Big news this week! 🎉

We’ve just released a brand-new free guide for South Africans — helping you figure out exactly where to live in the UK based on the kind of life you want.

It’s practical, it’s shareable, and it will save you time, money, and a few wrong turns along the way.

And that’s just the start… Inside this issue we’ve rounded up the brightest upcoming events, a smart local hack, and a couple of fun reads to make your UK life easier, cheaper, and way more enjoyable.

👉 Unlock the Smart Saffa Secrets Guide

Scroll down for the rest of the good stuff 👇

In South Africa, you hop in the car and hit the open road.
Here? One wrong turn and you’re suddenly in a one-way alley, reversing into a bin while a bus breathes down your neck.

The real secret to stress-free UK travel: public transport.
And the easiest way to master it is Citymapper.

• Works in London, Manchester, Birmingham and more
• Finds the fastest route by bus, train, tube, ferry — even walking
• Tells you exactly which stop, which platform, and when to get off
• Real-time delay alerts + alternative routes
• Shows the total journey cost so you can avoid surprises
• Saved routes for your commute or weekend adventures

💡 Smart Saffa Tip: Turn on “Disruptions” notifications — the UK loves a good track closure just when you’re running late.

👉 Get Citymapper:
citymapper.com

If winter in the UK is teaching us anything, it’s this:
blankets with legs are a vibe.

These SA-flag onesies are comfy, warm, and proudly loud —
perfect for lazy Sundays, braai nights with Netflix,
or answering the door to the Amazon driver without shame.

What we love: • Soft fleece feel — warm without the heavy layers
• Pockets — because snacks must travel with you
• Inclusive sizing — from XS up to 3XL
• Zip front — quick on, quick off
• Unmistakably South African 🇿🇦

💡 Smart Saffa Tip:
Put it on before you turn the heater on.
Save money. Look fabulous. Win-win.

👉 Check it out in our Shop
SA Connect UK

Real fun. Real value. Real Saffa smiles.

Hyde Park Winter Wonderland
Ice rinks, wild rides, Bavarian feasts.
Arrive early → leave happy.
🎟️ Some parts free | 22–29 Nov (+ beyond)

Christmas at Kew Gardens
Not Christmassy — magical.
Light trails + firepits + hot snacks.
🎟️ £28–£38 | Kew | Evenings

EFG London Jazz Festival — Final Nights
Big horns. Warm rooms. Serious groove.
If you’ve never done jazz live — go.
🎟️ £20–£60 | Venues across London

Sarnie Party at Somerset House
15 sandwich masters.
Festive fillings that shouldn’t work — but do.
🎟️ £15–£25 | 29 Nov

All My Sons — West End Revival
Arthur Miller. High drama. A punch to the heart.
Perfect date night or culture fix.
🎟️ £25–£150 | Wyndham’s Theatre

💡 Smart Saffa Tip:
Tube > Uber this week.
London traffic is basically a parking lot with street lights.

Edinburgh’s Christmas
Markets, big wheel, mulled… something.
Cosy with a capital C.
🎟️ Free entry | George Street

Castle of Light
Lasers + history + castle walls.
A rare “wow” moment.
🎟️ £16–£20 | Edinburgh Castle

Giant Lanterns of Fire — Edinburgh Zoo
Kids will love it. Adults secretly will too.
🎟️ £18–£22 | Evenings

💡 Smart Saffa Tip:
Pack gloves — cold hands ruin good memories.

Birmingham Frankfurt Market
Bratwurst for days.
Glühwein approved by every German auntie.
🎟️ Free entry | Victoria Square

Stratford Victorian Christmas Market (Sneaking in early!)
Costumes + cobbles + Shakespeare vibes.
🎟️ Free entry | 29–30 Nov

💡 Smart Saffa Tip:
Take trains when possible. Brum parking = 😬

English Wine Fair — Underground Cellar
Fizz, rosé & small talk with winemakers.
Warmth + wine = best combo.
🎟️ £25 | 22 Nov | Averys Wine Cellar

The D.A.M. Trilogy — Bowie’s Berlin Era Live
Music nerd heaven.
A once-in-a-blue-moon setlist.
🎟️ £40+ | 29 Nov | Bristol Beacon

Manchester Christmas Markets
Multiple squares + good food + local craft.
Feels big — in the best way.
🎟️ Free entry | City Centre

Chatsworth House Illuminations
If Wallace & Gromit did a stately home.
Family delight unlocked.
🎟️ £25 | Peak District

Beaver Moon — Best Viewed This Week
Step outside. Look up.
Nature’s free theatre.
🎟️ Clear skies required

The South African decoding what makes us who we are.

If you’ve ever wondered why we dream…
or how consciousness actually works…
a South African has been right at the centre of the action.

Meet Professor Mark Solms — born in Johannesburg, now a leading neuroscientist and psychoanalyst whose work changed what we know about the brain.

He discovered that dreaming isn’t made in the cortex (the “thinking” part),
but deep in the brain’s emotional core.
In other words: feelings drive dreams.

His research bridges science and humanity —
from brain injury studies to how memory, emotion, and identity fit together.
And his big mission?
Understanding why we feel alive on the inside.

Despite global fame — teaching in London, collaborating with top labs —
he’s still proudly connected to South Africa,
building world-class neuroscience back home and training young African researchers.

Mark Solms reminds us that South Africans don’t just take on the world…
We change how the world understands itself.

From braai weather to snowy slopes — no passport needed.

When winter hits here, you don’t have to wait for sunshine or book a flight.
You can strap on skis or a board and hit real snow — indoors.

• SnowDome (Tamworth) — full slope, lessons, snowboard zones
• Chill Factore (Manchester) — UK’s longest indoor slope + snowpark
• Snozone (Milton Keynes & Castleford) — beginner-friendly, great for families

Perfect for Saffas who love movement and mountains —
just without the altitude or the shark warnings 😄

💡 Smart Saffa Tip:
Book a lesson for your first time — UK slopes have bite.

Rugby fever’s back — and the Boks are close enough to feel it.

🇮🇪 Ireland vs South Africa — Sat 22 Nov
Aviva Stadium, Dublin (easy UK day trip)
→ World Cup final rematch = big hits + bragging rights

🏴 Wales vs South Africa — Sat 29 Nov
Principality Stadium, Cardiff
→ Choirs, fireworks, and a stadium roof that makes the noise unreal

Can’t travel?
Find a South African pub with a big screen and braai rolls —
The vibes are just as loud.

💡 Smart Saffa Tip:
Book trains early — match days = sardine tins.

Turn Your Side Hustle into a Small Business — Without the Stress

You don’t need to become “a whole company” overnight.
Think of it as turning your side hustle into a tidy little micro-business that HMRC understands and you can manage on a Sunday afternoon.

• Once your side hustle starts earning more than £1,000 a year, it’s time to treat it like a proper business.
• In most cases that simply means registering as self-employed with HMRC and filing a yearly Self Assessment tax return.
• You can still keep your full-time job — this just covers the extra income so you stay on the right side of the rules.
• Open a separate bank account for your side hustle. It doesn’t need to be a business account — a basic current account is fine.
• Keep simple records: what you earn, and what you spend to keep the hustle going (postage, materials, software, small equipment).
• At tax time, you pay income tax and National Insurance only on your profit, not on every pound that comes in.
• If things grow bigger, you can later decide whether to stay as a sole trader or set up a limited company — but there’s no rush.

💡 Smart Saffa Tip: Treat your side hustle like a “mini business notebook” — one account, one spreadsheet, one hour a month. That’s often all it takes to stay calm, compliant, and ready to grow.

🔗 Where to Start:
When your earnings go beyond that £1,000 mark, your next step is to register with HMRC as self-employed and set up Self Assessment. Just search “Register for Self Assessment HMRC” and follow the official steps.

The world feels unsettled right now.
Some days it’s hard to know what’s coming next.

That’s why we’re building this space —
for South Africans in the UK to feel steady, supported, and understood.

We’ll keep finding the smartest hacks,
the hidden gems,
and the helpful ideas that make life here easier.

But SA Connect UK is a team sport.
It only works when you tell us what you want more of.
What you’re struggling with.
What you’re curious about.

So talk to us.
Hit reply.
Vote in the poll.
Share a win.
Ask a question.

We’ll be right here — listening, learning, and helping where we can.
One small connection at a time.

See you next Saturday.
Troy & Sarah 🇿🇦➡️🇬🇧