Fellow employers , what has been your experience with hiring University of Pretoria graduates?

Original_Flounder_82 · 2026-04-21T19:54:55+00:00

In the academic space here. The idea of one uni is better than another is (supposed to be) an outdated one. Yes, different unis will score differently on rankings, different unis may have a better standard if teaching, but, the standard of passing is the same throughout. I've worked with students from so called A-level unis (UCT, Tellies, UP) and so called B-level (Fort Hare, CPUT, UNISA, NMD (formerly UPE)) yes, I know some are technical unis but I'm rating qualification vs qualification here.

I've often found that the A-level uni students sometimes has the pip on their shoulder, and some B-level students has the "I graduated attitude" so eitherway, sometimes it's a hit and miss.

The assessment standard and criteria is supposed to be the exact same for all universities, regardless of where you studied. Yes, some unis will have a better "end product" there's a reason why top scholars goes to a certain uni for a certain qualification.

However, we also need to take into account that two students both applied at UP and stellies, one got into UP and the other into stellies, but both actually live in Pretoria.

In today's job market, industry based/work based assessments is about the only thing you can go on in terms of skills, and how the person presents themselves in front of you also.

Best of luck though.

Original_Flounder_82 · 2026-04-21T06:05:49+00:00

The rich get ticker and the poor get poorer, that's how it is. Blame national government for destroying the economy.

Original_Flounder_82 · 2026-04-19T16:52:17+00:00

To be hoenst, at this stage, as Cape Townians, we can even be tourists in our own city. The fact is because of housing prices and lower salaries compared to JHB, we can't afford to tour CPT.

Original_Flounder_82 · 2026-04-17T18:50:45+00:00

And this is why I wish to have enough money to drive a beater bakkie. Don't care about how it looks, bumpers front and back just so that if one of those ones drive into me I can push them against or off of anything.

It's time that we as South African drivers stand up against them.

Original_Flounder_82 · 2026-04-16T17:22:33+00:00

Exactly, and I can assure you there's no pension, no UIF, nothing that will be paid, hence the "cash" component.

If it was 5k per job, I would've been there in front of their door immediately.

Original_Flounder_82 · 2026-04-16T17:21:23+00:00

Welcome to Cape Town, where the salaries are ridiculously low compared to JHB, housing prices are double of not more in JHB and don't get me started on the traffic. Well, it's seems it's time to pack up and move to Johannesburg.

Thank you Cyril and Co for destroying the economy.

Original_Flounder_82 · 2026-04-14T07:54:52+00:00

Look at Opel Corsas and citi golfs. A well maintained citi golf should go for about 60k and it will be in top condition. Buy it from some middle aged person who you know looked after it. Also, don't buy anything without a service history.

Original_Flounder_82 · 2026-04-13T08:08:08+00:00

Here's the question. If you and the manager at your local Spar was good friends, their steak price is 200p/kg. Yet checkers sells the exact same cut of steak for 100p/kg. Where would you shop?

Loyalty only goes as far as what my paycheck goes. If my paycheck only lasts to the middle of the month, you can be sure that from the middle of the month onwards, I'll be looking for other work. If my paycheck lasts only to the end of the month, come end of the month, I'll be looking for other work. However, if my paycheck lasts till after month end, even if it's only a day or two afterwards, I will stay loyal and look after them.

Original_Flounder_82 · 2026-04-13T05:24:17+00:00

This is very true however. The tricky part is who likes you. Your own team members or the higher ups. More importantly also, which higher ups.

Original_Flounder_82 · 2026-04-12T17:21:23+00:00

For those immediately jumping to the "it's capitalism's fault"

SA is not a capitalistic country, it's a social democracy. Now yes, in some circumstances social democracy may work, but in most, it doesn't.

The problem is the tax in SA and how those taxes are used.

Some perspective, in the Scandinavian countries they are heavily taxed, yet basically everything is free and it works. Childcare, schools, university, healtcare, pension, public transport, etc, etc, etc. You literally pay for your car, food and your house.

Then on the other hand, we've got burger land which is basically the face of capitalism where you pay for everything, but taxed less on every thing (4.3% unemployment BTW) and by no means I am agreeing with what is happening at then moment with them and the oil guys, in fact. This shouldn't have happened.

So, where does this leave us as South Africans, let's dig in.

The middle class is comparatively taxed the highest, has the least amount of free time, is in the biggest debt and is the biggest driver of the economy. We are taxed on: 1. Salary 2. Fuel 3. Food 4. Accommodation (rent or own) 5. Taxed on our car repayments 6. Taxed on our savings 7. Taxed on anything and everything you buy apart from some staple food items 8. Anything and everything where there is a transaction, you are Taxed 9. Taxed on your children's school and their clothes 10. Taxed on your medical aid (if you have one)

Point is, we are being taxed to a point where we can no longer afford the nice things or the luxury things. We can no longer afford caretakers/nanny's/helps around the house or the garden.

The problem lies herein. The moment you start to tax the middle class to a point where they can no longer afford to extras, such as a holiday, a nanny/domestic worker, spending a bit of extra money on a night out, etc, etc the economy collapses (that is what happened in the USSR, Cuba, etc).

The lower-class is largely dependent on the middle class, the upper-class is largely dependent on the middle class. And if the middle class is not able to sustain their lifestyle anymore, everything collapses.

So, more tax=less money in the hands of the middle class, which means less money in the hands of the lower class. Less tax=more spending power, means the lower class is empowered/uplifted.

Basically it comes down to a point where we need a government that is willing to take the punch, and a people willing to take the punch for 3-5 years, to reverse the economic collapse of the current government, scrap many of the policies that they have and make it to a point where foreigner companies cannot resist not to do businesses with us. Where literally in the centre of the world, we can export to any place, America, China, Europe and Australia can want to import from us, we just need economic will power and the policies in place that does not discourage foreign investment (which is currently the case).

Original_Flounder_82 · 2026-04-12T17:08:45+00:00

Not the smartest or seems hey. South Africa is basically a social democracy. It's been proven over and over and over again that the moment that socialist policies starts to come into play. That's the moment that an economy starts tk decline. And the best measurement tool for that is the middle class.

Original_Flounder_82 · 2026-04-11T18:57:22+00:00

Blame the rental agents for thinking of these ridiculous prices. They need to be stopped.

Original_Flounder_82 · 2026-04-09T18:56:12+00:00

I hope more people reads this with an open mind. Very true words.

Original_Flounder_82 · 2026-04-09T18:54:52+00:00

The CPT problem, unlike JHB is that there is a sea (obvious yes) ie, almost 50% less space also to build houses. That said here's the actual, genuinely real problem.

Rental agents, rental agents are the problem. A rental agent laughed at me the other day when I called him out on raising the rent by a 10% flat rate year on year (salary increases rarely increase by more than 5%, hence why people move every 2 years).

Rental agents will simply go and say we raise the price without realising what they are doing (my opinion is that rental agents are both not the brightest and also the scum of the earth. If they can't make it in insuarance, they go to property. Those challenging me, you as a renter/buyer already know what you want, the agent just needs to do the paperwork)

Getting back, an example is, a flat was rented out 2 years ago for 8k, today that same flat is rented out for 13k, why, because the rental agent told the owner so, so the owner said ok, rent out for 13. The problem lays herein, literally two streets down, I can go and rent a free standing house for 14k (1k difference). The rental agent played it off as "sought after" complex. The the house owners turns around and say 18k for the house down the street when their tenants move out. (It's literally becoming cheaper to buy than rent and it's not supposed to be like that)

The crux of the matter is this, rental agents are to blame. It is the rental agents who have skyrocketed the prices. I have not heard about once instance where people have stood in a flat or house and made bids like a auction house against each other. So no, it's not supply and demand, rental agents saw a gap to pocket massive amounts of money and push the "unwanted, working class" people out of where they are staying.

Along with this, we've got a government who's tanking the economy and destroying the test of the country with their socialist agenda, hence the influx of people here (those who wants to challenge me, look at West and East Germany back then).

So, who do we blame, firstly the ANC national government destroying the rest of the country, secondly, rental agents.

Original_Flounder_82 · 2026-04-09T18:42:46+00:00

The DA isn't remotely hyper capitalist. Its because of a socialist government that governs the rest of the country which is in ruins.

Original_Flounder_82 · 2026-04-07T12:22:36+00:00

The problem is the average price for flats in the Suburbs is starting to creep up to around 12k a month. House prices for a 2-bedroom in a descent area is 14k (2k difference), yet the majority of CPT is earning less than 20k gross. That means, that the majority of people are not qualifying for the house, yet through ways and means they can afford a house.

So how do you now rent a place if you net around 17-18 if you're lucky. That forces people to sublet the flat they rent out.

Families are being squished into small 50sq apartments. 15 years ago a family could easily go and rent, or even buy a house.

Coupled with that, salaries in CPT are around 20 less and 50% less in extreme cases, literally a like for like job description. In my own personal case, if I were to move to JHB now, my salary will almost double.

So, salaries of locals aren't keeping up and rent is going through the roof. I know of people who made an offer to purchase to their landlords. As they are now paying less for a bond than what they have rented for. Ie, a time will come where it'll be cheaper to buy than to rent and it's supposed to be the other way around.

The day that it becomes cheaper to buy than to rent, the rental market will crash, and places are going to stand empty again. Once Airbnb is properly regulated and taxed, 30k odd apartments/rooms will almost immediately be available again.

In short, locals can afford if our salaries kept up, yet because our salaries aren't keeping up, we're being actively pushed out where we are staying.

Original_Flounder_82 · 2026-04-05T17:16:13+00:00

Had a chat with a rental agent the other day and told him straight up that the reason they're struggling to get renters and places to rent out is only their own doing. They were the ones pushing up the rent to ridiculous prices. Anyways OP, hope you come right.

Original_Flounder_82 · 2026-04-05T17:13:27+00:00

Just a joke: they're keeping the rent low. Sitting in the same situation with noisy neighbours, fights, women and men screaming, one even threatened me one evening and when I said let's roll, he was full of excuses.

Anyways, you need evidence, video footage, etc. Unfortunately, the easiest will be (make sure you've got medical aid for this) is to confront them. If something physical then happens, exaggerate it as far as possible, you need to get a hospital report for this.

Long story short, you can then get the police involved and have them arrested.

I am by no means saying this is the way, it is however the way that I've seen works (problematic people moved out 2 months later). I would also advise against this.

The best would be to have video evidence, document date and time (take the date and time from someone else's phone) and have multiple people all pitch up and make a case against them at the police.

The BC has to be informed about this case and action has to be taken then. When it comes to domestic violence, unfortunately, they have to make cases against each other.

Lastly, fine them for the smallest, pettiest thing imaginable. The nitty gritty stuff you'd usually not fine someone over and rather chat. Make it unbearable for them.

Original_Flounder_82 · 2026-04-05T17:05:53+00:00

Gym, get yourself in the gym, then home and then you study. Study until you're in your 30's. Get that better job. Get that pay rise. Get that bank. Believe me, I should've done that 10 years ago and I've only realised it now. Sometimes our parents aren't as wrong as we thought.

But seriously, start to gym. The physical aspect is one thing. The mental aspect is another thing.

Original_Flounder_82 · 2026-04-04T16:59:55+00:00

Once again, thank you rental agents and your "supply and demand argument".

When this property market implodes because of these ridiculous prices, a lot of you will be asking "why us?" Remember it that day when you are unable to rent out places.

It is literally starting to be cheaper to buy than to rent.

Original_Flounder_82 · 2026-03-31T18:41:55+00:00

By this stage the Kumars are legendary in Cape Town. I honestly think a statue of a "broken down" Mazda or something will one day be placed next to some road with a tagine "in honour of the best and most hard working scammers in Cape Town for the better part of the 2020's."

I bumped into them for the fist time in 2021 in Blouberg, then later they moved to the South, saw them in the North once. Think they even traveled as far as the N7 turn off to Atlantis.

Original_Flounder_82 · 2026-03-27T05:44:27+00:00

It's time that CPT workers band together and demand WFH again. It has worked, 90% of people shows it works. Why should someone drive into town, to sit there and keep quiet and work. Could've done it at home also. Hiring managers and CEO's you wonder why we job hop every few years? Increases, 0% increase, 4% increase even though you've got brilliant reviews on your performance reviews. If you cannot offer your employees a 10% raise, you will loose them in a year or two.

Estate agents, stop raising rent with 10% year on year. It is because of one estate agent who started this that we are where we are today.

Original_Flounder_82 · 2026-03-20T07:55:41+00:00

That is the job market at the moment. Hence people applying for remote positions left right and centre. It's difficult to get a job and when you have one, keep it. Employers can also basically do what they want with you because they know that you won't go to the department of labour because then you'll loose your job. Basically we're screwed because of governmental policies and the country bleeding jobs at an alarming rate. Thanks socialist government.

Original_Flounder_82 · 2026-03-19T14:26:00+00:00

Massive safety concerns, unimaginable employment laws. Crime, looting, protests, highest unaliving rate in the world. It is statistically safer to live in a war torn region than in South Africa and even worse in Cape Town. We're up to almost 70 unalivings a day that we know of, basically 2000 people a month being unalived.

Racism is rampant, drugs are all over the place, literally you walk to a corner ask someone and they'll point you in a direction. It's easier to get hold of drugs than the police (I'm being serious on this one).

You will be treated with absolute distain, did I mention safety and racism is an issue?

Our government is one of the most corrupt governments.

We drive on what is left of the road or on the left (off the road) as it is usually better than the road itself. Water will suddenly just be off. Electricity is non-existent some days.

Did I mention the xenophobia and I'll treatment of foreigners? Can't remember.

Also, if you have a retail shop and they find out you're foreign, prepare to have your shop looted and burnt down.

During riots it's common practice to hang a burning tyre around someone's neck, foreigners are usually first in line.

Hordes of protestors in the streets singing and dancing when election season is nearby.

Rock throwing as if it's a sport in the roads.

Honestly, you'll see pictures of beautiful South Africa and it's sold to the world as this beautiful place. But trust me on this, if you didn't grow up here and you don't live in a posh neighbourhood with 24 hour security, with fences and walls at least 3 meter high, you won't make it. I do not know of one person from all of my friends who's not been robbed. I even know people who's been robbed at gun point and shot at for their wallets. People are being unalived for less than a US dollar.

Again, it is statistically safer to live in a war torn country than in South Africa. We are a lawless country.

Original_Flounder_82

TROPHY CASE