Services / On the road / Security / Safety Advice >>

We know crime is a major concern of many visitors to South Africa, so here are a few tips we tell all our clients:

1. Never leave the car with valuables visible (for example put your sat-nav device in the glove compartment). Hide valuables such as handbags or wallets when driving through towns. ‘Smash and grab’ crime is the most common car crime in SA so remove your handset from the windscreen if you feel you are in an area where you are uncomfortable.

• 2. If driving at night, or in a part of town that looks quite poor, keep your eyes out for people around the vehicle, especially at stop junctions and traffic lights. Street vendors are very common and usually help prevent crime, but the best thing to do is to look at them (so they know you’ve seen them) but don’t encourage them – just smile and shake your head. Sometimes these vendors will spray water on your windscreen (wanting to start cleaning it for a tip). Just shake your head and don’t pay.

3. Keep a good distance from the car in front and if you are really nervous try to keep the car rolling forward slowly.

• 4. Drink driving is pretty common in SA, so be careful of other vehicles especially at night.

5. Keep windows closed and doors locked when in big towns at night.

• 6. If anything bad should happen, don’t panic. The guy doesn’t want to hurt you; he just wants some of your stuff. So cooperate in every way. Smile if possible. Don’t move suddenly or unexpectedly and keep your hands so he can see them so he knows you’re not going to try anything on. When you have a chance phone us or press the speed dial emergency button on your handset and we will phone you back and know where you are.

7. Try to not allow your credit card out of your sight, although this can be difficult at restaurants. Card ‘swiping’ is quite a problem in South Africa, especially in tourist areas. Some merchants accept Chip & PIN cards but will also ask you to sign the receipt – this is normal.

• 8. Take the normal precautions when withdrawing cash from an ATM. Look around for suspicious characters, ideally chose an ATM in a busy area and never accept help from anyone offering it with regard to withdrawing cash.

Remember to also have a look at our South African Driving Tips.

Most importantly, don’t be paranoid. It’s extremely unlikely you’ll have any bad experiences. We’ve been in Johannesburg for four years and nothing bad has ever happened to us!