Guardian Writer ‘Absolutely Terrified’ of South Africa

Well said, Eva.

**mouth still hanging open**

In spite of what you write here, the article is well documented and sound, and there are real concerns about safety for such a big event as the World Cup. I’ve read much worse mashups about security around the world.

well said!

The article is an embarrassing excuse for journalism. South Africa is dangerous, and can be terrifyingly so, but to suggest that any other country in Africa could handle it better, as poor Ms. Taylor does, is ridiculous. Tourists in Egypt travel in convoy along the Nile, because the country’s government is worried that they’ll get mowed down en-masse by the Islamic Brotherhood. And the standard of driving? Please. South Africa’s roads might not be the world’s safest, but they’re a long long step apart from all of the developing world countries I’ve visited.

Geir - What is sound about suggesting that tourists should stay away from South Africa because a certain percentage of its population is HIV-positive? Or that Egypt would have been a better option because “surely if the Egyptians could build the pyramids they could host a World Cup”?

There are certainly “real concerns about safety for such a big event as the World Cup,” true, but the majority of them apply wherever it is held.

As with any travel destination, tourists should ALWAYS be alert and use common sense. It’s not just in South Africa. I just went there a couple of months ago and had a fabulous time; can’t wait to go back. I got the same warnings that Louise Taylor cites and they were duly noted.

Note that I didn’t go to South Africa with the plan to walk around a township after dark, have sex with prostitutes (or anyone, for that matter), or drive around by myself. And I didn’t step out of the jeep when I saw the lions or cobras on safari. Imagine that!

Oh my gosh how rediculous!  Yes we all know that the crime rate is very high in South Africa and HIV too, but we have to be honest when we write such things, specially as a journalist.  I think you will find that all those rapes and murders are not directed towards tourists but are mostly committed by our own people, on our own people.  Sick I know, but those are the facts.  How is Louise going to get HIV?  There must be more on her travel schedule than she is telling! 

I challenge Louise to find a city anywhere in the world where tourists aren’t the target of criminals.  Has she traveled in Europe?  We all have to use a bit of common sense when we travel-anywhere in the world.  Yes I am sure the criminals are busy planning already, so get yourselves organised, carry your valuables where they can’t be easily taken off you.  I still see tourists with cameras hanging around the necks, bags unzipped, wallet obviously bulging in the back pocket,  come on tourists where’s your logic!!

Sure, hire a car and drive yourself around the peninsula, you’ll love it, but do a bit of research and know where you can go and where you can’t.  No you can’t do a self-drive township tour!

Egypt!  Ha!  I have been in a police accompanied and heavily guarded convoy from the border all the way to Cairo, gee I wonder why!  Another time, we were picked up by a taxi and taken on a ‘joy ride’ at top speed with music so loud we couldn’t talk or scream, just to scare the hell out of us. 

I was walking down the street outside the Opera House when a group of young men came running at us screaming and pointing as if something terrifying was happening, then after we had looked around franically to see where the danger was, they laughed hesterically at us, oh very funny!  Yes I know no harm came to us but what a welcome to such a wonderful country. None of this means that I won’t go back to see more of that amazing country, just that I will be more aware next time.

I was with my son when he was pick-pocketed in Oxford Street, London, and I was verbally abused and physically threatened in Brixton, London because I didn’t have a ciggarette to give someone.  See, Cape Town, London, Egypt, and I suggest many places in the USA too.

Oh and while we’re talking about Egyptians, does anyone know how I can contact some of those pyramid builders to help us complete the building of our 2010 stadiums while our workers are on strike?

Come on Louise, it really doesn’t suit an professional journalist to be so silly!!!

Eva: I am well aware that there is stupidity in the article. Suggesting Egypt or Morrocco as better alternatives isn’t very brainy. But we should remember that what she writes as, she is a sports writer and not a travel writer, and she knows much better than us how a world cup works, with gallons of alcohold flowing, and thousands of travellers not used to a setting like this. The last world cups have all been held in smooth running countries with transport infrastructure among the best in the world (Germany, Japan/South Korea, France, US) and police forces with a professionalism among the top. And the things she writes about did happen. I think she is entitled to be terrified from what she knows and from her viewpoint, which is a different viewpoint than ours. We’ve seen South Africa, we have taken our precautions, and we loved the country (I expect). And I’m confident that the WC will prove that South Africa is up to it. But I still think that for soccer fans considering travelling to South Africa this is a sobering article which ensures more people are careful so that they avoid the dangers that after all are present even in South Africa. As we know, South Africa isn’t at the top of the list of “most safe countries”.

What needs to be said about Louise Taylor and her article has been said.

Interestingly enough, Travel and Leisure Magazine has recently rated Cape Town as the second most popular travel destination to visit in the world after a city in India.

Cape Town ranked well above cities like New York, Rome, Sydney and some of the other usual heavyweights. South Africa as a nation, including Cape Town will always face challenges but its clear that as a travel and sports event destination its amongst the best in the world.

Confederations Cup hosted simultaneously with the British Lions Tour, a few weeks after stepping in to host the IPL cricket tournament for India. Manchester City arrived in South Africa for their pre-season warm up tournament yesterday and later this year its the ICC Champions Trophy, and the England Cricket Tour.

Funny how Louise, who I assume is from the UK, does not mention the highly successful British Lions Tour hosted last month and the England cricket tour to South Africa later this year. Thousands upon thousands of British tourists who defy her article.

150 world major international events hosted in South Africa since 1994, safely, without incident.
Its an unmistakably excellent track record that rivals some of the larger nations of the world.