SA shrugs off US travel scare: ‘Nothing new here,’ says Presidency

Magwenya

Cape Town – The South African Presidency has dismissed concerns over a recent U.S. travel advisory that urges American citizens to exercise increased caution when visiting South Africa, calling the alert a routine measure that highlights already well-known issues.

“With respect to South Africa, the travel alert, just list the kinds of crimes that most South Africans, if not all South Africans, fall victim to or crimes that confront us as a country. There is nothing new there in that regard,” presidential spokesperson Vincent Magwenya said, according to The Citizen.

He stressed that the advisory, issued by the US Department of State on May 27, is standard practice for many countries and should not be viewed as a diplomatic slight or a sign of worsening conditions.

The updated advisory urges US citizens to “exercise increased caution” in South Africa due to crime, terrorism, civil unrest, and kidnapping. It newly includes warnings about nighttime driving and introduces a terrorism risk indicator for the country.

ALSO READ | Trump slaps new travel ban on 12 countries

 According to the US government, violent crime in South Africa — including robbery, rape, carjacking, and “smash-and-grab” attacks on vehicles — is prevalent, particularly in major city centers after dark.

The advisory also notes that foreigners, including US citizens, have been targeted for kidnapping, often forced to withdraw cash or give up personal account information. In rare cases, ransom is demanded from families.

“Violent crime is common and includes robbery, rape, carjacking and mugging. There are also “smash-and-grab” attacks on vehicles. Violent crime is more common in the downtown areas of big cities, especially after dark. Kidnapping is a threat in South Africa. Kidnappers target U.S. citizens and other foreign travelers to steal money. Captors often force victims to withdraw cash or give online account passwords before they are let go. Though rare, some kidnappings involve demanding ransom from families.

“There is risk of terrorist violence, including terrorist attacks and other activity, in South Africa,” the US government said on its website.

Article written by