Safety in South Africa: what overland travellers should know

Our summary of the country advice published by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Viaggiare Sicuri) on 9 August 2026.

Safety

Crime — The crime rate is high, above all in Johannesburg, Pretoria, Durban, Cape Town and Port Elizabeth, and smaller towns are better but still need vigilance. Petty crime against foreigners is common and sometimes violent, and Italian travellers have been among the victims. Use only recognised agencies and guides, and stay away from demonstrations, which may pick up again after the recent protest movement against illegal immigration.
City areas to avoid — The city centres of Pretoria, Johannesburg and Durban are flagged as risk areas, as are the towns near the Kruger Park gates, above all Nelspruit and White River, at night and at weekends. In Johannesburg, Berea, Hillbrow, Alexandria and Yeoville are to be avoided outright; in Pretoria, Pretoria Central and Sunnyside and townships such as Atteridgeville and Mamelodi. Townships and their immediate surroundings should only be visited on daytime tours run by accredited operators.
Cape Town hot spots — Take particular care in Long Street and inner Bo-Kaap, and avoid the city's outlying areas, especially the Cape Flats and what borders them. Do not drive the N1 and N2 where they skirt the Cape Flats in the evening or at night: attackers throw rocks from the overpasses. In the evening keep out of quiet places such as isolated beaches, mountain paths and city parks.
Table Mountain robberies — Table Mountain and the other mountain areas of the national park, the Twelve Apostles and Chapman's Peak included, have seen repeated violent robberies. Walk the trails in a group and stay alert, particularly in quieter spots and at quieter hours. Stops at viewpoints along the scenic roads, Chapman's Drive for instance, also call for care, above all at sunset.
Western Cape winter storms — In the winter months, June to September, Cape Town, the Winelands and the Western Cape get increasingly frequent spells of heavy rain, with landslides and flooding. These can put travellers at risk on rural roads, on mountain walks and near the ocean or other watercourses, so follow the local weather alerts.

Before you rely on this

This is our summary of advice written by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs for Italian travellers, published on 9 August 2026. We summarise in good faith, but we cannot guarantee it is accurate, current or complete, and we take no responsibility for decisions made on the basis of it. Rules change without notice and are applied by officials at the border, not by websites. Always read the original source and the travel advice your own government publishes for South Africa before you travel. GuideMeet has no way of checking whether an individual guide meets any standard mentioned here — ask them directly.

Source: Viaggiare Sicuri — Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, updated 9 August 2026. Last checked by GuideMeet on 2026-09-20.