Despite horror stories of sky-high crime rates, most people visit South Africa without incident. This is not to minimize the problem - crime is probably the most serious problem facing the country. However, once you realize crime follows demographic patterns, the scale becomes less terrifying. The greatest proportion of violent crime takes place in the poorer areas - predominantly townships - and in Johannesburg, where the dangers are the worst in the country. Be careful, but don't be paranoid.
You'll notice that most middle-class homes subscribe to the services of armed, private security firms to protect their property. Protecting property and "security" are major national obsessions, and it's difficult to imagine what many South Africans would discuss at their dinner parties if the problem disappeared. The other obvious manifestation of this obsession is the huge number of alarms, bars, high walls and electronically controlled gates you'll find, not just in the suburbs, but even in less deprived areas of some townships.
Guns are openly carried by police - and often citizens. In many high streets you'll spot firearm shops rubbing shoulders with places selling clothes or books; and you'll come across notices asking you to deposit your weapon before entering the premises.
If you fall victim to a mugging , you should take very seriously the usual advice not to resist and do as you're told. The chances of this happening can be greatly minimized by using common sense and following a few simple rules. If you're staying in Johannesburg, it pays to be extra alert.
Safety tips
In general
" Try not to look like a tourist.
" Dress down.
" Don't carry a camera or video openly visible in cities.
" Avoid wearing jewellery or expensive watches.
" Leave your expensive designer shades at home - they are sometimes pulled off people's faces.
" If you are robbed, remain calm and co-operative.
On foot
" Grasp bags firmly under your arm.
" Don't carry excessive sums of money on you (but have a small amount to satisfy a mugger).
" Don't put your wallet in your back trouser pocket.
" Always know where your valuables are.
" Don't leave valuables exposed (on a seat or the ground) while having a meal or drink.
" Develop an awareness of what people in the street around you are doing.
" Don't let anyone get too close to you - especially people in groups.
" In big cities, travel around in pairs or groups.
On the beach
" Take only the bare essentials to the beach.
" Don't leave valuables, especially cameras, unattended.
" Some people pin car keys to their swimming gear, or you can put them in a waterproof wallet or splash box and take them into the water with you.
On the road
" Lock all your car doors, especially in cities.
" Keep your rear windows sufficiently rolled up to keep out opportunistic hands.
" Never leave anything worth stealing in view when your car is unattended.
At cash machines
Automatic teller machines (ATMs) are favourite hunting grounds for sophisticated conmen who use cunning rather than force to steal money. Never underestimate their ability and don't get drawn into any interaction at an ATM, no matter how well spoken, friendly or distressed the other person appears. You can avoid trouble by following the pointers below.
" Never help anyone who claims to be having a problem with a cash machine - tell them to contact the bank.
" Never accept help from strangers if you have a problem at a cash machine.
" Don't allow people to crowd you while withdrawing money.
" If in doubt, go to another machine.
" Never allow anyone to see you punch in your personal identification number (PIN).
" If your card gets swallowed, report it without delay
Police
For many black South Africans, the South African National Police (SANP) still carry strong associations of collaboration with apartheid and a lot of public relations work has yet to be done to turn the police into a genuine people's law enforcement agency. Poorly paid, shot at (and frequently hit), underfunded, badly equipped, barely respected and demoralized, the police keep a low profile. If you ever get stopped, at a roadblock for example (one of the likeliest encounters), always be courteous. And remember that under South African law if you're driving you are required to carry your driver's licence at all times. If you are robbed, don't expect too much crime-cracking enthusiasm (and don't expect to get your property back), but you will need to report the incident to the police, who should give you a case reference for insurance purposes.
Drugs, drinking and driving
Dagga (cannabis in dried leaf form) - pronounced like "dugger" with the "gg" pronounced gutterally as in the Scottish pronunciation of loch - is South Africa's most widely produced and widely used drug. The quality is generally good, but this doesn't alter the fact that it is illegal. Grown in hot regions like KwaZulu-Natal (the source of Durban Poison), Swaziland (Swazi Gold) and as a cash crop in parts of the former Transkei, it is fairly easily available. If you do decide to partake, you should take particular care when scoring, as visitors have run into trouble dealing with unfamiliar local conditions.
Rave culture is big in South Africa, and together with ecstasy is principally a white, middle-class thing.
Strangely, for a country that sometimes seems to be on one massive binge, South Africa has laws that prohibit drinking in public - not that anyone pays any attention to them. The drink-drive laws are also routinely and brazenly flouted, making the country's roads the one real danger you should be concerned about. Levels of alcohol consumption go some way to explaining why during the Christmas holidays over a thousand people die in an annual orgy of carnage on the roads. People routinely stock up their cars with booze for long journeys and even at filling stations you'll find places selling liquor.
Women and sexual harassment
South Africa's extremely high incidence of rape doesn't as a rule affect tourists. In fact you're very unlikely to need to fend off the unwanted attentions of men. However, women should avoid travelling on their own, nor should they hitchhike or walk alone in deserted areas. This applies equally to cities, the countryside or anywhere after dark. Minibus taxis should be ruled out as a means of transport after dark, especially if you're not exactly sure of local geography. Sexual harassment is rare, but you should nevertheless walk assertively in crowded areas such as minibus taxi termini in big cities. At heart the majority of the country's males, regardless of race, hold on to fairly sexist attitudes. Sometimes your eagerness to be friendly may be taken as a sexual overture - always be sensitive to potential crossed wires and unintended signals.
