Crime ‘worrying’ in South Africa: 7,000 murdered in three months

Al Jazeera ^

[MplsSteve]

For years, I’ve always thought that SA would be a worthy tourist destination. Going on a safari, the mountains, the history, etc...

But everything I’ve read in the last few years makes it sound like SA is a crime-ridden hellhole - especially in cities like Cape Town, Jo’burg and Durban. I’d be willing to bet that most tourists would not have a reason to go into the areas where a lot of the crime is occurring - but why take the chance?

[M1903A1]

Strange irony...firearm ownership under the post-apartheid government is actually freer and easier than it was under apartheid.

For an example, under apartheid it was effectively impossible for a civilian to own a semi-automatic rifle. If you lived in a rural area, particularly near the borders or the Namibian war zone, the Army might issue you one, but that was it. Now, while it takes a bunch of “sporting purpose” hoop-jumping, it’s possible for a civilian to own them.

The remaining FN-FALs in Zimbabwe that were left over from the Rhodesian era (that didn’t go to the European or American markets in the 90s) have gone to the South African civilian market.

[M1903A1]

“Curiously we went up to zambia and namibia briefly. There was no menace there at all.”

Zambia, Namibia, and Mozambique have all been actively seeking to attract displaced white South Africans, especially farmers. They learned their lesson long ago.