It sounds like the employment picture in South Africa for actuaries is somewhat complicated according to this Moneyweb article:
As to be expected, non-white actuaries are still in short supply in South Africa. They are in high demand in technical as well as managerial and other positions. Unlike many of their white peers, they can virtually name their price. If you are actuarially qualified and not white, you can expect to earn more than R1m before bonuses in senior financial services’ positions.
One London agent at a large organisation that specialises in placing actuaries internationally said there is huge interest from partly qualified and qualified actuaries in South Africa in taking up positions elsewhere in the world.
Many actuaries are finding it tougher in recent times to secure the better-paid jobs because of employment equity targets, he said. The country’s high crime rate has also been cited as a reason for seeking actuarial work elsewhere, he said.
Currently there are dozens of actuaries considering moving to the United Kingdom, Australia and - for those fluent in Afrikaans - Holland, said the recruitment agent, who asked not to be identified.
One subtle, refreshing point I take away from the article — apparently actuaries are well-enough known in the business world in South Africa that there’s no need for an article such as this to explain what we are.