What do the average European think when he’s hearing the words South Africa, travels and safety?
Highest murder rate of the world, a life behind high fences and grids in front of the windows, don’t stop at red lights, don’t walk during the night alone on the streets. Friends, relatives and the media are giving the advice to travel in another country, because South Africa is too dangerous and instable.
But how is the reality in South Africa? Could prejudices be confirmed?
Mostly you could not make such a general statement about the situation in Cape Town. The negative associations with South Africa and Cape Town are a combination of hyperbole, ignorance, the minted opinion of the media, several criminal occurrences from the recent past as well as current violent occurrences in certain districts or areas.
In large part the negative prejudices of Johannesburg will be confirmed. That city has the biggest fall of affluence in the world – there is clashing e.g. the district Sandton with its luxurious villas and those very rich people and the townships with its millions of people living at the breadline. The reports explaining that you should in no case stop at red lights are very exaggerative. But generally we recommend nobody to remain longer than necessary in that area.
The situation of safety in Cape Town is less dramatic. There is indeed a high crime rate which you can not conceal. The local newspaper is reporting daily about the incidents of the last night. The majority of these acts of violence are happened in the townships out of the city centre with which you don’t encounter as a normal tourist or student. In secure districts like Sea Point or Green Point the situation should not be underestimated, because there sporadic happen pick pocketing or predation by careless behaviour. A Cape Town visitor should behave similar like in every big town: be attentive and don’t exhibit a frivolous behaviour.
The office of Study Cape Town is located in the district of Sea Point. Together with the neighbouring Green Point, Clifton Bay and Camps Bay, this region is known as the Atlantic Seaboard. All these districts are very tourism oriented. In recent years the city government made great efforts to reduce relatively high number of violent crimes. The result is impressive: clean streets, police and security staff of private companies, cameras at the major intersections and squares and a large number of pedestrians convey the feeling of security. You can move around during the day without concern in those areas, only part of the importunate beggars should stay away (these are, however, under close surveillance the police). Even the early morning jog on the beach promenade is safely possible. In principle, however, only the strictly necessary valuables are kept (e.g. cash for food or the mini-bus), so that is rather low in the unlikely event of an attack by the loss. Even women can move freely during the day alone. After dark, the mobility in the open air should be limited to the main roads.
You should be more careful in the city (City Bowl), there are roads, which should used only in the group.
Basically, it’s so that the students make their evening activities together. They can meet in the lodge or in one of the houses and then go to one of the many restaurants, bars or on weekends to the clubs in the Long Street or in Camps Bay. After that you take in the early morning taxi to your home.
In summary, we can say that the violence in the regions of Cape Town, where you will stay, is comparable with Europe in a big city. Caution should be offered everywhere – whether in Cologne or Cape Town. The horror stories are told largely by those who have never been to Cape Town.
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