The U.S. State Department issued an updated Level 2 travel advisory for South Africa on Monday, encouraging Americans to exercise increased caution in the country due to crime and civil unrest.
“Violent crime, such as armed robbery, rape, carjacking, mugging, and ‘smash-and-grab’ attacks on vehicles, is common. There is a higher risk of violent crime in the central business districts of major cities after dark,” officials point out.
The department also warns against relying on GPS navigation in South Africa. “There have been incidents in which tourists traveling in Cape Town while using GPS navigation apps have been routed through residential areas with high rates of violent crime,” the update states. “The safest approach to return a rental car to Cape Town International Airport is to take the N2 highway and follow signs to…
