South Africa - any info on unrest
 

Just wonder peoples thoughts on South Africa with the current unrest relating to land seizures. I am aiming at solo ride around there later in year but my family are not happy about my plans. I think maybe overreacting a little to the media in recent days that paints a bad picture on local news.

The only reference to problems in South Africa that I can find are related to protests in Pretoria over foreign migrant workers, usually other Africans. It would appear the rest of the country is no more or less safe than it ever was, caution about where you stop or walk at night is needed there and it always has been but that should not stop you going.

If you Google "Farm attacks South Africa" you'll see what he's talking about.

We spent over three months riding all over South Africa.

If you're not a farmer you won't have anything to worry about.

Stay out of the big cities and the crime rate plummets dramatically.

I am flying there in 2 months.


My friends in Cape Town have not mentioned anything to me about this, so I think it is as safe as ever. I will see when I get there I suppose.


We will ride around the west coast before making our way to Namibia (and beyond).

Please come and enjoy our country. It’s safe, cheap and beautiful.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

Identifying yourself as being a foreigner usually gets you a lot of understanding that you don't know the local customs, and that you are not part of any local group.
I'd be more worried about the lack of water in Cape Town. beer

Many thanks to everyone for the replies, I shall proceed as planned.

South Africa
 

If you want to, you can share your route with me directly (via email).
I am living in South Africa and do many solo rides here. As one of the previous persons replied, there are places that you need to shy away from.
I can help you with 1st hand information on the areas that you should stay away from (not that there are a lot).
Unrests are normally monitored by our Police force and you will be blocked from driving through the areas.

We have a beautiful country. Please enjoy it. If you want you can stay over at my place when coming in my area for free.

Contact me at jsteyn@unisa.ac.za.
Jan

We returned one month ago and can only say it was such a nice trip with soooo many people and amazing pictures: Individual journey with the car through South Africa to Kruger Park

Thanks Jan I will contact you shortly :)

Hi

We're thinking on travelling to South Africa in October 16. We'd like to drive the Garden Route from George to Cape Town, spend a few days looking around Cape Town, a few days on Safari in a private reserve in the Kruger followed by a few days at Victoria Falls. We plan to book the whole thing with a specialist travel agent.

We have heard a fair bit about political unrest and general safety issues in South Africa and would appreciate your comments on this prior to booking.

Thank you.

Again? doh

Clearly identify your self as a foreign tourist - flag, badge etc.

The 'unrest' (anywhere) is usually from one resident group to another resident group .. if your not part of either group you are not a usual target.

The unrest in SA is towards the white resident farmers .. if your not staying on a white farm you should not be part of any action.

I'd be more worried about the lack of water in Cape Town.

Yes I am booked now for October solo ride and don't foresee any problems. I posted this originally because the media in Australia were sensationalising things (as they love to do) and my family voiced objection to me going based on that reporting.

Hi Guys

It's probably too late for you guys as you are probably there or have been. For anyone else that picks up this thread. There is no unrest in SA and hasn't been since the 19990s. I live in Cape Town and can say from experience. The press love to sensationalise anything bad that happens in SA. There are places to avoid but that's the same in any country. There is a massive biking community in there and some of the best riding in the world. If you are thinking of going I suggest you contact the Wild Dogs forum where you will get all the help you need. Sometimes the places that you think are the most dangerous have the most helpful fantastic people. Try it you wont regret it!

I ma just back from 4 months around Southern Africa ( SA, Namibia, Zambia, Malawi, Mozambique, Swaziland and Lesotho).

We started and ended in Cape Town where we shipped our motorbike sto and from. Never felt in danger. Rode the garden route. Very nice.

Don’t forget to ride the Sani Pass, Swatberg Pass and around and Swaziland is also very much worth the detour. Lovely country and people are friendly. :thumbup1:

As said by previous poster, the press likes to sensionalise ... it sells papers!

Touring South Africa
 

Hi you all
It's very safe to travel SA I'm the host off the HU in SA and we are doing a lot off travelling in and around Southern Africa. People are friendly and always helpful but need to be streetwise .We are doing a trip after the event around Lesotho with no worries at all, so come and see for yourself and enjoy one off the nicest bike destinations in the world. Remember always welcome in Potchefstroom and RTW travellers can stay for free at Elgro River Lodge up to 4 days

Its very safe. The media like to make a mountain out of a mole hill

Some follow up now I have completed the ride in South Africa.

First of all it is a beautiful place with great riding roads, excellent wine and very affordable for food. I rode a BMW G310 from Johannesburg to Cape Town 10 days solo ride.

The first few nights were in towns with no issues, Sabie, Emello, Clarens, Underburg, Queenstown. Port Elizabeth in afternoon when I stopped in front of apartment to contact regarding checking in I was attacked by two men with knife and my phone stolen.
When leaving PE there are lots of men loitering at traffic lights and two tried to jump me so I had to run the red light then stop way back from subsequent lights where others were.
In Oudsthoorn I had bike parked on footpath outside pub and some shady dudes were eyeing it so move it into courtyard while eating and sure enough they came back with a huge steel bar and angry were roaming the street taking swings at passing people. In Cape town I foolishly tried to go out from my downtown hotel at night and the area after sunset is like the movie Escape from New York, fortunately the hotel had good food haha.

So for me it was mostly ok but PE was bit more lawless than I expected. In many country towns there are burnt tyre markings on highway either side of town where there had been road blocks at some stage but I never saw any active on my ride.
The South African people were super friendly and helpful, well I have to clarify that, the black South African people were arrogant or hostile to me without exception but otherwise I was warmly welcomed and made to feel like long lost friend in couple of pubs.

I am experienced traveler and spent lot of time in Philippines. I should have been on guard more in PE. Easy to say after the fact and I am sure some self proclaimed experts will tell me what I should have done. I can say after that I did not try any more apartments where one needs to stop and use phone and reverted to hotels where you ride into secure compounds with high voltage fencing and had no other trouble.

Glad I went and I suggest on my blog for people to go and just consider a tour if concerned.

https://i.imgur.com/Mtbku4w.jpg

I’m really sorry to hear about your incidents in South Africa Iron Chef. I’m an expat Living in Cape Town for 7 years and never had a problem. You were in the wrong place at the wrong time I suppose. South Africa is an amazing country full of amazing people. It also has some of the best rides on and off road in the world. I hope that you will give it another try especially the Western Cape :thumbup1:

There are definitely some neighborhoods in South African cities which are not very safe--or demonstrably unsafe. It's like Brazil in that respect--or Guatemala City, Lagos, Chicago or L.A. This doesn't make traveling around the country unsafe--it just means not wandering too blindly.

I specifically remember feeling uneasy in parts of Port Elizabeth, certain neighborhoods in Johannesburg, and the townships around Cape Town. There are certainly more. As always, specific local knowledge is the best--and that doesn't mean local knowledge which consists of "Don't worry, everything's fine, do whatever you please."

I'll offer a counterpoint to the report that Black South Africans were hostile while Whites were not. My own direct experience was that the scariest people by far were drunk Whites, mostly Afrikaners, fondly reminiscing about killing Kaffirs during the wars in Namibia, Angola and Mozambique. The fact that these men were unfailingly generous and friendly to me, a White American tourist, was thin comfort.

As far as the original query, I wondered whether there was recent news of widespread unrest or danger to travelers. It appears not. Beautiful country, with lots to offer and easier traveling than anywhere else I've been in Africa.

Hope that's helpful.

Mark

Yes and no. You, as a local, know the country, but for foreigners it isn't always easy to identify no-go areas.

IMHO there are a few rules a visitor should stick to:
- never travel in the dark, if you can avoid it.
- steer clear of the big cities, esp. the former townships. There isn't anything interesting to see anyway.
- only walk the streets if the locals consider it to be safe.
- don't fiddle with your smartphone or camera in the public streets.
- when drawing money at an ATM, ride on as quickly as possible. There are always people loitering around, watching you and interested in what you're doing.

The rural areas are usually safe to travel - and generally more scenic ;o) But this shouldn't keep you from visiting beautiful towns eg. like Cape Town.