south africa .. help!?

Question

my ex husband is taking my daughter to south africa in may... she is 5 years old and loves people! this worries me because of the crime.kidnap and rape rates ive heard so much about... can any1 put my mind at rest ??
i know she will be very well looked after by her father and his girlfriend but i still cant help but panick alitlle.

also, whats the weather like in may? so i know what to pack for her?

Answer 1

Johannesburg is really the only place they'll need to take special precautions -- violent crime is still something of a problem in the streets. If they rent a car while they're there, they should be aware that the law states you're not required to stop at an intersection if you feel doing so would put you at risk of carjacking. Other than that, just use common sense -- don't go wandering around alone after dark, stay to well-populated and busy areas of town, keep a close eye on your surroundings, don't go flashing a lot of cash around, preferrably stay in a large group of people for safety in numbers, that sort of thing. The city isn't completely lawless, but I'd equate it to a visit to downtown Los Angeles -- there's only so much the police can watch at any given moment, so if you make yourself a target, you're more likely to get hit.

Since they're in the southern hemisphere, May is getting into late fall, so it will be fairly temperate, probably dropping into the 50's at night, so you should definitely pack a jacket or light sweater for her to wear over whatever else she's wearing. I don't think they really get a huge monsoon season or anything, so as long as she dresses more or less warmly, I don't think you'll have to send raincoats along (a small folding umbrella in her carry-on might not be a bad idea, just in case). If they get toward the coast, of course, it gets a little colder and a lot windier, so plan accordingly if you know their itenerary.

Answer 2

Well may is the beginning of the winter so it is gonna get cold here.
Don't worry about it to much about the kidnapping etc. Just tell her not to speak to strangers and when something doesn't feel right she should get away or scream for help, allot of people will due to the fact that she is still a child. The people in South Africa love children and are very friendly towards them. Children in South Africa is like a crown jewel and are looked well after.
South Africa is a nice place there is alot to see alot of nice places to visit she is going to enjoy it here and she might be wanting to come back one day.
South Africa is dangerous if you are irresponsible.
Just her also that she shouldnt be wondering of alone she should be at all times with someone she nows, she should never walk alone because she will be an easy target

Answer 3

Hi, I'm a South African recently arrived in the UK.

Let's do the easy one first:
May is late autumn/early winter, but it's fairly mild. If you're from anywhere in the Northern hemisphere you'll be sniggering at how wussie the South Africans are about the cold. It generally goes up to about 18 to 22 degrees celsius, is mostly dry, though we get occasional showers. Just keep in mind that SA has a number of different natural areas, so Cape Town, for example, could as well be on a different continent from Durban or Johannesburg.

The tough one is... tough.
While it is not as bad as some would have you believe, South Africa is a pretty dangerous place. Not just from crime though, our road death-toll is sky high. Crime is a real problem, but that shouldn't prevent one from going. As with everywhere else, there are dangerous areas to avoid and precautions to take, and you should be fine.

A bit more information of where in South Africa they'll be travelling might be helpful.

Answer 4

South Africa is a shortened version of the properly suited call, 'The Union of South Africa'. In 1910 the Union of South Africa exchange into created by using the unification of four factors, by using changing right into a member of the two former self sufficient Boer republics of the South African Republic (Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek) and the Orange loose State (Oranje Vrystaat) with the British ruled Cape Province and Natal. maximum critically, the hot Union of South Africa gained worldwide admire with British Dominion status putting it on par with 3 different significant British dominions and allies: Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

Answer 5

I'm from SA and I stay 15Miles from JHB and the crime is'nt so bad the people over rate the crime here. it's like if you watch the news you only see the bad and I've lived here my whole life I've never been robed same with my friends, so it's not a bad place.
P.S. tell them to go to Durban in may it's not cold there then and it's one of our famous beaches.

Answer 6

Last week 4 people were murdered within a 5 minute walk from my house so No I can not put your mind at rest. Last year 3000 babies were kidnapped and murdered.

I think the best outfit for her is a bullet proof jacket and a dozen personal protection experts.

Answer 7

She will be fine, the crime here is not THAT bad. Pack cool clothes, it does get chilly but mostly it's warm.

Answer 8

I agree with dead_elves 100%

Answer 9

DF382 WHERE DO YOU GRT YOUR "FACTS" FROM?????