UK, Canada, NZ warn of ‘danger’ of travelling to South Africa

· The South African

The UK, Canada and New Zealand have joined the US in issuing an advisory cautioning citizens against travelling to South Africa.

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This comes shortly after US golfer Bryson DeChambeau, who won the LIV Golf edition in Steyn City earlier this month, encouraged his followers to visit the country.

UK, CANADA AND NEW ZEALAND ISSUE TRAVEL ADVISORY AGAINST SOUTH AFRICA

In recent weeks, several countries have joined the US in issuing an advisory warning for residents to “exercise extreme caution” when visiting South Africa.

They include Canada, the UK and New Zealand.

The Canadian government issued an alert for travellers to exercise a “high degree of caution”, citing violent crime, and crime at airports, hotels and on roads. They also warned tourists to be wary of spiked food and drinks, express kidnapping, and cybersecurity threats.

The UK government has claimed that terrorist attacks – citing the Israel and Palestine conflict – political violence, as well as Cape Town’s N2 “Hell Run”, are some of the reasons not to visit South Africa.

Meanwhile, New Zealand’s travel alert caution, issued in late 2024, is still active. The country has also issued an advisory for citizens who hold dual South African citizenship to follow.

The travel alerts follow that of the US, which issued a warning in May 2025 of crime, terrorism, unrest, and kidnapping in South Africa, and is also still active.

The alert warned US officials living and working in South Africa to travel in “armoured vehicles” when conducting missions in informal settlements.

Ironically, the US Embassy revealed the Top 3 overseas visitors to South Africa for 2025 included tourists from the US, UK and Germany.

South Africa welcomed hundreds of thousands of visitors from the UK and the US in 2025, despite its travel advisory cautioning citizens.
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DEPARTMENT OF TOURISM

The South African Department of Tourism acknowledged the US travel advisory, claiming it “respected the sovereign right of all nations to provide guidance to their citizens travelling abroad”.

While it acknowledged the challenge of crime, as many countries abroad experience, it stated that the “overwhelming majority of international visitors travel safely and leave with positive, enriching experiences”.

It shared: “South Africa remains one of the most sought-after and rewarding travel destinations in the world — known for its natural beauty, cultural diversity, and the warm hospitality of its people. 

“Visitor safety is, and continues to be, a national priority. It is actively addressed through coordinated efforts among government, law enforcement, the tourism sector, and local communities. Our tourism infrastructure remains robust and resilient, with several established safety measures”

This included:

  • Increased security presence in key tourism nodes, particularly at popular attractions and visitor hotspots;
  • Ongoing collaboration between government, law enforcement, and the private sector to ensure proactive safety monitoring and swift incident response.

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