View Full Version : Cape Town Safety


johan rebel
Jun 26, 03, 2:33 am
"Ten cities to beware – Cape Town rated third

Britain’s Daily Telegraph - which analysed Mercer Human Resource Consulting’s Annual Personal Safety survey on major cities around the world and listed the ten worst rated holiday destinations – found that Cape Town was rated third worst.

The paper omitted any city whose ranking may have been affected by war, political strife, terrorism or SARS. Cape Town was ranked behind Kingston in Jamaica and Rio de Janeiro in Brazil. It was stated that despite increased government spending on tourist security, hijackings and street crime levels were still serious problems, as was gun crime.

Cape Metropolitan Tourism's CEO, Rick Taylor conceded that the city had a crime problem, but added that it was not necessarily rife in areas frequented by tourists. "We have had enormous success in the CBD - a city improvement district. Visible policing and CCTV cameras have ensured that crime levels have fallen dramatically. Obviously, township areas are part of greater Cape Town, and the challenge remains to bring crime levels in these and other areas down to an internationally acceptable level. We are encouraged by the government's intention to increase police numbers and improve police training."

The remaining seven cities ranked were:

4th Mexico City, Mexico
5th St Petersburg, Russia
6th Buenos Aires, Argentina
7th Bangkok, Thailand
8th Washington D.C, USA
9th Rome, Italy
10th Athens, Greece"

johan

IndyDavid
Jun 26, 03, 8:49 am
Interesting to note that Johannesburg isn't even on the list, since that's the city most people "avoid for security reasons." My fair city is #8 and I feel very safe here. Great food for thought... thanks johan rebel.

------------------
AIM: RutherfordMurray

ewj
Jun 26, 03, 9:34 pm
Interestingly, I have been to seven of the cities. I wonder why Jo-berg, Miami, Gulahara(sp?), Amsterdam (lots of low level crime), and Hong Kong where not on the list. I would consider them ahead of most of those others for tourist.

Eugene
Jun 27, 03, 11:27 am
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by IndyDavid:
Interesting to note that Johannesburg isn't even on the list</font>

That's because the list is for holiday destinations, and Jo'burg just isn't one. http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttravel_forum/smile.gif

IndyDavid
Jun 27, 03, 11:39 am
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Eugene:
That's because the list is for holiday destinations, and Jo'burg just isn't one. http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttravel_forum/smile.gif</font>

That'll teach me not to read closely! Thanks, Eugene! http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttravel_forum/redface.gif

------------------
AIM: RutherfordMurray

stimpy
Jul 2, 03, 12:44 pm
Hmm. I've been to each of these cities and never felt un-safe. Yet here in Los Angeles (murder capital of the U.S.), we didn't even make the list?

ewj
Jul 3, 03, 6:34 am
Hummm

Based on population LA is in the mid-low range of murders but is high in car takings, and low in assaults. Oakland, Fresno, and the California side of Lake Tahoe are more dangerous then LA.

LA seems to have a high crime rate to residents because the news media (especially TV news) is so lazy they only cover crime stories. If it bleeds it leads is a LA invention.


<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by stimpy:
Hmm. I've been to each of these cities and never felt un-safe. Yet here in Los Angeles (murder capital of the U.S.), we didn't even make the list? </font>

Eugene
Jul 3, 03, 4:44 pm
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by stimpy:
Hmm. I've been to each of these cities and never felt un-safe. </font>

If you use plain old common sense, you'll be fine just about anywhere... http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttravel_forum/wink.gif

pegasus8228
Jul 17, 03, 4:47 am
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by ewj:
Interestingly, I have been to seven of the cities. I wonder why Jo-berg, Miami, Gulahara(sp?), Amsterdam (lots of low level crime), and Hong Kong where not on the list. I would consider them ahead of most of those others for tourist.

</font>

ams and hkg????????

hkg is one of the safest city in the world, you can walk on the street 3am and there are always a doze people around you. basically no low crime here.

have only been to ams a couple times, but i had walked on the street in midnight as well there. never heard of problem