Safety advice for travel in South Africa

Despite South Africa's terribly high crime rate, most visitors to South Africa come and go without incident.

Crime is probably the most serious problem facing the country, but it is highly concentrated in the poor African and coloured townships, and in Johannesburg. Precaution rather than paranoia is the way to remain safe.

The greatest danger to your personal safety is probably on the roads, where South Africans mix drinking and driving to an atrocious extent.

The following advice may be of use:

• Dress down, and try not to look like a tourist.
• Don't wear jewellery, fashion sunglasses or expensive watches.
• Know where your valuables are.
• Carry your bag under your arm.
• Don't let groups of strangers get too close to you.
• Lock all car doors at all times in the city.
• Take the bare minimum of accessories to the beach.
• Keep your passports, plane tickets, jewellery of value and large sums of money in safe custody.

Enquire now |  Add to my enquiry