Is South Africa a safe place to visit?

Redlips

Well-known member
Has anyone been on holiday or lived there?

Is it a safe holiday destination if so what cities did you visit?

Any advice appreciated.

Thank you
 
I went to Rio in Brazil before and I felt on edge and unsafe all of the time.

Looks a beautiful country but so did Brazil.
 
20 years since I've been, we were told not to wander off around Joburg airport as that was ropey, but we stayed in Centurion and that felt safe. Depends where you go and what neighborhood - same as anywhere really.

Fantastic country, love to go back someday 👍
 
Amazing country. Spent a lot of time in Cape Town, and have visited lots of other areas both on business and as a family. There’s an edge about the place. You have to keep your wits about you, but it’s not the Wild West.
As per previous posts, there are places to avoid in most cities. Johannesburg, in general, is rougher than most, but there’s always a risk, even in the smaller towns.
My advice would be to thoroughly research the areas you want to go, to find out where to avoid. If driving, you’ll get hassled to buy fruit, water, sunglasses etc at every robot (traffic lights) but just smile and say no thanks. I wouldn’t go out in the big towns alone at night. Use only official taxi companies, but other than that get stuck in to an incredible place, with wonderful people who have the most amazing thirst for life.
 
Stayed for two months in Cape Town as a mate had bought a place in the City Bowl. Absolutely stunning city and really cheap for food and drink and some of the restaurants are amazing. Only had one incident when I was there but kinda my own fault. Got too cocky and went to a Seven Eleven late at night and walked on a side of the road with loads of cars and very poorly lit. Saw a gang of young kids walking towards me, wasn’t concerned as the can’t have been more than 12 years old. Just as I reached them, one of them pulls a pistol out. Kid says give me money, I told him to FO and he pulled the trigger. Luckily for me it wasn’t loaded and I just kept walking and they ran off laughing, did my shopping and only when I got back to the apartment did what happened sink in. Agree you need to keep your wits about you at night and use official taxi companies. I loved it like and would definitely go back.
 
I moved back to the UK recently after living in South Africa for nearly seven years. Half of the time I was based in Cape Town and the other half in the middle of nowhere in the Northern Cape. I love the place and would move back giving the opportunity. But as others have said there is an edge to the place and you need to keep your wits about you. I never had a single incident, but other friends did. Most of these incidents were avoidable (leaving items in view in a parked vehicle and coming back a few minutes later to see it was gone, house robbed because the window was left open, mugged walking quiet streets in the dark). If you use your common sense the likelihood of anything bad happening to you drops massively. Guide books and local people will advice you on the safer places to walk and those to avoid. Uber, bolt and taxis are pretty good in Cape Town and cheap, which means that you shouldn't have to worry about walking around at night.
 
Stayed for two months in Cape Town as a mate had bought a place in the City Bowl. Absolutely stunning city and really cheap for food and drink and some of the restaurants are amazing. Only had one incident when I was there but kinda my own fault. Got too cocky and went to a Seven Eleven late at night and walked on a side of the road with loads of cars and very poorly lit. Saw a gang of young kids walking towards me, wasn’t concerned as the can’t have been more than 12 years old. Just as I reached them, one of them pulls a pistol out. Kid says give me money, I told him to FO and he pulled the trigger. Luckily for me it wasn’t loaded and I just kept walking and they ran off laughing, did my shopping and only when I got back to the apartment did what happened sink in. Agree you need to keep your wits about you at night and use official taxi companies. I loved it like and would definitely go back.
That sounds like Rio
 
Have been a lot of times, spending time in Cape Town, winelands, Garden route through to PE, the Natal coast, Joburg and up to Sun City.

All of the cities have an edgy feel, not unlike Rio.
It is a great country to visit with such beautiful geographic contrasts.
Food and service is great and the climate can be lovely too.
My wife was brought up in SA and is forever showing me property north of Durbs because it is so unbelievably cheap.
I wouldn't live there unless gated and I just don't want to live somewhere that I would feel the need to live like that.
Like others have posted, you just have to be very careful what you do and need to be security conscious nearly all the time.
 
Felt 100% safe in Cape Town. We wandered about loads. But just keep your wits about you, same as anywhere basically. We drove along the coast to gansbaai and spent 3 days there and then had the car for another week back in Cape Town. Again felt totally safe. Johannesburg on the other hand felt a bit dodgy, heard of a few gun/knife point muggings while we were there
 
Anthony, when I was in CT we discovered they had these little vans that pick local (indigenous) people off at various points in the city. Only a couple of rand and everyone seemed friendly. Told a couple of white Cape Townes and they were horrified. Used them during the day and never had an issue but they thought I was mad.
 
Has anyone been on holiday or lived there?

Is it a safe holiday destination if so what cities did you visit?

Any advice appreciated.

Thank you
Been several times, had no issues.

Cape Town and the garden route are my favourite places. Also ad Stellonbosch wine region to that.

Just recently got back from Durban and joburg, the poverty in those places is astonishing. And also not very nice to see.
 
Anthony, when I was in CT we discovered they had these little vans that pick local (indigenous) people off at various points in the city. Only a couple of rand and everyone seemed friendly. Told a couple of white Cape Townes and they were horrified. Used them during the day and never had an issue but they thought I was mad.
I have used them in the past too, but I have heard of issues on these vans, especially around the university (where I was based). Students were occasionally held up and had there laptops taken off them. I think students were often seen as an easy target. However, a friend of mine was travelling to Hout bay was warned by another passenger, that the driver had rang ahead to tell his friends that there were tourists in his van and the driver and his friends were planning to rob them. The lady who warned them suggested they get off earlier, which they did. But when they work I agree they are a great way to travel, but still to be cautious if you do.
 
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