I am still not sure whether I will be able to get to South Africa during the World Cup. Obviously I would really like to go, but as always things are complicated. I have been offered some tickets and hospitality,so that is all fine, its just the question as to whether I can get away.
South Africa is a great place though, its a place I have been to for work many times, and just for holidays once or twice. While I am sure the tournament will be a success, I think that some of the visiting fans and media will be in for a bit of a shock if they have not been to South Africa before. Of course it is historic that the World Cup is being held in Africa, and that it represents great strides forward and everything,but south Africa is a very different kind of place to where the tournaments have been held in the past.
A lot has been written about how dangerous South Africa is. Really, I think you can worry too much about this sort of thing, if you follow a few common sense rules basically you will be fine. The people to ask about this are the South Africans themselves, they are the experts. Rule one, try to stay in safe places. South Africans who are better off mostly live in quite highly fortified enclaves, electric fences and 24 hour armed response are very much the norm. As a general rule of thumb, if the place where you are staying dos not have these things you are in danger.
Obviously moving around can prove hazardous. Avoid taxis at all cost, you really don’t know what you are getting yourself into if you get into one. Hiring a car is the best thing, but make sure you go through a recognized international broker for car hire. While on the road remember it is not like Europe. Do no stop at red lights or stop signs, as this is when an ambush is most likely to happen,day or night. Of course this means you need to take extra care when negotiating junctions to avoid collisions. Other than many South Africans also consider it essential to have a loaded firearm within reach in their vehicles, and to be confident using it.
You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.