Johannesburg stay safe · Johannesburg travel safety advice
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Johannesburg travel safety advice
Johannesburg travel safety advice
Be aware that Johannesburg has very high crime levels day and night. However, like many other cities with a crime problem, some places are quite safe while others can be quite dangerous, and, in some places, crime may depend on whether it is day or night. Armed security guards (not necessarily the police) are a common sight in the city. Ask local people (hotel staff) what to do.
You should keep security constantly in mind and tourists must remain alert at all times, no matter where they are.
The best general advice is to try your best to look like a local and to avoid at all costs displaying any form of wealth, including earrings as these have been ripped from unsuspecting tourist. Keep your cellphone hidden and avoid using it in public places. Avoid carrying backpacks, daypacks or purses. Use a cheap plastic bag, keep your values at the hotel and take only the amount of money that you really need. Never use a purse, but put loose coins or notes in your pockets.
If you fall victim to robbery, it is best to cooperate with your assailants, hand over your valuables, do not attempt to negotiate, do not look them in the eye, and do not fight back.
Finally, keep things in perspective, Johannesburg has a partly-deserved bad reputation for crime, but most of this is restricted to residents living in the townships. The overwhelming majority of visitors have a trouble-free stay.
The Most Frequently Asked Travel Questions about Johannesburg
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Johannesburg Travel Guide from Wikitravel. Many thanks to all Wikitravel contributors. Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, images are available under various licenses, see each image for details.