Last Updated: 7/10/20 | July 10th, 2020
Each month, Kristin Addis from Be My Travel Muse writes a guest column featuring tips and advice on solo female travel. It’s an important topic I can’t adequately cover, so I brought in an expert to share her advice. Here, she’s sharing safety tips for South Africa.
At the dinner table back home in California, I asked my friends to name the first thing that came to their minds when they thought about South Africa. I expected them to say things like “elephants!” and “Lion King!” but instead “Ebola,” “soccer,” and “crime” were among the responses I got.
When I told them that I would be traveling there by myself, they were horrified at the thought.
This is proof to me that much is misunderstood — or at the very least generalized and oversimplified — about this country, which has a lot more going for it than some misplaced Ebola rumors and a World Cup that took place a few years ago.
South Africa is huge and diverse, spanning 471,000 square miles, with a population of over 57 million and ten official languages. Why does it have such a bad rap?
In this post, I’ll share my tips on how to stay safe during your visit because, contrary to popular belief, South Africa is a perfectly safe place to travel as long as you follow a few basic steps.
Why Does South Africa Have a Bad Reputation?
South Africa is the first country I’ve visited where the locals have repeatedly told me that muggings and violent crime are a big problem. According to those I’ve spoken with, they’re also on the rise.
The statistics back this up. South Africa has the 9th highest rate of intentional homicide in the world. Rape is also a large issue in the country.
While this may seem off-putting, keep in mind that the USA has the 6th highest death toll when it comes to intentional homicide and that the homicide rate in a city like Cape Town is on par with US cities like Baltimore and St. Louis.
For comparison, the 5 cities in the world with the highest homicide rates are all in Mexico — yet Americans still flock there every year on vacation.
Moreover, the homicide rate has gone down since apartheid ended, and there have been fewer murders in Cape Town’s five safest neighborhoods, where tourists tend to flock. It’s not a war zone — far from it. Most violent crime takes place between people who know each other in dangerous neighborhoods that tourists don’t tend to visit.
As in many countries, tourist> in South Africa are the targets mainly of petty crime.
Though there is are political, economic, and racial struggles, South Africa is not nearly as “scary” or “dangerous” as it is often perceived.
How to Stay Safe in South Africa
After spending nine weeks solo traveling through the country, I did find that I had to take more precautions than I do in Southeast Asia or Germany, but the dangers are not all that different from the big cities back home in the United States or other parts of Europe.
While much of staying safe means following the safety rules you obey back home and following your intuition, here are 7 tips to make sure you have a safe and fun trip to South Africa:
1. Know Where Not to Go
Though crime rates are higher in the townships (settlements established during apartheid for forced racial segregation) staying safe does not mean staying out of them altogether. Some of my favorite memories, such as drinks shared around an unlicensed bar, little kids swinging from my arms, and delicious streetside BBQ, all came from my time spent in the townships.
They’re friendly places. They’re just better visited during daylight hours and with a local guide who lives there and knows the lay of the land. This can be organized through your guesthouse or by seeking information from the tourism board.
Soweto in Johannesburg, for example, has walking, cycling, and even bus tours. It welcomes tourists thanks to the benefits of the money they bring in.
2. Don’t Walk at Night
People tend to become targets by walking in cities rather than taking private or public transportation. Even in a group, pickpocketing can occur, but it’s much more likely to happen when walking alone. Avoid walking alone when possible, especially at night.
3. Don’t be Flashy
Wearing jewelry or designer clothing and taking your phone/camera out in public are all great ways to become a target. Bringing expensive jewelry on vacation is not advisable in the first place, but if you do have pricey things like a camera, keep them hidden. And never keep your passport on you.
The more likely it seems that you’re a foreigner who does not know the lay of the land, the more likely you are to become a target for petty theft. Put the phone away and take it out when safely at home or in a café.
4. Lock Your Car Doors and Keep Valuables Hidden
Other common occurrences, especially in big cities like Cape Town and Johannesburg, are car break-ins and carjackings.
Avoid these by keeping the doors locked while driving and keeping absolutely everything — sunglasses, phones, bags, and wallets — out of sight. Nothing of value or anything that seems like it could possibly be valuable, including cheap sunglasses, should be visible when the car is parked and unattended.
In the big cities, unlicensed parking attendants are always around to “watch” your car for you, so throw them a tip now and then for keeping an eye out for your car when you’re not around.
5. Have a Dummy Wallet
Though I believe I stayed safe mostly because I didn’t walk around much, there were a few times when I got tired of being scared and walked short distances instead of taking a taxi or a bus. To protect my belongings, I carried a “dummy wallet” that had just a few canceled credit cards and a bit of petty cash in it, while I hid everything else in my shoe or, honestly, in my bra.
If anyone approached me, I planned to freely hand over my bag so that the thief had something to take while the rest was safely hidden. It never came down to this, as I never experienced any crime first-hand, but I felt ready should a thief approach.
6. Be Aware and Listen to Your Instincts
It also helps to be hyper-aware. If you must walk, take in your surroundings, look in every direction, make a point of letting everyone know that you’re paying attention by keeping your head up and looking alert. Try never to be alone on a sidewalk, and get as close to families as possible.
I once walked down a quiet side street in the up-and-coming Woodstock area of Cape Town and, realizing nobody was around, immediately turned around and went back to the busy main road. It felt sketchy, and my alarm bells sounded.
If someone appeared to be paying me too much attention, I’d look that person in the eye and say “hello” or step into a store with other people inside.
7. Use Common Sense
I thought about my safety precautions in South Africa compared to what I would do at home. I certainly wouldn’t walk around most parts of Los Angeles or other major American cities alone and wouldn’t even consider it at night, particularly not with my phone out.
I guard my bag like a hound in most major European cities due to the incredibly high pickpocketing rates. It really wasn’t so different in South Africa.
It used to be that I couldn’t answer the question when asked about my favorite country I’ve been to. Now, I reply South Africa.
Though statistics can make it seem like a scary place, in reality I spent much more time enjoying myself than ever worrying about being robbed or becoming a victim of violent crime. While safety should always be foremost in your mind, South Africa did not feel scary, uncomfortable, or dangerous.
Sure, you’ll need to take more precautions than you would in, say, Thailand, but it’s still perfectly safe as long as you use common sense and follow the tips above.
Kristin Addis is a solo female travel expert who inspires women to travel the world in an authentic and adventurous way. A former investment banker who sold all of her belongings and left California in 2012, Kristin has solo traveled the world for over eight years, covering every continent (except for Antarctica, but it’s on her list). You can find more of her musings at Be My Travel Muse or on Instagram and Facebook.
Book Your Trip to South Africa: Logistical Tips and Tricks
Book Your Flight
Use Skyscanner or Momondo to find a cheap flight. They are my two favorite search engines because they search websites and airlines around the globe so you always know no stone is left unturned. Start with Skyscanner first though because they have the biggest reach!
Book Your Accommodation
You can book your hostel with Hostelworld as they have the biggest inventory and best deals. If you want to stay somewhere other than a hostel, use Booking.com as they consistently return the cheapest rates for guesthouses and cheap hotels.
Don’t Forget Travel Insurance
Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. It’s comprehensive protection in case anything goes wrong. I never go on a trip without it as I’ve had to use it many times in the past. My favorite companies that offer the best service and value are:
- World Nomads (for everyone below 70)
- Insure My Trip (for those over 70)
- Medjet (for additional repatriation coverage)
Looking for the Best Companies to Save Money With?
Check out my resource page for the best companies to use when you travel. I list all the ones I use to save money when I’m on the road. They will save you money when you travel too.
Want More Information on South Africa?
Be sure to visit our robust destination guide to South Africa for even more planning tips!
Keith Andrews
Great post of a topic that is very important. Living across the border from Juarez, Mexico has taught me to not take safety for granted. Thank you, Kristin, for this post and your tips that can and should be applied anywhere.
Veronika
Kristin, this is a great post. And I’m bookmarking it not only because of the brilliant dummy wallet idea 🙂
Unfortunately when I’m trying to be hyper-alert, I usually overdo it and freak myself out 😀 Anyway.. great tips and I’m going to keep them in mind once I get the opportunity to head down to South Africa. Thank you!
Rebekah
I always get frustrated by the type of people who assume that EVERYTHING outside of America is unsafe. Luckily I think that attitude is slowly starting to pass. I thought people would call me crazy for travelling on my own but most people have been really supportive and its like you said, a little bit of common sense is generally the only thing you need.
amy
I love this! I got a lot of similar reactions when I moved to Colombia. I don’t have all the statistics on me that you do, but after living here for 4 months, I would say it’s definitely not as scary as people make it out to be. Like your experience in South Africa, I take precautions similarly that I would do in any big city. I love that you have brought to mind again that travel is not as scary or dangerous as people make it out to be. Now you’ve given me a new country to check out!!
Bob Merrick
Great advise. The suggestions that you gave for South Africa were very similar to ones that I use in many cities in my home area here in the USA. There can be danger anywhere if you do not take necessary precautions. Just take these precautions and then enjoy your trip.
clara
We’ll be moving to South Africa in a couple of months, so I’ve been doing a lot of reading about security in that country. We’ll be well protected and advised through my husband’s office, but it’s hard to get a feel for whether things are over or under exaggerated! We’ve lived in other so called high risk places (Kingston, Islamabad), but everywhere is unique and you are never more vulnerable than when you first arrive and don’t yet have a feel for what behaviour is normal. Advice like yours is very sensible and I’ll certainly be getting myself a dummy wallet!
Madeline List
Thanks for posting on this topic. Last year I traveled in South Africa and Brazil and used some of these tips, which made me feel much more secure.
I just wanted to let you know that one of the products I really liked using in these locations was a JoeyBra, which has side pockets that help stash cash and credit cards. I used a decoy wallet but kept a backup credit card and some cash stashed there just in case I was in a situation where my whole purse was taken. It’s a product I’m glad I added to my collection of travel gear.
I hope posts like this can encourage more female travelers to explore South Africa. The extra safety precautions are a small price to pay for visiting such a beautiful and fascinating place.
Ken R Smith
Kristin, yours is a great post, full of sound advice. I have lived in South Africa for over 80 years and I have travelled the world extensively. Many white ex South Africans denigrate our lovely country merely to justify their departure.
The only place I have ever been mugged was on an escalator at Bank Station London and that was my own fault for not being careful!
The safeguards you mention are sound.
Jim B
One thing I noticed that you did not mention, we are going to SA next month for the entire month and almost all of our arrangements were made by Icon, they come highly recommended so I am keeping my fingers crossed. But we were told that we should see to it that our bags were wrapped before we leave the states and for all of the flights inside of SA (we are also flying up to Vic Falls so that includes Zambia – the Zimbabwe side is just not an option for us) to take advantage of the bag wrapping at the airports inside of SA. Never done this before but it seems like folks who know are recommending it. And to LOCK your bags of course.