home straight to you. Plug in, press play, and feel a little more connected — no matter where in Germany you are.
Watching sports
How to watch South African Sport in Germany There’s nothing quite like the roar of a Springbok try or the crack of leather on willow, even from thousands of kilometres away. Rugby and cricket are more than just games for us; they’re pieces of home, shared with every cheer and every sigh. This page brings you all the legal ways to stream and watch South African sports in Germany — no dodgy links, no hassle, just pure sporting pride. Rugby and Cricket South Africans never stop cheering for their teams, no matter where they are. Here you’ll find rugby and cricket fixtures, plus how to watch the games legally in Germany. Check out our posts for the latest on the Springboks and Proteas, and keep the green-and-gold spirit alive from afar. Watching your favourite sports on Television can be a challenge in Germany. Using a VPN to watch the games on DSTV is very tempting, but we strongly advise against it. Germany has stringent copyright laws.Do not violate copyright laws by illegally downloading a film, music, or other web content. You can get heavy fines for doing so. You can read more about streaming on the European Consumer Centre Germany – and download their English Safer-Streaming-EN.pdf file What are the legal options Pubs and restaurants If you would like to watch it with others, consider visiting an Irish pub in your town, they usually have a television with a subscription to sports channels. It is a good idea to confirm with them what games they will be showing on that day. If you are close to Bielefeld, there is a South African Restaurant called Howzit, which shows most of the major games. Pay channels WOW TV (old Sky Ticket) Dazn Willow TV for Cricket Amazon Prime Rugbypass.tv – we mention them here for reference only. According to their website “You can enjoy live and free access to all Rugby World Cup games on RugbyPass TV if you’re located in the following countries: Albania, Bulgaria, China, Cyprus, Greece, Hungary, Liechtenstein, Malta, Mongolia, Myanmar, Slovakia, South Korea, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Vietnam.” More than sports – this article in in German but shows how to legally watch the More than sports channel If you are lucky ZDF will show some major international games but it is in German. Apps RugbyPass for Android was discontinued but is available again. It was shortly renamed to Premier Sports Asia, it is not clear whether the service is legal in Germany. The Ultimate Rugby App gives live scores but no streaming Websites/Streaming We’ve gathered a list of platforms that appear to offer legal rugby streaming options.⚠️ Important: This information is provided for your convenience only. We do not verify or guarantee the legality of these services in Germany or elsewhere. 👉 You are fully responsible for checking the legality, licensing, and regional restrictions for each platform.👉 Always review each provider’s own terms, conditions, and disclaimers before streaming.🚫 No liability is accepted for your use of any third-party services listed here. Ran.de has some live streams, but mostly 7’S NZR+ – Sanzaarrugby.tv moved to NZR+. You can buy season or monthly passes. Make sure you know what games they will be broadcasting. According to NZR+/SANZAAR’s announcements, Germany is one of the eligible territories where their July international and Rugby Championship matches can be streamed using NZR+ or SANZAAR Pass URC TV – United Rugby Championships. According to their website, there are no limitations for Germany Youtube channels Rugby Deutschland Sport.de A great website with fixtures and results is Rugby365.co Radio Stations You can listen to most games on radio stations. Resources on the web Streamen – Article in German Streaming was ist illegal. Information about geoblocking You can read more about streaming, and how to identify illegal sites, on the European Consumer Centre Germany – you can download their English PDF here Safer-Streaming-EN IPTV what is legal and what not – article in German but can be easily translated TotalRugby website and Facebook Page Forums and Groups We have a sports Forum on our website.Registered users can also access the Rugby and cricket groups Related content
Radio Stations and Playlists
🎧 Bringing the Beat of Mzansi to Germany Missing the rhythm of home? From the soulful hum of Afrikaans ballads to high-energy Kwaito beats and morning talk shows packed with that unmistakable South African flavour, online radio stations stream it all straight to you, no matter where you are.Tune in live from Germany and stay connected to the music, culture, and stories that still feel like home.Prefer an app? We’ve rounded up a few, so you can explore a whole spectrum of Mzansi stations, all just a tap away. App / Website Description Radio South Africa Play your favourite FM radio station via an Android app Radio Box Most online radio stations. Works on Amazon Kindle as well Surfmusic Listen to radio stations online. You can search by region or country. Simple Radio App for Android and Apple Radio Garden App or website LM Radio Experience Nostalgia with LM Radio Radio Springbok Germany Private station “Jou beste musiek radio stasie, 24/7. Als wat jy wil hoor – Afrikaans, Country, 80’s Treffers, Boeremusiek, ag als wat lekker is en lekker klink. ‘n Stasie wat altyd jou voete laat jeuk Luisterfm Jou lekker luister stasie Playlists – Now Playing at the Virtual Braai Related content Facebook Twitter LinkedIn WhatsApp Email
Streaming South African content
Your best option to legally watch South African products is to get a subscription to Showmax or Netflix. Showmax Unfortunately Showmax will only be available outside of South Africa until 1 December 2023. We will keep you updated if there are any alternatives Netflix You might find some South African content VPNs and DStv Although it is possible to watch DStv in Germany, it is not recommended.Please read the warning below. If you have to use a VPN to watch something you can be pretty sure it was not licenced in Germany. Warning!! VPNs are legal in Germany — but what you do with them can still get you in trouble. If you use a VPN to access content that’s not licensed for distribution in Germany, such as a South African TV program, you could be infringing copyright law, regardless of whether you’re downloading or just streaming. While GEMA (the Gesellschaft für musikalische Aufführungs- und mechanische Vervielfältigungsrechte) oversees music rights and royalties in Germany, film and TV licensing falls under other regulations and contracts. If a provider hasn’t secured the proper rights to broadcast in Germany, and you access it anyway, that’s considered a violation — even if it’s just passive streaming.So while your VPN might open the door, it doesn’t make it legal to step through. ⚖️ The Problem Isn’t the VPN. It’s the Licensing. Here’s the real issue:If a broadcaster (like SuperSport or SABC) hasn’t bought the rights to stream their sports content in Germany, then watching it here — even via VPN — can violate copyright law. Why? Because content like live sports is licensed by territory. South African broadcasters usually only buy rights to show games in South Africa. They’re not allowed to stream it internationally unless they pay for those rights, and that can get expensive. If you use a VPN to “pretend” you’re in SA and stream the game anyway, that’s a form of unauthorised access. Under German and EU copyright law, that could be considered copyright infringement — even if you’re just watching and not downloading anything. Info on the web Streamen – Article in German Act on Copyright and Related Rights(Urheberrechtsgesetz – UrhG) Streaming was ist illegal. Information about geoblocking You can read more about streaming, and how to identify illegal sites, on the European Consumer Centre Germany – you can download their English PDF here Safer-Streaming-EN European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruling of April 2017 clarified that knowingly streaming from an illegal source is a copyright violation Article from Deutsche Welle – Warning on illegal downloads Information from the European Consumer Centre can be found here IPTV what is legal and what not – Article in German but can be easily translated 📌 Bottom Line: In Germany, ignorance is not bliss when it comes to streaming. The country has some of the strictest copyright enforcement in Europe. Watch smart, and stick to legit sources — or you may end up paying far more than the price of a Netflix subscription. Related content Facebook Twitter LinkedIn WhatsApp Email
🛒 Shopping: SA Favourites & Clever Substitutes
Finding the right flavours, textures, and creature comforts from South Africa can make all the difference when you’re living abroad. This section brings together the shops, products, and pantry hacks that help keep your home feeling just a little more like… well, home.
Discover expat-loved items, clever product swaps for your favourite SA staples, and stores across Germany that stock the goodies you’ve been missing. From biltong to baking powder, we’ve got your grocery game covered.
Product Substitutes
Product Substitutes Most products we know in South Africa are available in Germany, but unfortunately not all of them. Here is a list of product substitutes for some of them. I you would like more information about where to buy South African products in Germany, see our Products we love page. Food related products General household items Stationery and Hardware Items Medicinal Products Bed linen Most Germans sleep under their own single duvet, even on a “double” bed. The usual arrangement is a bed with two mattresses and each person sleeping under their own duvet.To buy queen or king-size linen and duvets, look online.If you brought your own pillows from SA, look on online shops in the UK like Amazon.co.uk. They deliver in Germany.Some shops in Germany like Wayfair, Ikea and Home24 will have the correct sizes but you will have a limited selection. See Beds, Mattresses and Duvets below for standard pillow sizes and other information Related content
Similar Shops
Back home, you know exactly in what shop to look for specific items, where to find quality products and what shops have cheaper options.We tried to make a comparison of SA and German shops in the list below. You welcome to send us your suggestions via or Contact us page Related content
Products we love
Products we love We all miss familiar products we loved in South Africa. Some of these you can buy here in Germany, and for some, you will have to find a suitable substitute. Grocery Items The following shops sell South African Food/Grocery items Search our market place You can use the search function on our Listings (Market place) page to search by name, product or location. Red espresso can be bought at http://de.redespresso.com/ South African wines SA Wines can be bought in most shops like Rewe and Edeka. For bigger selections, buy online. Vicampo – Search by country. They have an excellent selection at very good prices Jacques’ Weindepot – Limited selection of SA wines Vin Afrika – Big selection of SA Wines. Reasonable delivery prices in DE Vino24 has a limited range of South African wines Vivino sells Pinotage Südafrika-Weinversand has a great selection The following Wine shops are listed on our website Clothing, Home Decor and Gifts We have a big selection of shops selling SA-branded items. Have a look under the clothing, Home decor and gifts categories on our Listings (Market place) page. The following shops sell SA-branded items via 3rd party shops and are therefore not listed on our website. Affikaap for hoodies, cute bumper stickers with wording like “Wil jy braai?” Kiwistar for bumper stickers British Shops Many British shops sell products that we know and love, and they deliver in Germany. https://www.britishessentials.com https://www.greatbritishfood.de/ Broken English, delivery only in Berlin Beauty products Many of our favourite beauty products are not available in Germany. You typically buy them at grocery shops, Drogeriemarkt (Drug store) like DM, Müller or Budni or at Pharmacies. Online pharmacies like ShopApotheke and Doc Morris are very popular. Look under Beauty/PflegeOnline shops like Flaconi, HAGEL-shop, and Douglas offer a wide range of beauty products if you’re looking for alternatives. I have seen Bio-Oil in Rewe.You can find Charlotte Rhys products (based in Cape Town) at Douglas. The following products can be bought online: Johson’s baby products Savlon Dettol – the Dettol brand is sold under the name Sagrotan, although the Dettol Antiseptic Liquid can only be found online Germolene Antiseptic Cream Annique Product Substitutes Related content Facebook Twitter LinkedIn WhatsApp Email
📞 Keeping in Touch: Heartfelt Connections, Wherever You Are
Staying close to loved ones back in South Africa is one of the biggest emotional lifelines when living abroad. Thankfully, tech makes it easier than ever to hear familiar voices, see smiling faces, and share life’s moments — even across continents.
This section offers tools, apps, calling tips, and clever solutions for staying connected — from video chats to affordable international calls. Explore your options and find what works best for you, so your people never feel too far away.
ET Phone Home – Staying connected to SA, your 4 options.
Staying connected to South Africa, your 4 options
Keeping in touch virtually
As an ex-pat, it is essential to keep in touch with family and friends from back home. We yearn for news and contact with loved ones, and although we cannot always be physically together, we can at least try to keep in contact virtually.Here is a list of online events that you can do with your “hartsmense” either here in Germany, where it is easier to organise the delivery of items, or in any other country for example, South Africa. This is just a short list of some ideas, you can search online for “online team events” or ” online cooking classes” etc. to find more ideas. Virtual Events in German Beer tasting – Beer delivered to your home, online tasting with a Sommelier Wine tasting – A selection of wines is sent to your home, online tasting with a Sommelier. Cocktail-making courses. They also do Gin tastings as an online event. Eventbrite – In the kitchen: Virtual food and drink events & classes Organising an online birthday party. You can also put together your own box and send it to everyone, and come together via Zoom, Skype, or other apps. Here are some ideas for making it more fun Teamgeist – Online dating, Beach events, Krimi’s, and many more Kiyana, who comes from South Africa, offers traditional Indian cooking classes Virtual events in English Social Escape Room from your home Online team games, including trivia, murder mysteries, and even a campfire event 🙂 Quaraoke – Online Karaoke Birthday parties – you can organise a hamper or party box, have it delivered and organise an online meeting or game night. Charades or Pictionary are great cost-effective ideas. Here are some hamper ideas Charades, Pictionary, etc. Below is a video explaining how you can play Pictionary and charades online. You can use a website like random word generator to generate words for you Websites with some more suggestions Musemhack has a list of great ideas Virtual Teambuilding (or friendbuilding) ideas, like Movie night, Quizzes, Virtual happy hour Online Trivia with friends Video Conferencing apps Apps like Zoom, Skype, Teams, Google Meet and Cisco Webex can be used for online meetings. Schedule regular “face time” or group chats to make it more personal.WhatsApp is also great for group chats, and they now have the option to send video messages Sending online or physical cards You can create and send an online card on the following websites Bluemountain 123greetings.com/ You can also create cards online and have them delivered in South Africa Q-Photo Cards You can easily create a beautiful and custom online card on Send a smile and have it conveniently delivered anywhere in Germany via the German postal service. Groupgreeting.com – Create a virtual group card and have all participants sign the card. This is a great way to commemorate a special occasion, such as a birthday, graduation, or retirement. With our easy-to-use platform, you can even add photos to make the card even more personal and memorable. Social media Social media like Facebook and Instagram is a great way of sharing photos and experiences. If you would like more private photo share options look at Google Photos, where you can create and share albums, or Flickr or Dropbox Related content
Phoning Home
In today’s world most of us have apps that we use to chat with family back home. But not all our relatives, especially the older ones use smartphones. They still use landlines or a basic mobile phone. There are some affordable options for phone landlines or mobile phones in South Africa Options include: German landline to SA landline Lycamobile – Lycamobile is a British mobile virtual network operator operating in 23 countries Mobile VOIP – With MobileVOIP, you can make cheap VoIP calls from your mobile phone. Airalo E-Sim Fraenk E-sim Rebtel – With Rebtel, you can use any kind of phone to call any kind of phone, anywhere in the world. Telmy – telmy is for customers of any cell phone or conventional telephone networks who are searching for unlimited low priced telephone communication VoipStunt – VoipStunt is a free program that uses the latest technology to bring free and high-quality voice communications to people all over the world. When you use the free VoipStunt software, you can call regular phones in various popular destinations for free or call at an incredible low rate to any other phone on the planet. Lebara – We make it much easier for migrant communities to stay connected to family and friends back home. Mytello – Mit mytello super günstig vom eigenen Handy oder Festnetz ins Ausland telefonieren.Kein Vertragswechsel, keine Grundgebühr und keine versteckten Kosten. Related content
🎁 Sending Gifts: Thoughtful Surprises Across Borders
A small gift can carry a whole lot of love. From birthdays and anniversaries to those just because days, this section helps you find reliable ways to send something special — whether you’re gifting loved ones back in South Africa or treating a fellow expat in Germany.
Explore our curated lists of online stores that deliver hampers, flowers, and personalised surprises. With options in both countries, you’ll always have a way to show you care — no customs forms or courier chaos needed.
Gift services in Gemany
We have a great selection of gift ideas for your loved ones in South Africa, and I thought it would be great to also have a list of places you can shop for your loved ones here in Germany. Most shops will accept South African credit cards, so you just need to have the correct address to surprise someone with a wonderful gift. South African products On top of most people’s lists are products from South Africa, for that we have a great list of shops selling SA products here in Germany. This is not only food items like Biltong, Droewors, Mrs. Ball or Pro Nutro but also handmade and beauty products. Have a look at the variety here – South African products in Germany Boeries and Biltong Gifts with a South African flair Wine and spirits Wine is always a great gift idea and there is no shortage of businesses selling South African Wine Spices We’ve compiled a list of companies that sell an array of spices perfect for adding a flavourful touch to your meals. These spices reflect South Africa’s diverse and rich culinary heritage and are sure to delight your taste buds. Whether you’re looking for the perfect blend for your next braai, or wanting to add an authentic touch to your stews or curries, these companies have got you covered. Gift Vouchers Depot – beautiful homeware. Mydays for experiences like spa days, cooking classes, vintage car rides and so many more. Jochen Schweizer is another experience gift shop. Shops in Germany You can buy items online and have them delivered in Germany. Many shops allow you to set the language to English. Here are some suggestions: Amazon.de – you can set the language to English or shop at Amazon.co.uk, just make sure they deliver the specific product in Germany. Flaconi for perfume, makeup etc Gift Baskets and flowers Gifts baskets Germany Lebkuchen Schmidt German Flora Bloom & Wild Flowers Euroflorist flowers Wein Moment – a selection of German wine hampers Foodist Wowboxeo Feinkost Böhm Greeting Cards Physical Cards You can easily create a beautiful and custom online card on Send a Smile and have it conveniently delivered anywhere in Germany via the German postal service. Virtual Cards Groupgreeting.com – Create a virtual group card and have all participants sign the card. This is a great way to commemorate a special occasion, such as a birthday, graduation, or retirement. With our easy-to-use platform, you can even add photos to make the card even more personal and memorable. Related Content Facebook Twitter LinkedIn WhatsApp Email
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