Yash
I'm a South African born and bred. In 30 odd years of living here (in Port Elizabeth, Cape Town and Johannesburg) I've never expncieered any worse crime than 3 muggings. All 3 incidents happened in the exact same street and I was never hurt. Obviously this isn't the case for everyone. Many people have been victims of terrible crimes. But the area you are in and the chances you take are what will make you a target as a tourist.The best advice I can give is this1. Listen to the advice locals give you and take it seriously.2. Don't carry anything unnecessary with you cash, cards, passport etc.3. Don't leave any bag unattended or open, even when it's on your person or you're in a restaurant. Rather carry your cash in a pocket.4. Don't talk on a cellphone on the street. There have been incidents of them simply being grabbed out of hands mid call.5. Use car taxi's that post their rates on the door or hire a car. (Riki's Taxi's in Cape Town and Hurter's in Port Elizabeth are good). Avoid mini-bus taxis that carry 15 (or usually far more) passengers. They are generally not road worthy and sometimes the drivers don't even have licenses.6. Always take a taxi / car at night. Don't think you can walk because it's only a few blocks and you'll be fine.7. If you do hire a car, park in a paid parking structure rather than on the street if you're not sure of the area. Locals will be able to tell you if it's ok to park on the street. There are car guards everywhere that you can pay a nominal fee to. They're just there to make a few bucks, they won't actually do anything to take care of your car. But you might get your car scratched if you tell them up front that you don't need their services. Just be friendly.8. Whether it's in your hire car or hotel room, don't leave anything of even the slightest value out in plain sight for anyone to see.9. When flying into or around SA, always padlock your bags and, if the airport has the facilities for it, plastic wrap your case. CT and Joburg airports both have plastic wrapping available for a small fee.10. Don't walk around looking like a tourist and asking random beggars and drug dealers for advice or directions. You'll be amazed how many tourists I see hiring guys on street corners. Take trips through reputable businesses, get your info from your hotel or guest house or a local in a restaurant, not someone who just wants money off you.11. There are A LOT of beggars everywhere in SA. You can't give money to everyone or you'll be broke before you head home and you can't believe most of the schemes and stories they have. Crystal Meth use and alcohol abuse is a particularly big problem and you're sometimes just feeding a habit. If you want to help rather donate to a good charity or go to a shelter and pay for a bed for someone or buy something from someone who is making the effort to try to work. Also don't be alarmed by the guys who carry black bags around at traffic lights. They will take rubbish from your car for a small donation. But you may also get street vendors who will simply throw things into your car and then demand the money. So it's best to keep windows up.12. If you are in a scary looking neighbourhood and you're the only car at a red light and you see some dodgy looking characters around, just treat it as a stop sign if it's safe to do so. This may not be legal but it's better than being hi-jacked.13. Wear a condom. Always! HIV / AIDS is rife here.14. Avoid city centres after dark and be very vigilant at train or bus stations.15. People do not know how to drive in SA. Everyone has their particular brand of idiocy on the roads but you will find that nobody adheres totally to the rules of the road. People speed, they drive when drunk, they ignore lines on the road and red lights, they go whatever speed they want. So drive carefully, and if you're a pedestrian walk carefully. On the plus side: If where you're staying looks and feels safe you can generally relax, nothing is going to happen to you. During the day, most tourist areas are totally safe to walk around. Just hang onto handbags, cameras etc. In Cape Town go for a trip up Table Mountain (walk or cable car). Make sure it's on a clear day (dress warm), you can also climb Lion's Head if Table Mountain is too scary. (It can be a dangerous trip unless you have someone with you who knows the path) Lion's Head is an easy(ish) walk of about 2 to 3 hours with a magnificent view of the city, harbour and beaches. The Waterfront offers great shopping (local and international stores and craft markets) and harbour trips. You can also catch a ferry to Robben Island from here. There are a variety of restaurants, pubs and entertainment here too. There are several theatres in CT Artscape, The Baxter, Kalk Bay and the 3 University theatres will all have shows on. And of course the city is surrounded by Vineyards for you to do some tasting. If you're looking for late night pubs and clubs go to Long Street. And the Vaudeville theatre is also a great night out. CT has winter rainfall so come prepared.Port Elizabeth is usually quite mild in winter and with little rain. Although it is a much smaller town, it is situated an hours drive from Grahamstown where the National Arts Festival will be running for most of the World Cup. This is the 2nd largest Arts Festival in the world. The entire town becomes a space for theatre, music and art. Port Elizabeth (or PE as it is known) is also home to Seaview Lion Park, Kragga Kamma Game Park and just a 40 minute drive away, The Addo Elephant National Park. PE has beautiful blue flag beaches running for miles with a far more pleasant temperature than CT, and there are several restaurants and pubs in the Boardwalk shopping complex and casino right across from Hobie beach. PE also has several theatres the Opera House, Little Theatre and Savoy which is staging productions during the World Cup.
Yuriko
11.7 Neither we nor our affiliates make any reitrseneatpon that materials on this website are appropriate or available for use in locations outside the United Kingdom, and accessing them from territories where their contents are illegal is prohibited. Those who choose to access this website from other locations do so on their own initiative and are responsible for compliance with local laws. If the thing has not been tested to comply with CMVSS (For Canada) and FMVSS (for the US) then, nope, you won't be able to drive it here.Why not use the Contact us link on their website and ask them?
Yash I'm a South African born and bred. In 30 odd years of living here (in Port Elizabeth, Cape Town and Johannesburg) I've never expncieered any worse crime than 3 muggings. All 3 incidents happened in the exact same street and I was never hurt. Obviously this isn't the case for everyone. Many people have been victims of terrible crimes. But the area you are in and the chances you take are what will make you a target as a tourist.The best advice I can give is this1. Listen to the advice locals give you and take it seriously.2. Don't carry anything unnecessary with you cash, cards, passport etc.3. Don't leave any bag unattended or open, even when it's on your person or you're in a restaurant. Rather carry your cash in a pocket.4. Don't talk on a cellphone on the street. There have been incidents of them simply being grabbed out of hands mid call.5. Use car taxi's that post their rates on the door or hire a car. (Riki's Taxi's in Cape Town and Hurter's in Port Elizabeth are good). Avoid mini-bus taxis that carry 15 (or usually far more) passengers. They are generally not road worthy and sometimes the drivers don't even have licenses.6. Always take a taxi / car at night. Don't think you can walk because it's only a few blocks and you'll be fine.7. If you do hire a car, park in a paid parking structure rather than on the street if you're not sure of the area. Locals will be able to tell you if it's ok to park on the street. There are car guards everywhere that you can pay a nominal fee to. They're just there to make a few bucks, they won't actually do anything to take care of your car. But you might get your car scratched if you tell them up front that you don't need their services. Just be friendly.8. Whether it's in your hire car or hotel room, don't leave anything of even the slightest value out in plain sight for anyone to see.9. When flying into or around SA, always padlock your bags and, if the airport has the facilities for it, plastic wrap your case. CT and Joburg airports both have plastic wrapping available for a small fee.10. Don't walk around looking like a tourist and asking random beggars and drug dealers for advice or directions. You'll be amazed how many tourists I see hiring guys on street corners. Take trips through reputable businesses, get your info from your hotel or guest house or a local in a restaurant, not someone who just wants money off you.11. There are A LOT of beggars everywhere in SA. You can't give money to everyone or you'll be broke before you head home and you can't believe most of the schemes and stories they have. Crystal Meth use and alcohol abuse is a particularly big problem and you're sometimes just feeding a habit. If you want to help rather donate to a good charity or go to a shelter and pay for a bed for someone or buy something from someone who is making the effort to try to work. Also don't be alarmed by the guys who carry black bags around at traffic lights. They will take rubbish from your car for a small donation. But you may also get street vendors who will simply throw things into your car and then demand the money. So it's best to keep windows up.12. If you are in a scary looking neighbourhood and you're the only car at a red light and you see some dodgy looking characters around, just treat it as a stop sign if it's safe to do so. This may not be legal but it's better than being hi-jacked.13. Wear a condom. Always! HIV / AIDS is rife here.14. Avoid city centres after dark and be very vigilant at train or bus stations.15. People do not know how to drive in SA. Everyone has their particular brand of idiocy on the roads but you will find that nobody adheres totally to the rules of the road. People speed, they drive when drunk, they ignore lines on the road and red lights, they go whatever speed they want. So drive carefully, and if you're a pedestrian walk carefully. On the plus side: If where you're staying looks and feels safe you can generally relax, nothing is going to happen to you. During the day, most tourist areas are totally safe to walk around. Just hang onto handbags, cameras etc. In Cape Town go for a trip up Table Mountain (walk or cable car). Make sure it's on a clear day (dress warm), you can also climb Lion's Head if Table Mountain is too scary. (It can be a dangerous trip unless you have someone with you who knows the path) Lion's Head is an easy(ish) walk of about 2 to 3 hours with a magnificent view of the city, harbour and beaches. The Waterfront offers great shopping (local and international stores and craft markets) and harbour trips. You can also catch a ferry to Robben Island from here. There are a variety of restaurants, pubs and entertainment here too. There are several theatres in CT Artscape, The Baxter, Kalk Bay and the 3 University theatres will all have shows on. And of course the city is surrounded by Vineyards for you to do some tasting. If you're looking for late night pubs and clubs go to Long Street. And the Vaudeville theatre is also a great night out. CT has winter rainfall so come prepared.Port Elizabeth is usually quite mild in winter and with little rain. Although it is a much smaller town, it is situated an hours drive from Grahamstown where the National Arts Festival will be running for most of the World Cup. This is the 2nd largest Arts Festival in the world. The entire town becomes a space for theatre, music and art. Port Elizabeth (or PE as it is known) is also home to Seaview Lion Park, Kragga Kamma Game Park and just a 40 minute drive away, The Addo Elephant National Park. PE has beautiful blue flag beaches running for miles with a far more pleasant temperature than CT, and there are several restaurants and pubs in the Boardwalk shopping complex and casino right across from Hobie beach. PE also has several theatres the Opera House, Little Theatre and Savoy which is staging productions during the World Cup.
Yuriko 11.7 Neither we nor our affiliates make any reitrseneatpon that materials on this website are appropriate or available for use in locations outside the United Kingdom, and accessing them from territories where their contents are illegal is prohibited. Those who choose to access this website from other locations do so on their own initiative and are responsible for compliance with local laws. If the thing has not been tested to comply with CMVSS (For Canada) and FMVSS (for the US) then, nope, you won't be able to drive it here.Why not use the Contact us link on their website and ask them?