Is Capetown safe to visit? (crime rate, safety, country, tourists)

[longhorn88]

Hubby wants to vacation there next year and I am concerned about safety in South AFrica. We will probably stay in Capetown, the Winelands and do a safari in Kruger. Anyone have experience vacationing there?

[FlyingDutch]

It's at least safer then Jo'Burg or Durban.
But i hear many times of Dutch tourists or students who got killed in Capetown too.
And even one Dutch celebrity who barely survived an attack being in Capetown.Compared to any other Western city it's pretty dangerous there. But if nothing happened to you, you might have a good experience, so some will say it's alright,cause nothing happened to them personally.

Murder capitals of the world.

Foreign Policy: The List: Murder Capitals of the World

Cape Town, South Africa
Population: 3.5 million
Murder rate: 62 per 100,000 inhabitants
What’s happening: A European bastion in the heart of turbulent South Africa, picturesque Cape Town nonetheless has the country’s highest murder rate. The city’s homicides usually take place in suburban townships rather than in the more upscale urban areas where tourists visit. According to the South African Police Service, most of the Cape Town area’s violent crimes happen between people who know one another, including a horrific case last year in which four males doused a female friend in gasoline and lit her on fire. Occurring just outside city limits, the incident apparently happened after the assailants had taken hard drugs, the use of which has risen along with Cape Town’s violent crime rate. The whopping 12.7 percent rise in the city’s murder rate from 2006 to 2007 certainly has local politicians worried, especially as South Africa prepares to host the 2010 World Cup. The government has hired more police officers to prepare for the tournament, which could help cut crime in soccer-fan hot spots. But until better efforts are made to police Cape Town’s poverty-stricken townships, it’s unlikely that the murder rate—an average of 5.9 per day—will see any major drop.

It's not true that tourists are not hit, cause i hear it constantly, tourists are an easy target and many have money, esoecially Europeans and N-Americans etc, so they are an easy target. I can't list how many dutch tourists are killed during the years there, more then any place i heard of.
Cause Capetown is safer then Johannesburg, Capetown is attractive for tourists, a very beautifull city, so manys till go there.
It's like Mexico, most tourists die in Mexico, crime is high, but not just that high that people don't go. You don't go to Colombia, but you might go to Mexico, so Mexico is too safe to not go to, but still very dangerous in comparisson, so most tourists got killed there.
I see it with Capetown like that too a bit.

I think it is better to do an organized tour in Capetown.

Five Murder Capitals of the World... Cape Town Incl.
http://mybroadband.co.za/vb/showthread.php?t=138519

http://www.capetown.gov.za/en/stats/...f%20murder.htm

The murder rate dropped considerably between 2002/2003 and 2003/2004. Over the next three years the rate increased but remained constant in 2007/2008. The figure is still high with 5.5 murders on average reported daily in Cape Town. The murder rate for Cape Town is significantly higher than the national rate.

This is goverment , so expect a much more rosy picture decribed here above then the reality, cause the S-African goverment won't tell you not to go there, cause they want tourists and money and investments. Statistics are easy to bend.

[DBCC]

Statistics on Crimes of Violence in South Africa (Estimated)
http://www.truecrimexpo.co.za/in...

Interesting to note that the SA Govt is not forthcoming with new statistics.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It is even more Interesting to note that the CIA says nothing about Crimes of Violence or Criminal Activity in SA, apart from Trafficking in Persons and Illicit Drugs. Pity as they should talk more about the realities of the man on the street.
https://www.cia.gov/library/publ...


http://www.city-data.com/forum/world...me-s-govt.html


Hope these help..

Dee

[vanderbyl]

I live in South Africa, have family in Cape Town and I travel there regularly. With regard to crime and criminals, yes there are criminals living in Cape Town, in fact there are criminals living in every city in the world and where there are criminals there is crime. Rent a car, stay at a guesthouse, tour the winelands, take the cable ride up Table Mountain, take a ferry ride to Robben Island, take a ride to Hout Bay and Cape Point via Chapmans Peak, I could go on forever. In fact you'll lose more money (voluntarily) in the casino than anywhere else! Fly out of CApe Town to Johannesburg and take a drive to Kruger National (Hazyview), enough said...

[longhorn88]

Thanks so much for the advice. I have gone to other places such as Jamaica, Honduras, Mexico, NYC, and even New Orleans without batting an eyelash. I am sure the crime in these places is similar to Capetown. South Africa is just so unfamiliar to me. That being said, I have decided to proceed with our trip and just use commom sense like I do everywhere I go. I really don't want to miss out on visiting what seems to be an amazing place.

[vanderbyl]

Great decision! Cape Town weather is as follows: May to September: cold, with June & July very cold temperatures between 46 and 58 degrees F, but a good red wine, some friends and a fireplace sorts out the cold! September to December: glorious weather! Current foreign exchange rate, $1.00 will buy you ZAR10.00. To put this into perspective, $3.00 will buy you a BigMac or $14.00 a flask of Jack Daniels!

[DBCC]

Enjoy your trip...... Try the wines and typical cuisines in the region.....best of luck.....from a South African who misses home terribly!
D

[KARL_MARX]

Stay strapped

[JJCayle]

I am from Cape Town and grew up in an area considered dangerous by whites (im white) cause its near a gang populated area. I have had no violent experience but thats because im street smart and use my common sense. Most tourists i hear of being attacked is when they are very obvious like hanging a camera around there neck or flashing there phone etc. Remember phones and camera's and any digital technology is worth a hell of a lot more in S.A then in Europe or the US so you just need common sense and eyes at the back of your head and don't venture into dangerous territory. Every country has violence and dangerous areas its just people kill for different reasons and in SA its usually for money

[kevxu]

I have a friend who goes every year with her husband to Capetown. They spend one week visiting his mother, then she goes and stays in a hotel or inn in Capetown and does her own stuff because one week of her MIL is all she can stand. She loves it.