Is it that bad in South Africa?

[narayan]

South Africa is harsh. I have seen tv shows about the violence there. There is a government agency you can call for more info and a recommendation, but I just can't remember the name of it right now http://sysopt.earthweb.com/forum/wink.gif.

Maybe it's the State Department or something.

[Richard_Cranium72]

There seems to be a rotating hate towards Caucasian people in different countries of the African continent. South Africa is no place for a white person to visit. The resident population of whites is leaving enmasse. In certain areas farmers are attacked and butchered while the recently elected Africans sit by. This non-action spurs more violence, this has been current in at least 5 or more countries on this continent. I suppose this is "Pay-Back" for years of oppression and infiltration by British colonists. If you look back far enough, you'd probably find where the dark skinned people took it away from someone else. On the visit, NO!

[Szech]

Okay, so I've read the statistics on rape and murder in South Africa, and how they detest tourists. Well, two days ago, I got a letter from my sister saying how she is going to go to South Africa (she's in Malawi right now). Right now, I'm REALLY concerned about this, and any information you can provide would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

[welsh wizard]

If you can talk her out of it do her a favour and do so, Her in doors still has her mother living in Somerset West,in the Western Cape, also she has cousins there, every time we speak to them on the phone it's one more horror story after another, in the 7 years since we left South Africa it has gone down and down, no where is safe there any more even for those who live there and are in the know as to what is or was safe, now the locals just say nothing is safe to do anymore without a hippy ( small hand gun that fits in your back pocket)for some one who is visiting they are a prime target, also most of the people we new in S.A. have either left or would like to leave but for some reason cannot.
it's a scenic country but it's just to dangerous now and the best way to discribe how safe you are there is to ask her if she would walk through Harlem with a racist sine hung round her neck while wearing a bikini at midnight.!!!!

WW

[Szech]

Oh man. So what I've read wasn't exaggerated. Would it matter that she is Asian (thus not white), and doing stuff for Habitat for Humanity? I am horribly worried for her safety. I will try to talk her out of it, but she is pretty stubborn once she has made a decision.

[narayan]

Who she works for won't make any difference, remember, we are talking about people with a blatand disrespect for life to begin with. As far as her race, I don't know.

[welsh wizard]

Sorry to worry you more, but when I was there you had colour classifacation IE White, Coloured about 6 dif classes, and Black, The Native blacks were one of three tribes, of the ones I knew of these tribes most would tolerate whites, few would have any liking for the other colour groups, most of the friends I had who have left S.A. were classed as coloured from those days, they left because they found they were more at risk than the remaining whites, but with the crim gangs now, it makes no differance what colour you are, It just ain't safe there. If one of the tribal chief's wants her protected then he will make sure she is safe, if not she's on her own. :-(
WW

[buddmann]

Szech,
I was offered a job in South Africa so I did some research,and while it's true about the violence there it all depends on which part that your sister is going to be in.
The area that I was looking into was in the Northern Province,which is by the way,one of the poorest states in SA.Foreigners and tourists are discouraged from travelling alone and especially at night.
Here are some links to info in SA so you can research some more for yourself; http://www.sadirectory.co.za/ http://www.southafrica.co.za/ http://sa.web-chart.com/ http://www.iol.co.za/html/frame_news.php http://usaembassy.southafrica.net/default.html

By the way, the only reason that I didn't take the job there was because my wife is expecting with our first child and we felt that the medical facilities might not be able to handle it if she had complications http://sysopt.earthweb.com/forum/frown.gif
Hope this helps you out.

Regards, buddmann