How To Stay Safe In South Africa – Tips Top 10
South Africa has a bit of a reputation when it comes to safety. I recently asked my friends what first came to their minds when they thought about South Africa. I expected them to say “Lions!” or “Table Mountain!” but all I got was “Apartheid” and “crime”. The most asked question about traveling to South Africa is always: “is it safe?”. I think everybody should visit this amazing country at least once, so it’s high time to share everything I learned about staying safe in South Africa.
First things first: South Africa is not the safest country on earth. Besides that it’s also not the safest country to travel to. Crime levels in South Africa are high and you’ll certainly need to keep your wits about you. That being said, I would never, ever advise any traveler not to visit this beautiful and versatile country. The mere majority of people never experience any problems during their travels to South Africa, and when it comes to safety, there are lots of tips and tricks you can count on!
Safe in South Africa – Top 10 Tips
1. Don’t walk by yourself after dark
Do like the locals do and don’t wander around at night. This doesn’t mean that you can’t go to restaurants, bars or concerts. It does mean planning ahead and booking a ride in a taxi or Uber beforehand. Be aware of the fact that in South Africa, poverty is all around you. Poverty also equals desperation, and desperation leads to (petty) crime, which is why travelers tend to become targets by walking through cities. Of course it’s never really safe to walk around any big city at night, and in some cases even during daytime. Taking a trusted taxi service or Uber when you’re going out at night takes little effort, but can make a huge difference.
2. Know where to go
The most important thing to stay safe in South Africa is to understand your surroundings. You can do research online, talk to locals and the staff of your accommodation, and by feeling the vibe. You’ll also definitely get friendly advice to stay away from the townships, and generally crime rates are higher there, but to stay safe in South Africa you definitely don’t have to stay out of them altogether. Some of my most treasured experiences, such as a traditional African cooking class and meeting some amazing new friends, all came from my time spent in the townships! Go during daytime and with a local guide who lives there and knows the lay of the land.
3. Listen to your gut
Trust your instincts! If a place, situation or person feels unsafe, get out without stopping to think about whether you’re hurting their feelings or anything else. If you’re getting an off vibe when you’ re out and about on the streets, it’s always a great idea to walk into a restaurant, shop or bar and book a taxi or Uber.
4. Don’t show off your valuables
Taking out your phone or camera carelessly in public is an easy way to become a target. That being said, you don’t have to leave your camera, phone or jewelry at home either. There are however a couple of things you can do to be on the safe side. Keep your bag on your lap or between your feet in restaurants, and tuck it away under your seat while driving. Look around before you take out your camera or phone, don’t leave it on your table and don’t have it out at the bar. Petty crime is very common in South Africa, but luckily you can do a lot to prevent you from becoming a target.
5. Driving and Being Safe in South Africa
Renting a car in South Africa is always a great idea. Distances between places are large, a four hour drive is a short one. If you want to see more than just one city a rental car is an essential tool for your trip! Yet, carjackings and break-ins are all very common in South Africa. That’s why it’s important to keep your doors locked and your windows closed while standing still, and to keep driving in the dark to a minimum. Driving in the dark can be dangerous in South Africa, especially outside big cities, because wild animals can cross the road and potholes are very common.
Tip: I recommend to rent a car in South Africa through Sunny Cars with free cancellation and insurance included. Book your rental car here.
6. Preventing Theft in South Africa
To stay safe in South Africa make sure to keep everything out of sight when you park your car. Open your glove box and see to it that nothing of value or anything that looks like it’s valuable is visible inside your parked car. In bigger cities, unlicensed and extremely underpaid parking attendants are always around to guard your car for you, so give them a tip (between 5 and 10 rands) for keeping an eye out.
7. Trust your locals
South Africans are the most friendly people in the world, and they always want to help you find your way around one of their biggest loves: South Africa! They know the lay of the land and have inside knowledge of current safety issues and how to tackle them. A lot of South Africans depend on tourism, so they also love to keep you safe in South Africa. They might even have some great tips and share their favorite restaurants, bars and museums with you. Some of the people I’ve met in South Africa have become true friends, and I can’t wait to visit them again!
8. Get a local sim-card
A local sim-card can get you (literally) anywhere! Away from your ho(s)tels Wi-Fi in one of the big cities, inside a game reserve or further inland, you’ll probably have a terrible, or non-existent phone range. This will make calling for help or booking an Uber impossible and can get you into serious trouble. For example: during my first trip to South Africa my car broke down in the middle of nowhere. Without my local sim-card it could have been days before anyone realized I was missing.
9. Don’t go hiking by yourself
There have been incidents with hikers recently, so keep this in mind before setting off to Table Mountain by yourself. Hikers are vulnerable and lately, criminals hide on hiking trails to mug people, leaving them injured with no way to call for help. This can possibly be very dangerous, and even life-threatening, so it’s important to never go hiking by yourself. A lot of ho(s)tels organize hikes for their guests, which is a very safe and fun choice. You’ll not only meet a lot of like-minded people but you’ll also keep each other safe.
Tip: make sure to tell someone where you’ll be going and when you expect to be back. I also always send my location to someone I trust during my hikes, which makes me feel extra safe and in control.
10. Don’t forget to enjoy every minute!
Now that you know everything there is to know about staying safe it’s time to enjoy South Africa to the fullest! Also, you can’t control everything, so let it go, try your best and don’t be afraid to explore this incredible country. I hope these tips can help you feel safe during your trip to South Africa, and make you enjoy it even more! Read more about traveling to South Africa.
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