The reasons for decline in tourism arrivals in SA

[RogerFraser]

Journalist documents his experience in a declining South Africa from Tourist point of view :
https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php? ... 3715051311

After spending 3 weeks in Johannesburg covering USA at the Women's U19 Cricket World Cup, I can now fully appreciate why there are dozens of cricketers desperate to leave South Africa to join Major League Cricket in the USA, not just for cricket reasons but for personal/family/quality of life reasons.
Upon arrival at OR Tambo Airport in Johannesburg, I could not leave the arrivals hall without an "airport staff member" strong-arming my luggage cart, claiming he was really only offering to "help, just to make sure I make it 'safely' to the car rental garage *wink wink*" despite my repeated attempted aggressive refusals. Upon walking the 500 feet to the rental car terminal with both of us refusing to let go of the luggage cart, I was then shaken down for a "tip", one which it was made abundantly clear was not optional.
Less than a mile after leaving the OR Tambo Airport in my rental car on arrival in Johannesburg, I attempted to exit the airport access road and join the main highway when I was immediately pulled over by police for, "switching lanes without using turn signal and crossing a solid line (I waited too late to get on/off the ramp when it was still segmented lines) to get from highway entrance ramp onto main highway". I goofed up attempting to use my turn signal because I hit the windshield wipers on during my first attempt because the wipers and turn signal are flipped on the reverse side of how they usually are on a steering wheel column everywhere else I've driven, and my GPS directions for figuring out to stay on/get off the airport terminal access road ramp to go north at the first ramp or south at the second merging ramp was unclear.
Once pulled over, I was not sure if this was an actual cop or a fake cop, having read and researched various stories before arrival of fake cop/fake security scams in South Africa but especially in Johannesburg. The "cop" never introduced/identified himself (No rank? No, 'Hi I'm state trooper so and so. Do you know why you've been pulled over?' as is typical elsewhere when I've been pulled over for traffic moving violations in other countries). He then began a peculiar conversation with me in which he peppered me with questions about what country I'm from, what do I do for a living, how well off me/my family is to be able to afford a trip to South Africa and what kind of car do I drive in my home country. After looking at me and briefly scanning the inside of my car, I was allowed to leave.
Driving around the city of Johannesburg from OR Tambo Airport to get to my Airbnb condo/hotel, 95% of the traffic lights don't work and most other area utilities do not work due to load shedding/power cuts. It means that traffic flow is routinely a free for all/Wild West. Many locals use a system where any intersection with a traffic light that doesn't work becomes a de facto four-way stop sign, but not everyone obeys this as local minibus drivers operate by their own rules (and that includes even when the traffic lights do work where it is common to see them burn straight through a red light when the green light traffic is already moving perpendicular). It means it is not uncommon to pass by accidents which have recently occurred at these intersections.
Many of the roads, whether highways or residential, are horribly maintained and speeds are generally kept well below speed limit due to the fact that random potholes deep enough to bury a body suddenly appear in strange and unusual places and require slamming on the breaks or swerving at the last moment if you're not paying attention. Driving by cars broken down with flat tires created after nailing such potholes is not uncommon to see.
The restaurant/hospitality industry service may be the slowest/worst/least hospitable in any country I've been to around the world. Staff take little to no interest in greeting people on arrival, listening to get orders right, correcting orders, getting the food to table within a normal time (especially when the restaurant is mostly empty), following up if you want more drinks or anything else. You are generally seen as a nuisance, if you are seen or acknowledged at all by staff.
I purposely avoided/delayed going to any gas station to fill up my rental car throughout the trip because from all the research I'd done beforehand, a gas station seemed like it would be the most vulnerable place for a possible robbery/theft incident, particularly using a rental car that could be identified as a rental car by any tags/stickers indicating it as such and likely used by a tourist. I waited until the final night of the tour to fill my car up and did so at the gas station directly across the street from my Airbnb/condo/hotel, the Capital on the Park in Sandton, which is supposed to be in the "nice" area of greater Johannesburg and was the same hotel that visiting franchise teams in the SA20 domestic franchise cricket tournament had used when traveling in to Johannesburg to play the Super Kings or to play the Pretoria/Centurion franchise. Both the Sunrisers Eastern Cape and Durban Super Giants franchises had stayed at the hotel. I had booked an Airbnb long-stay condo unit there for dirt cheap, even though the hotel is billed as "5 stars". The nightly hotel rack rate is more than double what I paid for my condo rental in the same building via Airbnb. The building is so nice that they have excellent power generators to serve as backup in the event of the inevitable daily power cuts/load shedding that goes on all over the rest of the city. In fact, the Durban Super Giants were staying at the hotel on the final night of my stay in Joburg/Sandton, and I had initially planned to go to that night's SA20 league match against the Joburg Super Kings at Wanderers Cricket Ground, but decided against it in the middle of the afternoon, even messaging my wife to say, "I don't feel comfortable leaving the cricket ground to come back at night after the match ends and don't want to be robbed or targeted so just want to have a low key night at the hotel instead."
But at some point, I had to fill up my gas tank because it was near empty and I would've had to refill it anyway before returning my rental car to the airport. I didn't want to leave it until the morning. So at around 7:30 pm, I left the hotel parking garage and drove around the corner to the opposite side of the street to the nearest Shell Gas Station, which is no more than 100 feet from the Capital on the Park hotel entrance. The Shell station was moderately busy, with 8 of the 12 gas pumps in use, when I got there but I was able to pull up right away to one of the other vacant ones. An attendant came over to the passenger side (the same side as the tank near the pump) and asked what I'd like and I asked him to fill it with regular. Seconds later, I hear knocking on my window and there are two men hovering with plain black hats that had "SECURITY" printed on them and matching white shirt, black pants uniforms in which the shirt also says, "SECURITY" over the breast pocket. Keep in mind that in the overwhelming majority of business establishments around Sandton/Johannesburg (including malls, hotels and regular shops), the entrances, lobbies and other pedestrian traffic flow areas are flooded with machine-gun armed private security units. No two private security units are dressed the same. So it becomes difficult to establish who is legit and who is not. And part of the reason why most of these businesses and establishments have hired private machine-gun armed security firms to protect them is because the real police are hardly anywhere to be seen in and around the city despite crime levels in Johannesburg being some of the highest anywhere in the world. There are road signs scattered in different parts of the city which I drove past a few times on the way to two of the practice venues used by USA during the U19 World Cup (practice venues were at St Stithians College and Steyn City School) where along the side of the road there are road warning signs that say, "Smash & Grab/Carjacking Hotspot". So good luck if you are relying on the police to save the day in your time of need.
Anyway, I ask through the closed window what the "security guard" wants and he says, "Your car's e-toll transponder, it's not registered. You're going to get towed. You need to come register it inside the station with us." I said, "What?" He repeated it again and I said, "My e-toll transponder has been working fine all trip. Thanks." He then told me to get out of the car because, "We're going to clamp your car and it will be towed. You will not be able to leave until you pay the registration for your e-toll transponder. You don't want to be towed, right? *We're trying to help you!* Just come inside. Now... We're only trying to help! You're a tourist, right? Where are you from? The USA? American tourists always forget to pay the registration fee before they leave the airport...."
My first instinct was to turn the car ignition back on and floor it out of the parking lot. But the gas pump was still lodged into my tank filling up the car. I did not want to leave the car, but I was outnumbered by the "security guards" who were built in the 6'5", 250 pound range. Separately, as far as I knew, I was going to have to go inside to pay for my gas at some point regardless because there was no pay at the pump option displayed (nor was there self-service pumps like in every US state but New Jersey). I could sense this was a shakedown, but got outside the car and went with the "security guards" inside the gas station convenience store. I asked, "So where am I supposed to register this e-toll transponder?" One of them said, "You need to do it at the ATM. It's where all the tourists in South Africa can register it." Thankfully I have gotten into the habit of leaving my wallet at home/hotel room since Covid forced businesses into making the majority of their transactions contactless, and I only carry two cards in my cell phone case to pay for everything, as well as keep my driver's license and $20 cash for emergencies in my phone case. So if they were going to try to make a genuine robbery instead of just a shakedown, I had no money to give (other than my $20 emergency cash) and they'd have to move on with just the two cards, $20 and/or my phone.
The other main/more dominant thought going through my mind in the moment was that this whole "come inside the gas station convenience store to pay for your e-toll registration" was simply a decoy to get me out of the car for a minute or two while a second group of guys in tandem with the "security guards" would then steal my car and drive off with it while I was distracted inside the gas station convenience store completing a bullshit "registration". The ATM machine inside the convenience store was in the back corner of the store near the toilets with no view of the gas station parking lot. I took one of the cards out of my phone case and put it in the machine. I asked how to "register the e-toll" again, and was told to just "type in your PIN and the registration will appear". As this was happening, I darted out twice from behind the ATM machine back toward the main part of the gas station convenience store so that I could get a clear view of the parking lot to make sure my rental car was not in the process of being stolen. After doing this, one of the "security guards" firmly told me to come back to the ATM to hurry up and enter my PIN so I could complete the "registration process". Two thoughts quickly went through my mind. Enter a phony PIN and claim my card had been blocked, or enter my real PIN and hope that whatever anti-fraud limit settings I have would kick in. I did what I was told and allowed them to see my PIN. As soon as I entered my PIN, I asked what next because "I don't see any e-toll registration option on screen". One of the guys then punched in a bunch of extra numbers on the machine to distract me while his partner pressed the cancel transaction button, took/stole the card as it was ejected from the card slot of the ATM machine and bolted from the station store.
A third person (much smaller and scrawnier) in plain clothes standing nearby then told me that no no, my ATM card hadn't been taken by them. In fact, it was still jammed in the machine and that the best way to get it out is to use a second card to insert to trigger the first card to dislodge. This sounded like bullshit, but whatever, I tried sticking my remaining card in halfway while keeping hold of it, at which point the plain clothes scrawny guy tried to grab my card from me and I had to muscle it back off of him. I have no idea if he was working in tandem with the "security guards" but then a few moments later, the Shell gas station's actual private machine-gun armed security crew consisting of four men in blue military style fatigues came through the front door of the convenience store and the plain clothes guy who tried to swipe my second card before I wrestled it back from him suddenly fast-walked out of the store. The machine-gun armed security and gas station convenience store staff then asked, "Did you know that those guys, they were not actual security?" The machine-gun private security then told me to call my bank ASAP to cancel/block/freeze my card. I did not have the phone number but frantically texted my wife half a world away telling her my card had been stolen and to call the bank to cancel it immediately. The private machine-gun clad security crew then asked, "Do you want to just handle this through your bank or do you want to get the police here to file a report?" Before I could answer, they said, "It's best if you can get your bank to cancel it before those guys take any money out because if it's a foreign bank, the police here won't do much to help you." I just shrugged my shoulders and said, "I guess I'll try going through the bank to stop them then." Then I paid for my tank of gas with my remaining credit card and left to drive back the 100 feet to the Airbnb/hotel.
Less than five minutes after my card had been stolen, and just after I pulled back into my hotel/Airbnb condo garage, I got a text on my phone saying that three ATM withdrawal attempts had been made at a location in South Africa. The first attempt had been for roughly US$10,000 (on ZAR Rand conversion), which was declined. Then a second attempt was made 30 seconds later for roughly US$5000, which was also declined. A third attempt was made 40 seconds later to withdraw roughly US$2500, which was also declined. The text message said my account had been frozen as a fraud detection warning was sparked by the three attempts and asked me to confirm with a Y or an N if I had tried to make the withdrawals. If I responded with a Y, then they'd unfreeze my account and I could try again to withdraw. I responded with "N". About 20 seconds later, my bank called me with an automated call connecting them to their anti-fraud department. They once again wanted to review my transactions and I told them the card was stolen, to cancel it and confirm that the three attempted withdrawals had all been declined, which they had. So in the end, no money was lost and the "security guards" are in possession of a totally useless bank card which is being replaced by a reissued one in the next few days. I guess these guys and their small-time con are not as smart as they thought they were thinking that trying to withdraw US$10,000 would not spark any red flags with my bank (especially when my daily ATM withdrawal limit is purposely set at a small three-digit figure in part because of this hypothetical turned real scenario).
I spent the night contemplating many thoughts. Was I a moron for getting out of the car in the first place? Was I smart for getting out of the car and not resisting or telling the "security guards" to F off? Was I smart or stupid for intentionally letting them see me type my PIN on the ATM machine when ordinarily I cover up my hand/keypad out of habit as I type my PIN at every other ATM machine around the world even when nobody is around me? Should I have wrestled my second card back out of the hands of the plain clothes guy who tried to take it from me or should I have let that card get taken away from me without any resistance like the first card?
I felt a little intimidated by the "security guards" for sure (or else I wouldn't have willfully left my car to go inside the store with them), but I also can't honestly say I was scared I was going to be physically harmed in spite of their imposing physical build with both guys standing around 6'5", 250 pounds. I wasn't sweating or nervous in the moment. I was more genuinely confused and disoriented above all else because my main concern was making sure my car was not about to get stolen if the "registration" scam was simply a decoy to get me out of my car. This was then followed by more confusion and feeling disoriented as I realized, "Those guys just swiped my ATM card when I was looking straight at them." But the more I thought about it, the more I smiled because my overriding thought was, "WHAT KIND OF FUCKING MORONIC AMATEUR THIEVES/CON MEN TRY TO MAKE A US$10,000 ATM WITHDRAWAL ON THE FIRST ATTEMPT AFTER STEALING A FOREIGN ATM CARD (one which I had not used at any point on the trip thus far and as such had not alerted my bank to expect any withdrawals or transactions on that card in South Africa while I was abroad) AND THINK IT WILL ACTUALLY WORK INSTEAD OF THE ATTEMPTED WITHDRAWAL WINDING UP FREEZING THE ACCOUNT WITH A FRAUD WARNING?!?!"
I then went to the hotel gym, had a workout from midnight until 2 am while half the Durban Super Giants T20 franchise cricket team was drinking in the hotel bar adjacent to the gym, then went back to my room to sleep easy and woke up the next morning feeling fine but decided no way was I leaving the hotel/Airbnb, even after 11 am checkout, until it was time to go to the airport in the afternoon for my flight home.
So I drove back to the airport around 5 pm and return my rental car without issue. But after chugging two bottles of Gatorade on the 45-minute drive over, I had to go to the toilet quite urgently. I walk into the airport and roam around the ground level Arrivals area (check-in desks were one level up on the 2nd floor needing an escalator or elevator ride to get there) until I can spot a set toilets located in a far/remote corner of the Arrivals level with very little passenger traffic going anywhere near there. As I approach, I see five airport maintenance staff just hanging around right in front of the entrance. I try to walk past them and am told, "the bathroom is closed for cleaning... but we will let you in... for a good tip." So even the simple act of trying to go to the toilet in OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg cannot be accomplished without being subjected to an attempted shakedown. Fed up, I barged past them into the toilets (which were clearly not closed for cleaning and had a few people/passengers inside), did my business and came back out having to sidestep the same shakedown artists on my way out.
I have since found out upon getting out of South Africa that a dad of one of the USA Women's U19 players who was part of the touring squad in South Africa for the Women's U19 Cricket World Cup was also a victim of the same fake "security guard/police" scam/theft. It apparently happened around the corner from the team hotel in Rosebank, which is again supposed to be another one of the "nice" areas of Johannesburg just like my hotel/Airbnb in Sandton. He was apparently stopped shortly after leaving a shopping mall having made a wrong turn to wind up in the encounter with the "police". He was given a shakedown in the form of a cash "fine" to be paid on the spot, which apparently was deemed to be insufficient by the "security/police" because he was then apparently escorted to the nearest ATM where the "security/police" attempted to get him to take more money out but failed when similarly, they apparently attempted to take too much money out which triggered his bank to block/freeze his card/account, after which the "security/police" left.
Both before and after my experience (and that of the USA Women's U19 player's dad's experience), I had read numerous stories about how fake "security guard/police" scams/ shakedowns/theft/robberies are one of the most common crimes across all of South Africa, but especially in Johannesburg. And yet even with all of my preparation and readiness (I even told my wife I didn't want to go to the SA20 cricket match in Johannesburg that night in order to play it safe and avoid any unnecessary safety issues) I wound up getting an ATM card stolen just 100 feet from my hotel by a crew of "security guards" (see attached photo to view the location of my hotel/Airbnb in relation to the Shell Gas Station). I was also told by someone that, "you should have stayed in Sandton and this wouldn't have happened to you. That's the nicest/safest part of Johannesburg." Well, my hotel (which was heavily fortified with private security, especially with SA20 franchise teams staying there) was smack in the middle of Sandton, and this happened at a Shell Gas Station less than 100 feet from the hotel lobby entrance.
So to recap Johannesburg/South Africa:
- Shakedown artists lurking around the airport on arrival
- Shakedown artists lurking around the airport trying to block entry to toilets on departure in the pre-security area
- 95% of traffic lights don't work because of municipal power cuts/load shedding
- Other residential, commercial/business and municipal spaces don't have power for the majority of the day (including cellular/wifi networks) due to power cuts/load shedding
- Roads poorly maintained with potholes so deep and wide you can bury a body (or multiple bodies) in them, and which are a regular source of causing car accidents
- Restaurant/hospitality service worse than anywhere in the world
- Road signs in different parts of the city reminding you to be aware because this is a "Smash & Grab/Carjacking Hotspot"
- Traveling bands of fake "security guards" and "police" who steal, shakedown and rob people on a routine/daily basis
If you are thinking of going to Johannesburg/South Africa for any reason, think long and hard before making your decision. My recommendation would be... DO NOT GO UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES! But proceed at your own risk. I have been to a few dozen countries around the world, from first world to third world and everything in between: England, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Nepal, India, Namibia, Uganda, the UAE, Oman, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Mexico (specifically Mexico City), Trinidad & Tobago, Antigua, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Ireland, Iceland, France, Germany, Switzerland, Sweden.... I can confidently say that Johannesburg/South Africa is the least safe, most broken down, most corrupt and dystopian place I've ever been to. There are way way way way better places to take your tourist dollars, whether elsewhere in the African continent (Uganda is one of my favorite touring destinations of all-time) or anywhere else in the world.
Have a nice day!

[Richprins]

Bitterly true. What a shithole we have become.

[Lisbeth]

We know that, but normal tourists don't. That's one of the reasons that I have never stayed in Joburg, apart from the hospital I am afraid though that it is more or less all over the same.

Every time I start thinking that I'd like one last visit to SA before my back gets even worse, I have to change my mind

stupid for intentionally letting them see me type my PIN on the ATM

wasn't sweating or nervous in the moment

I was, while reading it

[Richprins]

Gang opened fire on female student and two others near Kruger National Park

Two of the volunteers were shot but all three were injured from smashed glass
A female student from a British university has been shot by armed robbers during a terrifying car hijacking in South Africa.

The 21-year-old - who is understood to be of Dutch origin - and two other female tourists had their car forced off the road by masked gunmen while they were on their way to the Kruger National Park to work with conservation and wildlife.

Two of the volunteers were shot through the doors as at least four bullets smashed the windscreen and windows, showering all three students with flying glass.

The gang then tore open the door of their Suzuki Cherry and drove the girls to a quiet spot near White River, 25 miles from the notorious Numbi Gate at the national park in Mpumalanga Province.

The shocking attack on the three women, who were set to start a photography internship, is being treated by South African Police as attempted murder.



All three had signed up for a month-long £3,750 Photography and Wildlife Conservation Course with African Impact, who organise volunteer internships throughout Africa.

The three balaclava-clad gunmen stole their luggage, camera equipment and laptops worth thousands of pounds along with mobile phones, cash, valuables and jewellery.

The two girls who were shot were left bleeding from their bullet wounds whilst stranded on a dirt track in the dark.

The other volunteer who avoided gunfire took the wheel of the Suzuki and drove to find help and pulled over at the Timrite Yaverland sawmill just outside White River when she saw security guards.

Emergency ER24 paramedics were called to the scene and the two victims with gunshot wounds were stabilised. All three were treated for cuts from the flying glass caused by the bullets.

All were also treated for shock and taken to the Nelspruit Mediclinic at Mbombela and it is believed the two students who were shot have now returned home to the Netherlands and England.

The injured UK student is believed to originally be from the Netherlands but she went to school and university in England.

The other shot student is believed to be from Utrecht in the Netherlands. She is understood to have volunteered to work with animals in conservation abroad before, including in Peru.

South African Police confirmed 'numerous' shots were fired at the girls and ER24 paramedics were called to the Timrite Sawmills to treat two of the traumatised tourists for bullet wounds.

This is not the first time people have been targeted near to the Numbi Gate. One German tourist was shot dead driving there in October last year.

The man, his wife and another German couple were ambushed when a car swerved in front of them. When the man tried to reverse he was murdered. Three men aged between 25 and 38 have been arrested and charged with the murder.

And in January last year, a South African woman driving out of the Numbi Gate with her two children came under fire from three masked gunmen.

The woman was heading home to Pretoria with her two children when a dozen bullets hit her vehicle and her daughter was shot twice in the leg, but they escaped.

In the latest attack, the three girls were about 25 miles from the Numbi Gate but it shuts at sunset so it would appear they were driving to accommodation for the night outside the Kruger.

The latest chilling ambush on tourists driving to the Kruger National Park is a blow to the local Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency, who are desperate to protect vital tourism.

John Meintjes of ACS Security whose guards at Timrite Sawmills were approached by the victims shortly after they were hijacked said: 'They were hysterical and had been shot at.

'They told my staff they had been robbed by three gunmen and two were shot in the leg and the other hit by glass and the guards gave first aid while waiting for an ambulance.

The girls were very worried the gunmen would come back again but the guards were in control - but the robbers had taken everything of value they had in their car' he said.

It is believed the three girls had signed up for the one-month-long Photography and Wildlife Conservation internship programme which was being run by the NGO African Impact.


Emergency ER24 paramedics were called to the scene and the two victims with gunshot wounds were stabilised and all three were treated for cuts from the flying glass caused by the bullets. Pictured: Kruger National Park

African Impact provides volunteers with 'life-changing experiences' throughout Africa.

The three volunteers would have been working under a professional photographer learning the skills of how to capture wildlife through the lens and how to edit and present images.

A South African Police spokesman said the shootings happened at 7.30pm on June 30 last month and that a security guard at the sawmills heard at least four shots being fired.

He said: 'A Suzuki parked at the sawmill a few minutes later and 3 white females came out of the vehicle crying for help and said that they had been shot by unknown suspects.

'They took all their belongings and there were two victims who had been shot and were taken to hospital with serious injuries and it is being treated as attempted murder.

'No arrests have been made as yet of the suspects who were in a silver VW Polo' he said.

The Lowvelder newspaper reported that African Impact in South Africa had confirmed the incident but refused to comment further referring press calls to their UK headquarters.

Not sure if this is Numbi Gate road:

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/articl ... S3IhOLoQK8

[Lisbeth]

AWFUL!

Why shoot at them?

[Richprins]

This was not on the Numbi road, but nearer White River.

[Richprins]

US issues GPS safety alert after tourist shot and robbed in Nyanga
By Kim Swartz - 07 November 2023 - 12:45


The US government warned its citizens that taking “shortest and fastest” routes suggested by GPS navigation apps can put them in danger in South Africa.

The safety alert was issued on Saturday, a day after a US tourist was shot in the face and robbed while driving from Cape Town International Airport to Simon’s Town. A GPS device directed him through Nyanga, where he was attacked.

Walter Fischel, 55, a father of three, had just arrived from Thailand and exchanged currency at the airport before departing in a hired car for his destination.

“He rented a car, entered his destination into the GPS, and picked a route that appeared to be the shortest distance to where he had been headed,” reported the Daily Mail.

He did not realise the selected route could be unsafe.

Police spokesperson Capt FC van Wyk said the motive behind the attack was robbery.

“A case of attempted murder and robbery with a firearm was registered at Mowbray and will be transferred to Nyanga for further investigation,” said Van Wyk.

The Connecticut resident is recovering from surgery in hospital.

“GPS navigation can lead to unsafe routes. Shortcuts through townships may be the quickest preferred route but can lead to increased risks of crime,” read the US travel advisory.

“If you decide to travel to South Africa: Investigate your route in advance, stay on major highways, avoid shortcuts through townships, and avoid reliance on GPS navigation apps.  When driving on city roads, the shortest and fastest route may not be the safest.

“For example:  The safest approach to return a rental car to Cape Town International Airport is to take the N2 highway and follow signs to Airport Approach Rd (exit 16).  Alternatively, request the rental car company to collect your vehicle and subsequently arrange an airport transfer from established taxi companies or established ride-sharing services to reach the airport.”

Nyanga Community Policing Forum (CPF) chairperson Dumisani Qwebe condemned the attack. “This is the second incident where a tourist has been shot in the community.

“We do not want an environment where Nyanga is portrayed in a negative light,” said Qwebe.

He said the CPF would meet on Wednesday to work on an integrated plan with police to deal with crime in the community.

TimesLIVE previously reported on a British surgeon being shot dead after taking the wrong turn into Nyanga, travelling from Cape Town International Airport, while on holiday in the city during a violent taxi strike.

TimesLIVE

https://www.sowetanlive.co.za/news/sout ... in-nyanga/

[Lisbeth]

He did not realise the selected route could be unsafe.

Coming from a civilized country it does not cross your mind if you know little of the country.

Years ago SA was considered the safest country in Africa

I still do not understand why they have to shoot

[Richprins]

'There was no confrontation, no provocation': family speaks out on shooting of surgeon in Nyanga


By Kim Swartz - 09 November 2023 - 16:24


The family of a British surgeon who was shot dead while on holiday during a violent minibus taxi strike in Cape Town have spoken out for the first time about their traumatic ordeal.

Kar Hao Teoh, 40, was shot while driving on a detour through Nyanga with his wife Sara, mother Ainah and son Hugo. They were on a two-week planned holiday in August.

“We were on our way back from seeing the whales and were about 30 minutes from our destination when suddenly there was a road closure,” Ainah, who lives in Singapore, told the BBC.

She said police had routed traffic through Nyanga during the strike, presumably to shield motorists from being targeted by protesters on their original route.

“The shooter came out and shot my husband as he was driving,” said Sara. “There was no confrontation, no provocation — nothing whatsoever. He was driving and he was shot.”

The family claimed police asked what happened but refused to call an ambulance. She alleged officers did not take their names, ask where they were staying or take a statement.


It was unclear whether she was referring to SAPS or a different law enforcement agency.

Police spokesperson Col Andre Traut said the murder was still under investigation.

“Should the family of the deceased have concerns regarding the investigation or complaints directed at SAPS, they are encouraged to approach police management with the information so that the allegations can be probed,” Traut told TimesLIVE on Thursday.

The eight-day taxi strike left at least six people dead, tens of thousands of commuters stranded and led to the closure of roads and schools in the Western Cape.

The strike involved a battle of wills between the taxi industry in the province and authorities over how traffic violations were enforced or disproportionately enforced, against minibus taxis.

Meanwhile, five suspects allegedly found in possession of personal items belonging to German tourist Nick Frischke, missing since February 2023, appeared in the Wynberg regional court on Thursday.

Two suspects are expected to appear in the Mitchell’s Plain magistrate’s court after allegedly robbing an elderly German couple on Tuesday in Cape Town.

A US tourist, Walter Fischel, 55, is recovering in hospital after being robbed and shot in Nyanga on Friday.

TimesLIVE

https://www.sowetanlive.co.za/news/sout ... in-nyanga/

[Lisbeth]

I have reached the point where I don't know what to say.....and that's not easy There is simply no respect for human life. These criminal
swines shoot when it is not even necessary. When someone points a loaded gun at you, you just give them what they want.

A couple of hours ago I was searching for flights to South Africa, but NO, I AM NOT GOING! I have never been fearful, but going to SA as a tourist these days would simply imply asking for trouble. Even the transport minister with all her "bodyguards" has been attacked