About Us

We are the Le Roux's from Brackenfell, Western Cape South Africa.

Philipp Konrad Le Roux and Lorraine Le Roux (born Maritz). We got married, both for the second time on 13 May 1999. We have no children from this marriage and Lorraine has a son, Schalk Mouton, aka Skalla.

We decided to leave the Republic of South Africa, due to all the, then current problems in RSA. We wanted a better live style and a better work conditions for Skalla. That is if he wanted to come and live in New Zealand.

We knew one family in New Zealand, and that is Mark and Karin Joubert. Mark and I worked in the same Unit in the South African Police in RSA. They were here for about two years before we arrived.

I kept in contact with Mark and he suggested that I get in touch with a Security company by the name of First Security Guards Services in Auckland, NZ.

I send my CV to them and within a month I received a letter from FSGS with a job offer.

At that stage we were hard busy working and getting all our paper work in order to come to NZ. We started off by applying for Permanent Recidency (PR) in June/July 2003. We had a great person that helped us with all our paper work and he went out of his way to help us. Just to inform you, this was the third time lucky, as we tried the previous two years as well, but when it comes to the point where we needed to sell our house, we just could not get it sold as the market was just to volatile to do it.

During this same time Lorraine applied for her documentation to be send to NZ, to be enrolled as an Enrolled nurse with the NZ Nursing council. She was approved during September 2003.

We filled in all the paper work, got told what it will cost us to get all prepared and medicals done, passports and the rest that goes with it. So now the long wait started to get that all approved. At that stage all documents have to go UK first and from there it is send to NZ and well, the same story to get it back to us in RSA again.

We waited for an answer to know if we will get approved for PR or not. It took quite a while to do all the processes and as we all know by now, NZ closes down during mid December till at least the end of January for holidays and nothing happens during that time.

During August we sold our house in Brackenfell and we went to live with my (Philipp's) parents. Philipp left the South African Police after 18 years and six months in May 2002. Lorraine is a nurse and she went to do moonlight work in Somerset West public hospital, Hottentots Holland Hospital.

After I left the Police I went to work for a private company, SEESA, selling labour relations benefits to the private sector. In July 2003 I left them as I needed to sell my car so that I can pay the agent to do all our applications for PR.

As we needed to leave South Africa to go to NZ before 25 November 2003, because that date the price increased for the tickets to NZ. We had just enough money left, after we looked after our loved ones in South Africa, to get to NZ and survive there for about a week.

We applied for a work permit in the mean time and that was approved on 14 November 2003 and one week before 23 November 2003 we got the okay to leave RSA.

We arrived in the country of the long white cloud, New Zealand, on 23 November 2003, just after 1300.

What a day. It was rainy and cool. We went through MAF and Customs and then in the International arrivals room.

No idea what or who is waiting for us on the other side. As we were in contact with Mark, he said we could come stay with him and he will pick us up at the airport. So when we heard that we will leave RSA on 21 November 2003, I contacted him and said that the time has come and we will be in NZ on 23 November 2003.

This is when all turned into custard. He said that his parents arrived and he has no place for us to stay. However he then said that we do not have to worry as he will ask his brother-in-law and we can stay there. But, that did not work out either as his brother-in-law took another RSA family in his house. Mark then said, just come, as he will sort it out before we we arrive. Mark also said that he cannot pick us up, but Pat Duncan will meet us. Mark also mentioned what Pat will wear so that we can identify him.

Well, now we were in the arrival hall and there are people for Africa and I totally forgot what Mark said about what Pat will wear. We were looking for Pat, but could not find him. We went to a souvenir shop and got a prepaid Telecom card and called Mark.

Just before this, Lorraine mentioned that she saw an email saying that Pat will have a steadson hat on his head. Well no, I could not recall that email. Yes, that was true, Mark confirmed that! We went back to where we came out and looked around. Yes, we found Pat with the hat and a board in his hand with our last name "LE ROUX", upside down!!

We were so tired by that time, 27 hours from RSA was no joke. Well everything ended well. We met Pat and he said that he is taking us to another South African family for a few days, after which we will go to Pat to stay till we got settled.

Pat took us to Mike and Liz Widelko. We got there and they gave us the rumpus room to use. First thing was to take a shower and clean clothes. And yes, we had a cry in the shower, just the long flight; away from "home" and you know no one.

Mike and Liz told us to come up stairs when we were done and not to go and sleep. They kept us busy till about 2300 that evening and took us all over town, to friends of theirs and just anything to keep us awake.

The following morning we got up at about 0700 and felt great. No jet leg at all.

Mark picked us up and took as to see places and he also took me to FSGS later that week.

On 9 June 2004 we got our PR and had to stay in NZ for three years before we can apply for Citizenship.

On 25 September 2008 we lodge our application for citizenship. On 11 October 2008 we received a letter from the Department of Internal Affairs that they have received the applications and that it would take approximately six months before we will hear from them and not to contact them before then.

On 02 February 2009 at about 1000, exactly six months after we received the letter, I received a call from the Department of Internal Affairs that they have appointed a case officer to us.

On 19 March 2009 I received my letter stating my name , gender, where I was born and the date, which will be recorded in NZ. Lorraine got her letter 21 April 2009, as she had to her original divorce papers from RSA, get it translated in Wellington NZ and now she is in the process as well.

On 3 April 2009 I received a letter again saying Congratulations! The Minster of Internal Affairs has approved my application. I now have to wait for the ceremonies team to give me a date to receive my certificate.

On 22 April 2009 I received my letter saying that my ceremony will be held on Wednesday 3 June 2009, almost six years after we received PR, at 1500, at the Telstra Clear Venue in Manukau.

Now we are just waiting for Lorraine's letters and hopefully we will get our certificates on the same day.

I always told my parents that I will come visit them when I have my "Black" passport!!

Go KIWI"s

Go the AB's

We love NZ and will never change it for any other country.

Philipp and Lorraine Le Roux