By Kenneth Davison

February is definitely a good month to travel the world. The Northern Hemisphere is in winter, so there is snow in many countries. For me, I encountered snow for the first time recently and if you have never seen snow, do yourself a favour and go to it. The Southern Hemisphere is having summer in February; so many countries are experiencing delightfully warm-to-hot weather which is perfect for sight-seeing or sitting on a beach.

Recently, I was fortunate enough to be able to go to Germany for a conference with many delegates from around the world. It was a remarkable experience which I will never forget. Germany itself seems like a well-oiled machine that works extremely well.

In the -20°C weather they had, the traffic lights were all working, the public transport was on time and efficient, the food was great. I could not believe how well it worked. Even a French colleague confirmed that Germany worked very well, even by French standards, which are notoriously high.

The people at the conference were also great. They were friendly and always willing to explore the marvels of Germany. But there was one this that I did not like when chatting to most of the delegates. Everyone had heard of South Africa, but many people told me they would never come to South Africa because it is such a dangerous place. This got me thinking about crime and the risks of coming to South Africa.

South Africa, like every country, has many challenges. The biggest challenges include fighting poverty and crime (which is often born from poverty). It is true that South Africa does have a higher crime rate than many countries. However, despite these crime problems, South Africa is a beautiful place and there are ways to avoid these crime problems when in South Africa.

I say that it can be minimised as I have been living in South Africa for 26 years, and never been the victim of hijacking, armed robbery, rape or murder. Perhaps I have been lucky until now as I do know people that have been affected by these events, but I believe there are ways to minimise your risk of falling victim.

Being aware of your surroundings and area are the most important ways to be safe. Knowing not to drive to dangerous zones is one way to minimise risk. Do not drive into Alexandria Township if you do not know where you are. Fortunately most people know which areas are bad, so you can ask them for advice and they will help you avoid them, even when your GPS insists that you must go through an area.

Be aware of the people around you, make sure you are not being followed and if you are, stay in public places. Even more useful is the fact that South Africa is full of police and security guards, so you can usually find one if you believe that you are being followed. Also, be aware of people loitering around traffic lights or on the streets, they are usually beggars (who are mostly harmless) but being aware of these people can help avoid incidences of crime.

Finally, walking around in the cities is not the safest activity. I know I have walked around and I know a lot of people that do, but walking on quiet streets is risky and opens you up to muggings. Even if you are close to your destination, it is preferable to drive and lower your risk.

Advice like being aware might sound cliché, but it is effective. South Africa has a few big cities, just like anywhere else in the World, and these rules apply to any city in the World. Nobody wants to be a victim of crime, so being aware is the best way to avoid problems.

Once you are practicing these safety guidelines, you will be able to enjoy yourself in this wonderful country and experience some of our majestic beauty. You will be able to go to the Cape Town city centre and enjoy the delights of Long Street and Kloof Street, and not just the V&A Waterfront. You can spend some time near Nelspruit and see wild horses before you head to the Kruger National Park, the World’s premium wildlife reserve.

Maropeng and the Cradle of Humankind are must-see sites if you are near Johannesburg. The Voortrekker Monument and the Union Buildings are amazing sights when you are in Pretoria. The splendour of the ‘Great Hole’ in Kimberley and the list goes on and on.

South Africa is not the safest country in the World, nor is it the most dangerous. Being aware of your surroundings is the biggest key to ‘survival’ tool but once you are practicing safety, you can enjoy the many sights and features that make South Africa one of the best places in the World.