Crime And Police In South Africa

Here you can read about South African crime and find out how to keep yourself safe while in the country. You will also learn which areas are safest for the purchase your property.

Thousands of tourists visit South Africa each year and the majority have a safe and pleasurable trip. However many people read the crime statistics about South Africa and decide not to make the trip without being aware of the true facts. The biggest crime statistic in South Africa is black on black crime in the overcrowded “townships” where poverty is rife. With the approach of the 2010 World Cup, there is a big anti-crime drive in order to ensure that supporters find their experience of South Africa a pleasurable and secure one.

The Western Cape and many of the smaller towns throughout the country are generally perceived to be safer than the area around Johannesburg and Gauteng in general.

There are precautions that everyone can take to ensure their safety while in South Africa or indeed in any other country in the world:

• Try to avoid walking about laden with jewellery. It is a shame that we can't wear what we please, but dangling gold chains and rich looking rings will draw unwanted attention to you.
• Keep cameras and cell phones out of site in suitable bags. Nothing points to a tourist more than a camera hanging around your neck.
• Try not to walk through the streets in built up areas after dark on your own. Statistics show that groups of three and four, and of course more, are less likely to be subjected to crime.
• Avoid areas that are known to be dangerous especially after dark, either in the car or on foot. Listen to local people and take advice before setting out for a destination. If you wish to visit one of the townships, take an organised tour with a guide who knows the area.
• Drive with the windows up and the doors locked at all times and ignore any pointing at areas of your car to indicate that there might be a problem. If you do have a flat tyre or any other problem, try to get to a petrol station to fix it.
• While in the car do not leave anything in sight on the seat or where it can be seen, even when you are in it. What may not seem valuable to you might represent riches to someone else. Tuck you handbags under the seat and lock parcels in the boot (or trunk).
• Women are advised not to drive around on their own in certain areas. Lone women are seen as easier targets.
• If you are in the unfortunate situation where your goods or even your car are demanded by criminals, the advice is not to resist and simply hand the goods over.
• Keep passports and other valuables in a safe place and have photocopies of all your personal documentation stored in another place.

Numbers to phone in case of an emergency:

Nationwide police number: 10111

Nationwide ambulance number: 10177

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• Crime And Police In Cape Verde
• Crime And Police In Cyprus
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