Traveller safety in Cape Town, concerned about NY Times report
Aug 15, 2019, 4:25 pm
#16
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: The Indo Jungle
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I also got the impression on my visit to CPT that it is quite simple to visually determine if an area is a tourist area or not. Quite the stark difference for example, between the harborside and what you see along the freeway near the airport.
Aug 15, 2019, 7:20 pm
#17
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Charlottesville, Va. USA
Posts: 1,752
We were there in spring 2017; Like any big city in the wield you have to be cautious. That said, it is a beautiful exciting city. Go and enjoy. Just use the usual amount of caution when traveling. YMMV
Aug 16, 2019, 1:27 am
#18
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: CPT,AMS
Posts: 4,412
If visitors to SA want to worry (an activity I don't recommend), then it is the horrendous road traffic fatality numbers. DUI, unlicensed drivers, unroadworthy vehicles and road rage are widespread and common, not restricted to certain townships or extremely violent rural areas
Aug 16, 2019, 2:50 am
#19
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More tourist wandering, this time up Long Street and through St. George’s market. We felt perfectly safe, until we were accosted by a couple of Public Safety officers … who suggested that iWife shouldn’t be wearing a visible gold chain! Apparently there is a risk of grab-and-run with exposed jewellery. Lesson learned!!
Aug 16, 2019, 6:47 am
#20
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: ORD
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It really makes a difference. If you walk around in expensive gear, flashing the cash and flaunting the gold, you are just making yourself a target.
When I visit South Africa - and other places - for the winter, I take my oldest and crappiest clothes (and usually throw most of them away at the end of the trip). I don't even bother having a haircut or trimming my beard. I literally walk around looking like a bum - and it works.
When I visit South Africa - and other places - for the winter, I take my oldest and crappiest clothes (and usually throw most of them away at the end of the trip). I don't even bother having a haircut or trimming my beard. I literally walk around looking like a bum - and it works.
Aug 16, 2019, 10:51 am
#21
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Location: Bregenz, Austria
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Aha! The backpacker's uniform! It works everywhere. It's more comfortable too.
Aug 16, 2019, 10:55 am
#22
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I take my oldest and crappiest clothes (and usually throw most of them away at the end of the trip). I don't even bother having a haircut or trimming my beard. I literally walk around looking like a bum - and it works.
Aug 16, 2019, 11:05 am
#23
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: ORD
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Aug 29, 2019, 3:51 am
#25
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: CPT
Programs: BA BD SA
Posts: 4,467
The gang violence making the headlines is, as many have said, not really relevant to tourists. However, the one place a tourist could easily be in serious jeopardy is walking on the mountain. Very recently a Ukrainian man was killed just minutes up a path off Chapman's Peak.
My partner and I were mugged on the slopes of Signal Hill two years ago - less than 300 metres from the road we live in. This is a situation that has been deteriorating steadily over the past few years to the point where I, as an elderly man, do not feel safe even when in a group. This is an awful shame as we (and the dogs) love walking in the fynbos especially now as the spring flowers come out. SA Parks say they are going to put on more security but its a vast area to police...
My partner and I were mugged on the slopes of Signal Hill two years ago - less than 300 metres from the road we live in. This is a situation that has been deteriorating steadily over the past few years to the point where I, as an elderly man, do not feel safe even when in a group. This is an awful shame as we (and the dogs) love walking in the fynbos especially now as the spring flowers come out. SA Parks say they are going to put on more security but its a vast area to police...
Sep 16, 2019, 11:46 am
#26
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: PDX
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We spent wonderful time in Cape Town in December 2018. Great people. Interesting history. Incredible food. Visually beautiful place (makes San Francisco and Vancouver look more average). After reading detailed crime reports identifying the exact neighborhoods and types of crimes (easily available online and consistent with the helpful map that is posted above), we felt safe and saw nothing disturbing. We did a lot of hiking. Yes, apply the big city rules — no gold, diamonds, expensive cars, expensive clothing, or other things that draw attention. Try to dress like the locals. No walking alone at night. Learn about where and how it is safer to hike. Uber is easy, inexpensive, and safe. We felt more at risk walking in Johannesburg, London, and New York. Hate for you to miss experiencing Cape Town due to the crime rate in distant neighborhoods that you could avoid. Do not forget to see the penguins.
Sep 16, 2019, 3:37 pm
#27
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St. Louis and Baltimore offer the same opportunities to get killed as Capetown does. With one big difference: In SA common sense can to the largest extend protect your life. In the US, however, you can become a victim in any shopping centre, school or church.
Sep 16, 2019, 7:08 pm
#28
Join Date: Sep 2019
Posts: 1
South-Africa, like many countries, currently experiences what can at best be described as false-flag situations. This does not mean the reports of excessive gang violence is not true - gang violence is just synthetically high for political motivations, the motivations not necessarily home-grown.
Not homegrown for the simple reason being that it serves the ends of regime-change purposes.
That’s all. In the mean time lives are lost and victims (South-Africa) is blamed.
Not homegrown for the simple reason being that it serves the ends of regime-change purposes.
That’s all. In the mean time lives are lost and victims (South-Africa) is blamed.
Sep 18, 2019, 5:18 am
#29
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Cape Town
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I've only come onto this thread today, but as a Capetonian I can tell you that Cape Town is still an amazing place. Yes, we have a violent past and present, and yes there are inequalities that are visible at every turn. But, what many tourists (and locals for that matter) fail to understand is that wealth and privilege protect you from most of the dangers that afflict the lives of South Africans (yes, the Mount Nelson attack was a rare case). As a tourist, you will have access to your own private vehicle, a comfortable place to rest your head, lavish meals, etc, etc. The vast majority of crimes and all of the gang violence is happening in the townships, that you will never, ever see. Come on down.
Oct 12, 2019, 10:08 am
#30
Join Date: Jan 2012
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My GF and I went to Cape Town for the first time last November and while we arrived at our hotel located downtown on St George mall at 10 pm one evening (and it was quite wild, with lots of streets beggars), walking in the center during the day was perfectly fine. Just apply common sense as mentioned many times before : Avoid exhibiting your expensive camera around your neck and avoid walking after dark or in our case, after the shops were closed at 6pm. There is a very good touristic bus (hop-on / hop-off) running across the region (it can go quite far and does not only stay in the city) and we used it to travel around, together with Uber. We also rented a car to go to the south cape and the country side (down to Cape Arghulas) and the drive was perfectly fine. It's a fantastic region to explore, with excellent food and great landscapes and the people we met there were very friendly. We also hiked to table mountain using the Plattekip gorge trail (if I remember correctly) and it was perfectly safe (we took the telecabin to get down though... too tired to do it on foot !). Enjoy your trip !