The Canadian government has warned its citizens to exercise a high degree of caution when travelling to South Africa, citing the country’s high levels of violent and petty crime. In a travel advisory published on December 4, Canada classified South Africa as a high-risk destination, urging travellers to be vigilant due to what it described as a “significant level of serious crime”. “Travellers should exercise a high degree of caution in South Africa due to the significant level of serious crime,” it stated.
The advisory distinguished between three categories of countries: The Canadian government warned that violent crimes occur frequently in South Africa and have involved foreigners. “These crimes include armed robberies, burglaries, home invasions, carjackings, assaults, including sexual assaults, and murders,” the advisory said. Express kidnappings occur regularly.
Victims are kidnapped from the street or a taxi and forced to withdraw cash from an ATM. In some cases, they are held overnight to enable a second withdrawal the next day According to the advisory, crime levels increase significantly after dark, particularly in major city centres and townships. Travellers were advised to: The advisory also highlighted crime risks in and around airports, warning that passengers have been followed from arrival points and robbed either en route to or upon reaching their destinations.
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“There are also reports of theft from checked luggage,” it said. Travellers were advised to: “Some areas surrounding Cape Town International Airport are dangerous, with an increased risk of attack on secondary roads near the airport,” the advisory noted. When travelling to and from Cape Town International Airport, travellers were advised to: Carjackings and armed robberies were described as “common, especially after dark”, with criminals often targeting vehicles at traffic lights, stop signs and highway off-ramps. “Many schemes are used to stop cars, including scattering nails on the road, throwing stones at car windows or feigning injury,” the advisory said.
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