Make safety a priority for an enjoyable holiday in South Africa.
Leave important information with family or friends
Give a copy of your itinerary to a close friend or family before leaving for your holiday in South Africa. This should include contact numbers for your accommodation and tour operators you are using while in South Africa. Leave them with certified copies of all your travel documents which can be couriered to you in South Africa if your passport, banking cards, and travel insurance documents are lost. Scan and save a certified copy of your important travel documents which you can print out if needed.
Arrive in South Africa with some cash
You’ll need some cash for when you arrive in South Africa. Check with your tour operator or the shuttle company if you are required to pay cash upfront for transfers. Some shuttle operators insist on cash payments while some allow you to do an electronic payment in advance. There are ATM facilities in all the major airports and you can withdraw South African Rand on arrival. It’s safe to do so inside the airport, but don’t withdraw large amounts. One scam that is a big problem is thieves following foreigners from the airport to their hotels and holding them up if they think they have a lot of cash and valuables on them.
Leave your laptop at home
Set up your cell phone so you can receive and send emails from your phone and also to do bank transfers. Arriving at the airport with a large, noticeable laptop is asking for trouble. You could be followed to your hotel and robbed. It’s also a hassle to find a safe place to keep your laptop during your holiday, so unless you cannot live without it – leave it at home.
Read up on road rules
If you have hired a car for your trip to South Africa and are traveling around on your own, you don’t want to be stopped by a corrupt traffic cop. This is a problem in South Africa and it’s not a pleasant experience being harassed and threatened by a dodgy cop on the side of a highway. Avoid this happening by obeying the road rules and local laws. Don’t drink and drive, and drive with caution on our roads.
South Africa has a high number of car accidents during the busy holiday season because of reckless and drunk driving. Avoid driving at night if possible. In South Africa, we drive on the left side of the road. Remember this so you don’t cause an accident. There have been many serious car crashes and fatalities caused by foreigners making a mistake and driving on the wrong side of the road. Before you set off from the car rental agency, practice driving in a quiet area close to the airport to get used to driving on the left side if you are from a country that drives on the other side of the road.
Research safe and reliable transport options
At the moment, Uber is only operating in Cape Town, Johannesburg, Pretoria, and Durban. Do not bank on using Uber in small towns and cities. Plan ahead and book a transport that is safe and reliable, so you are not left stranded outside an airport or hotel without a ride. The Gautrain is a state-of-the-art commuter rail system that links Johannesburg, Pretoria, and OR Tambo International Airport.
The high-speed train takes you from the airport to central stations in the two city centers but from there you need transport to your hotel or guest lodge. Uber is your best and safest option but avoids using Uber at night as there have been isolated attacks on travelers by rogue elements. Or ask the hotels you have booked into if they have a collection/drop-off service. Cape Town is geared toward tourists and there are more transport options for tourists in the Mother City, such as the City Shuttle. Uber is a good option for Johannesburg, Pretoria, and Durban but it can get expensive to use it all the time.
HAVE A GREAT HOLIDAY IN SOUTH AFRICA
Be sensible and take the necessary precautions to stay safe in South Africa. The country has a high crime rate but the risk to overseas tourists is low because you very rarely venture off the beaten tourist path. Make wise decisions about where you travel, where you stay, and who you engage with on holidays. Tourist scams from around the world are alive and happening in South Africa. To avoid upset stomachs on your holiday to South Africa, avoid eating raw and unwashed produce from unknown sources. This includes street vendors and dodgy convenience stores in the country. Stick to food that has been cooked well in clean kitchens.
Only drink bottled water or store-bought cool drinks. The bottle seal must not be broken. One trick is street vendors take used water bottles and refill them at the local tap, and then sell them off as purified water. If you are in a remote area or on safari where the water quality is poor, avoid ice in your drinks. Mosquitos and biting insects are most active in the late afternoons and early evenings. Cover up with long sleeve shirts and pants, and wear socks and shoes. Spray yourself and your room with insect repellent, and always sleep under a mosquito net if you are in a malaria area. Never go out in the day without sunscreen even if it is a cloudy, overcast day. The South African sun will burn you badly if you are not used to our harsh sun, and bad sunburn can lead to sunstroke. If you think you have sunstroke, drink as much water as you can to rehydrate and go to your closest hospital for treatment. Carry your important documents like passports and identity documents, and any chronic medication in a separate bag to your day pack.
Buy yourself a small, handy travel bag that goes over your shoulder and can be kept under your jacket when traveling. Keep it close to you at all times, preferably close to your stomach. Do not put important travel documents and chronic medication in your luggage. If your bag goes missing at the airport or is stolen, you’ll be in a lot of trouble. Use protection and practice safe sex. South Africa is plagued by the AIDS epidemic. If you have a penchant for prostitutes or are prone to picking up strangers in bars and pubs, be very careful. Aids is life-threatening, and it is critical that you take the necessary precautions.
Don’t take dangerous risks with your life for the sake of a casual fling with a stranger. If you’re keen to explore areas that are off the beaten tourist track, book a day tour with a reputable tour operator such as Moafrika Tours. Day tours to Soweto and Johannesburg inner city are rich in history and fascinating but don’t venture into these areas on your own. You’ll stick out like a sore thumb as a foreign tourist and may become a victim of crime if you’re not careful. Large townships like Soweto in Gauteng and Khayelitsha in Cape Town are home to some of the poorest people in the country; don’t go there unless you’re with a tour operator who knows these areas well and will keep you safe. If you want an adrenalin-filled holiday and are keen to jump off bridges, hike up mountains, and swim with sharks; make sure you book through a reputable operator. Check TripAdvisor for reviews of these attractions and companies with formal associations and permission to operate in the area. Only choose companies that have been operating for a long time and can be trusted. There are a lot of fly-by-night operators trying to make a quick buck out of tourists. Make safety a priority and spend extra with a good operator.
Safety tips for using UBER in South Africa
The reputation of Uber as a safe and reliable form of transport in South Africa has been damaged in the last year by reports of extremely bad behaviour by a few rogue drivers. These range from sexual harassment, theft, and assault. This is not unique to South Africa as Uber is experiencing the same problems worldwide. Uber has released a feature called Real-Time ID to improve the safety of passengers. It allows a user to check the identity of the driver and make sure the driver collecting them is a match. Uber issued the following tips for your safety:
Know your driver
The feature on the app allows you to see your driver’s details including their name, vehicle type, and license plate number and it also displays their photo. It will ensure you get in the right vehicle with the right driver-partner, yet many passengers fail to check this. Last year, a woman was kidnapped and raped after getting into what she thought was her Uber cab. Of course, sometimes the right driver can be a perpetrator too. Check your driver’s rating Uber drivers are rated out of 5 stars by riders on the app’s rating system. If a low rating concerns you, cancel the Uber and request a different one.
Rate properly and give feedback
If you happen to have had a terrible experience, don’t leave a three-star rating out of guilt or fear that the driver might lose their job. An honest rating will ensure the safety of future riders and telling Uber what happened may prevent another rider from having a bad experience. Any negative feedback will be queried and followed up on with appropriate action by Uber’s support team.
Share your trip details
Share your ETA (estimated time of arrival) with a friend or family member. All you need to do is tap on “share status” in the app to share a link where they can see your driver’s name, photo, license plate, and where the vehicle is on the map. This can be tracked even if they don’t have the app installed on their phone
Use Uber’s 24/7 support channels
Uber has customer support staff that is ready to assist with any queries. They also have rapid response, specially-trained teams that are available full-time to handle any urgent concerns that may arise.
Cancel the ride if you feel uncomfortable
This might sound like a bit of a cliché but always trust your gut. If the driver seems dodgy in any way feel free to end the ride. Always sit in the back seat and keep your belongings close by in case you need to end the ride abruptly.
Keep a protective device or pepper spray on you Use Uber’s latest safety-selfie feature
This feature was introduced in March 2017 and uses facial recognition technology to enhance safety for both Uber drivers and riders.
Be aware of your surroundings
Although you should keep your eyes on the app to check that the driver abides by the route on the map, it is also crucial that you be mindful of your surroundings. Always ensure that your phone’s battery is fully charged and that you have sufficient airtime or data in case of an emergency.
BACK HOME FROM SOUTH AFRICA
Take malaria symptoms seriously If you have been to a malaria area, go to the hospital and request a malaria test if you experience any of the following symptoms within ten days of getting home:
• flu-like symptoms and a general feeling of being unwell
• mild fever
• nausea
• headache
• aches and pains
• sweats and chills
These symptoms will quickly worsen if you do have malaria: severe chills, high fever, and heavy sweating. Seek medical attention immediately. Tell your doctor you have been to a malaria area and insist on a malaria blood test. The sooner you receive treatment if you have malaria, the better the outcome. Malaria can be deadly and all symptoms, no matter how mild, must be taken very seriously if you have been to a malaria area in South Africa. The malaria bug can remain dormant in your body for a few months. If you experience any of the above symptoms up to six months from the start of your holiday to South Africa, see your doctor immediately for a malaria blood test.
Card fraud
Report any irregular transactions on your bank statements to your bank immediately. Monitor your banking statements in the weeks after you return home in case you have fallen victim of card cloning and card fraud in South Africa. If you have, contact your bank immediately. Please also report the incident to the hotel or restaurant you suspect the crime was committed so management is made aware of any criminal elements in their establishment. For more information on card fraud and banking scams in South Africa, visit: http://www.banking.org.za/consumer-information/bank-crime/card-fraud