Your membership isn’t just a subscription—it’s an investment in a brighter future for South African expats in Canada. Here’s what your support helps us achieve:
Together, we’re creating a stronger, more vibrant South African-Canadian community.
SAIC is a non-profit organization, and every cent of your membership fee goes directly into helping South Africans in Canada thrive. Here’s how your contribution makes a difference:
🇿🇦 A Helping Hand, Wherever You Are
Our full-time administrator, Lois, based in Vancouver, is the go-to person for South Africans needing guidance—whether it’s figuring out paperwork, finding a lekker boerewors supplier, or just knowing where to start. As SAIC grows, we want to expand support across Canada so there’s always someone in your corner, no matter where you’ve landed.
🇿🇦 Making Saffa Events Happen
From potjie cook-offs to braais in the park, South Africans love a good get-together—but organizing events in Canada means permits, rules, and red tape. We help community members navigate the admin, provide small grants, and make sure these gatherings stay alive and kicking.
🇿🇦 Keeping Things Running Smoothly
Membership fees cover the boring but necessary stuff—legal registrations, website upkeep, and software tools—so that SAIC can function efficiently and serve the community properly.
🇿🇦 Supporting Saffa Youth in Canada
Getting your foot in the door in a new country is tough, and we want to make it easier for young South Africans. We’re working on internship opportunities and community projects that will help them gain experience, build résumés, and connect with mentors.
🇿🇦 Growing the Saffa Network
We’re building a friend-finder system, business directory, and expert guides to help South Africans find each other, share advice, and support one another—because in a new country, a strong network is gold.
🇿🇦 Scoring Member Perks
We aim to negotiate discounts with major brands, banks, and service providers—so that SAIC members can score lekker deals and make life in Canada just a little bit easier.
🇿🇦 Investing in the Future
Any extra funds will go towards long-term growth, with a goal of creating grants, bursaries, and community support programs in the future.
👉 Bottom line? This isn’t just a membership—it’s a way to keep the Saffa spirit alive in Canada.
🚀 Founding Memberships: The OGs of SAIC
A once-in-a-lifetime chance to be part of SAIC’s founding supporters. If you become a Founding Member:
✅ Your name will forever be showcased on our website—no matter what, you’ll always be known as someone who helped get this off the ground.
✅ You get bragging rights as part of the group that helped build something meaningful.
✅ Once they’re sold out, they’re gone—you can’t buy in later.
🏡 Normal Memberships: Keeping the Community Growing
Once the Founding Membership phase is done, SAIC will introduce normal memberships. These will:
✅ Be an annual membership that needs to be renewed every year.
✅ Give you full access to SAIC resources, events, and support.
✅ Be open to anyone who wants to be part of the community after the initial founding phase.
👉 TL;DR: Founding Memberships are a once-off legacy opportunity, while Normal Memberships will be ongoing. If you want your name in the history books, now’s the time!
👉 Because when we stick together, we thrive.
Joining SAIC isn’t about what you get—it’s about paying it forward. It’s about making life easier for the next Saffa who lands in Canada, just like you would have wanted when you arrived.
It’s about keeping the community strong, making sure there’s always someone to help, guide, and connect South Africans across the country.
As the saying goes: “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” That’s what SAIC is all about.
💛 Join us, because when Saffas stand together, we all win.
✅ Family Memberships are for awesome Saffa families who want to support the community, stay connected, and pay it forward. It’s about being part of something bigger and helping other South Africans thrive in Canada.
✅ Business Memberships are for Saffa-owned businesses or businesses that want to connect with the South African community while getting a bit more exposure through SAIC’s network, directories, and promotions.
👉 Simply put: Family Memberships are about community & connection, while Business Memberships offer support & visibility. Either way, you’re helping keep the Saffa spirit alive in Canada! 🇿🇦
📬 Easy peasy! As soon as you sign up as a member, we’ll reach out to confirm your details, grab your mailing address, and send your sticker pack off to you.
🚀 Keep an eye on your inbox—we’ll be in touch shortly after you join to make sure everything gets to you.
💛 Just a little thank you for being part of the SAIC community! 🇿🇦
✅ Absolutely! If you’d like to upgrade your membership—whether from Family to Platinum or Business to Gold—just reach out to us, and we’ll sort it out for you.
📩 Drop us an email, and we’ll assist with the process. Easy as that! 🚀
💡 For Family Memberships: Unfortunately, no. While SAIC is a non-profit organization, we’re not a registered charity (yet!), which means family membership fees can’t be claimed as a tax deduction.
💼 For Business Memberships: Yes! Your membership fee can be claimed as a business expense under marketing and advertising costs, since it provides visibility and promotional benefits for your business within the South African community.
👉 Bottom line? Family memberships are all about paying it forward, while business memberships come with the perk of being a claimable expense. 🚀
👑 For Founding Members:
No stress! Your name stays on the website forever as a recognition of your support in getting SAIC off the ground. But, if you don’t renew, you’ll lose access to some of the perks that come with an active membership.
🏡 For Normal Members:
If you don’t renew, you’ll simply no longer be a member—no drama, no obligations. But hey, we’d love to keep you in the community!
💼 For Business Members:
If your business membership expires, your business listing stays, but you’ll lose access to perks like social media shoutouts, newsletter features, and premium directory placement.
👉 Bottom line? You won’t be kicked out, but you’ll miss out on the good stuff that comes with an active membership! 🇿🇦🚀
🎉 Don’t stress! As soon as you sign up as a member, we’ll reach out to you personally to arrange everything and make sure you get all the perks that come with your membership.
💛 Because let’s be honest, we think you’re pretty awesome, and we want to make sure you get the most out of being part of SAIC! 🚀
No worries—we don’t do sneaky auto-renewals! Every year, we’ll reach out and ask if you’d like to renew. If you don’t want to continue, you can simply let it lapse—no action needed, no hassle.
👉 Easy come, easy go—but we’d love to keep you around! 🇿🇦💛
🔥 Hell yeah! Because you’re freaking awesome. 😉
If you’re the kind of legend who’d gift someone a membership, it means you’re next-level amazing, and we love you even more for it. 💛
✅ Yes, you absolutely can! Just sign them up, and we’ll handle the rest. Bonus points for making someone’s day! 🇿🇦🎁🚀
Howzit Canada: Connecting South Africans in Canada with businesses, communities, and the tastes of home!
