Aussie travel advisory paints bleak picture of crime and violence in SA
MURDER‚ rape‚ car hijackings‚ civil unrest‚ water shortages‚ spiked drinks‚ drunk drivers and terrorism.
These are just a few of the horrors that could be encountered by people heading to South Africa‚ according to travel advice by the Australian government’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
Travel advisory website smartraveller.gov.au urges visitors to exercise a high degree of caution in South Africa and offers an extensive list of dangers under the heading “safety and security”.
“Crime‚ including violent crime‚ is a serious issue in South Africa. Most types of crime are increasing. Be alert. Don’t expect the same level of service from South African police as you would in Australia‚” the website warns.
While the US and UK warn travellers about violent crime in South Africa‚ the advisory to Australians is extensive.
It includes a warning about criminals operating out of the country’s airports‚ and robberies at shopping centres and aboard trains running near Johannesburg‚ Pretoria and Cape Town – and of thefts at hotel guest rooms.
“Hikers have been attacked on tracks on the slopes of Table Mountain in Cape Town and the Drakensberg Mountains in Royal National Park‚ KwaZulu-Natal Province‚” it warns.
“Avoid large gatherings and demonstrations as they can quickly turn violent . . . spontaneous incidents of mob violence have been difficult for local authorities to control.”
It warns about the possibility of indiscriminate terror attacks and potentially violent tensions between metered taxi or Uber drivers. “You should be particularly cautious when using public transport. Avoid using minibus taxis due to safety and security concerns,” the advisory says.
It also warns of excessive speed and poor driving skills on otherwise generally good roads frequented by drunk drivers at night.
“You’re four times more likely to be killed in a motor vehicle accident in South Africa than in Australia‚” it states.
SA Tourism chief executive Sisa Ntshona said the organisation was concerned about the advisory‚ saying it had the potential to harm tourism to the country.
“It’s not ideal for us when travel advisories are issued which create the perception that the country is an unsafe travel destination‚” he said.
Ntshona said the organisation worked closely with all stakeholders “to ensure that we create a safe environment for our tourists and visitors to enjoy our beautiful country”.