Australian Cricket Tour To South Africa 2026 - Safety & Security
AUSTRALIAN CRICKET TOUR TO SOUTH AFRICA 2026 - SAFETY & SECURITY
We want you to feel and be as safe as you are in your own home, but let's not pretend you are at home. We're going to South Africa where the expression 'safety in numbers' is a great reason to tour with us!
- Australia High Commission South Africa - Pretoria
- Representing Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, eSwatini (formerly Swaziland)
- Save Their Number: +27.12.423 6000
As family friendly and tourist oriented as this amazing country is, it does not make any of us immune to incident.
If you feel 'ill at ease' for any reason about visiting South Africa, we have been coming here safely since 1997 and use our experience to ensure you have a relaxing and incident-free time.
We walk to the cricket in Durban and Centurion, walk or share short taxi rides in Joburg and Port Elizabeth, and in Cape Town we take the train because we know it is safe to do so, but we still don't do it alone.
Generally speaking, South Africa is as safe a destination to travel as anywhere in the 'tourist' world. They have great crime records however most are limited to isolated townships, inter-clan rumblings, and close friends.
Saying this, do not go strolling through any township unless you are familiar with the area and in the company of a local or on an organised tour, the same said for inner-cities, especially Cape Town.
Many drop their guard in Cape Town believing it 'super safe' just because it looks beautiful.
It surprises many to know Cape Town records more tourism crime than any other city in South Africa; more tourists visit Cape Town so the opportunity for more bad eggs to violate you increases.
In areas of high tourist concentration, it is not uncommon for people to be violated in broad daylight simply for their sunglasses, so basic common-sense must apply.
In Cape Town 2009 I met a fellow Aussie who got mugged twice in one day so please be careful.
No matter how comfortable you feel, we suggest not walking alone anywhere after dark, no matter how short the journey. Book an App-based taxi whose drivers are very used to going 'around the corner'.
**On Sept 22, 2023, it was ZAR58 (A$4.81) for an UberXL for 4 persons for the 3km trip from our 2018 hotel in Cape Town to the furthest entrance of Victoria & Alfred Waterfront. #YourCall**
You should always be conscious about your visible material expenses.
There is no shortage of luxury cars, watches, or smart phones on display in South Africa. The difference is we look like unarmed tourists whereas the local may have the means to defend themselves!
Using ATM's
Whenever using ATM's or going to a bank, take someone with you.
Do not use ATM's at night unless you are with multiple persons or in a safe environment such as a shopping mall or bank with armed security.
And certainly never let anyone 'help you' at the ATM including the security officer. They are not helping you, they are robbing you!
There are many ATM tricks that result in you losing your card and contents, so to lower the risk:
After you insert your card, before you type your PIN, cancel the transaction. If your card comes out, the ATM hasn't been tampered with.
If the card is withheld, the ATM has been fixed to hold your card and copy your PIN.
If that occurs, once you have stormed off in distress, the thief will retrieve your card and duly empty your account, taking more money illegally than you can ever do legitimately!
All this said, we cannot protect you from yourself, only advise you based on personal knowledge and experience. There is no guarantee that what we preach now, will not change in practice by the time we tour.
Before leaving home, independent travel advice regarding health, safety, and security in South Africa should be obtained through Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade website Smartraveller.
That is all. Be Safe!!
Please Read: Emergency Serivces & Assistance in South Africa