I'm ex-SA and live in the States. We have a lot of people from my work travelling to Africa, and I think they tend to underestimate the dangers, because we really don't have comparable the U.S.

So for example we have people who won't take anti-malarials (don't wanna start a debate on that though) because they figure it can be cured if they get it; I remember going for a walk along the Zambesi and one colleague showed up in shorts and flipflops, returned with lacerated and bleeding legs. And specially where you are somewhere zoo-ish...

Africa ain't Disney.