[4] In 2011, Filipinos in South Africa sent over $6.1 million USD in remittances back to the Philippines, the largest amount from any African country in that year.

The Filipinos were known for being excellent fishermen, and became part of the growing community in Kalk Bay whose livelihood depended on both fishing and whaling.

In 1863 the CSS Alabama landed in Cape Town, which was immortalized by the folk song "Daar kom die Alibama".

The ship is said to have brought the first Filipino to Cape Town, a lowly fisherman by the name of Felix Florez, who settled in Kalk Bay.

A fisherman by the name of Lime Simon van der Stel wrote in his journal "The fish which His Honour caught were because of their rare, beautiful colours, and were found to be in incredible numbers.