“I Won’t Live in a Hut”: US Man Moving to SA Addresses What Americans Think About Living Here

• American playwright and activist Peterson Toscano addressed the reactions he gets from Americans when he tells them he is moving to South Africa
• Toscano, who is married to South African writer Glen Retief and has spent time in the country before, pushed back gently on the misconceptions
• South Africans welcomed him warmly and gave him tips on fitting in

When American Peterson Toscano tells people he is moving to South Africa, the reactions he gets say a lot about what people outside the country think life there looks like. Toscano, a playwright and an activist, shared a video on 8 May 2026 addressing the misconceptions that come up when he mentions his decision to move.

He said people immediately ask him whether he is going to live in a hut and whether South Africa is super dangerous, and he wanted to address both. He is moving to the Waterval area and is already familiar with the country through his husband, South African writer Glen Retief, with whom he lives in Pretoria.

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In the video, he said:

"I'm not going to live in a hut. Middle-class people don't live in huts in South Africa unless they want to. As a white person coming from the United States, I have the privilege of money that will protect me in having a nice, safe place to live. It's unfortunate that's not true of everybody, and there are real disparities in South Africa. But as someone coming legally, I'm safe and welcome."

How to legally move to South Africa

For anyone inspired by Toscano's move, the move legally is straightforward if you plan ahead. Foreign nationals can apply for a Spousal or Life Partner Visa if they are in a relationship with a South African citizen. This visa can include a work endorsement, and spouses can apply for permanent residency without the usual five-year wait if the relationship has existed for at least five years.

Other options include a General Work Visa for people with a job offer, a Critical Skills Visa for professionals in fields South Africa needs urgently, and a Retirement Visa for those who can show a guaranteed monthly income of at least R37,000.

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Applications are mainly submitted through VFS Global or at a South African diplomatic mission before arriving in the country.

Watch the TikTok clip below:

SA welcomes US man moving to SA

South Africans made sure he felt at home before he even arrived with their comments on his TikTok page:

@brendall22 wrote:

"Welkom, my brother."

@hank_za explained:

"In Afrikaans, we often call older people Oom and Tannie. Don't see it as a negative. It's a way to show respect to people older than us."

@cch_73 said:

"Just be friendly and yourself. South Africans love chatting with each other and with foreigners. We are friendly by nature."

@dryachad wrote:

"Welcome to South Africa. I lived overseas for many years, but I'm so happy to be back. We have lots of problems here, but I want to be part of the solution. People here are amazing."

More foreigners making headlines

• Briefly News recently reported on a South African ESL teacher in South Korea who filmed how bus commuters behaved next to her.
• The Ghanaian government announced a free flight home for its citizens amid growing tensions in South Africa, and the number of people who showed up had many concerned.
• Residents in Dunnottar took to the streets over the alleged killing of a teenager, with many blaming undocumented foreigners.

Source: Briefly News