moosey

Hello all,

This won't be a full trip report, but I wanted to mention a few warnings for travel to South Africa after my trip in June.
First, a quick overview and some recommendations. This was a whirlwind tour by Fodor standards.

We arrived in Cape Town and had only one night in town. We stayed at the wonderful Derwent House in the Garden District. Outstanding hospitality. Anahid contacted me after my reservation a few months in advance to offer assistance. The hotel handled dinner reservations (Black Sheep right around the corner - delicious, cozy, excellent) and car service from the airport. They were waiting to welcome us after a delayed flight and gave us a nice tour of the hotel. They did have a generator for load shedding; the only things that did not work were the coffee makers in the room and in the well-stocked common kitchen, but the hostess offered to make me a cup of coffee in the main kitchen. Breakfast was delicous - a good assortment of breads, pastries, etc. and a menu of creative options.

We had arranged a city and wine country tour with Vinventures as recommended in the Fodors guide. It was too cloudy to do Table Mountain, but we had a nice drive around town and visited Groot Constantia and Vergelegen. We were scheduled to go to Rust en Vrede, but our guide recommended Ernie Els instead, so we agreed. BIG MISTAKE!!! This was the only winery we visited that did not have a guard stationed at the entrance. While we were inside for 50 minutes for a tasting, the tour guide's car was entered and all of our luggage was stolen. I mean all of it. We were changing from Cape Town to a hotel in Franschhoek and had everything in the trunk/boot of her car. All we had left was wallets, phones and passports (luckily). We were able to watch the theft on the winery's security camera, and they called the police for us, but otherwise the staff seemed preoccupied with just closing and going home. The Stellenbosch police never came, so we drove to Franschhoek and filed a police report there. We had to cancel our reservation at La Petite Colombe. The restaurant staff was very kind and understanding, as was everyone we met in Franschhoek. We stayed at the delightful La Fontaine in the Mountain View suite. Large, well appointed room with a nice balcony and beautiful view of the mountains. Like Derwent, our only wish was that we had more time. Instead of more wine tasting the next day, we spent the day at the Century City mall trying to replace our stolen items. Such a miserable day.

After another night in Franschhoek and an excellent dinner at the French Connection, we were off to safari at andBeyond Phinda Vlei Lodge. I can't say enough about this place - excellent hospitality, great food, amazing guide and trackers. Saw the Big 5 but more importantly spent time learning how the trackers worked, watched a momma cheetah and her cubs for 20 minutes, just a great experience.

After three nights in Phinda we headed to Durban for the real reason for our visit -- running Comrades ultramarathon. Our hotel in Durban, Suncoast, was comfortable but a bit far from the action and hectic. We had a nice dinner at the Chef's Table in Umhlanga. The next day, we visited the Indian Quarter and the market recommended by Fodors. Maybe we were on edge after our luggage theft but this area was terrifying. Crowded and lots of jostling. A woman told me under her breath to watch my phone, which I had out for directions but held tightly, and indeed we saw someone selling a pile of cracked phones. We went to Patel's Vegetarian for bunny chow, and one of the locals we met and lunched with was adamant that we take a specific taxi because he "knows the owners". He was so insistent that we were pretty sure he was setting us up, so we stuck with Uber. Had dinner at the Roma Revolving, thinking the cheesiness would be fun amd wanting pasta the night before the race. We were harassed on the way in by a persistent beggar and then had to wait forever for the elevator (no restaurant staff on the ground floor where the vagrants loiter). Service was super slow and we were told they did not have the salad I wanted. The owner came out and asked what we had ordered. When I told him they were out, he asked whether a "boy" or "girl" had told me that (I answered that it was a man) and that his staff were all ignorant. A very unpleasant evening. The race was generally great, with outstanding crowd support. The people of Pietermaritzburg, Durban and everywhere in between were so supportive and welcoming. It was a nice end to our Durban portion of our trip.

I know everywhere has crime, and you need to be careful. So this is not a knock on Stellenbosch or Durban, but here are my warnings:

I read the advice to not leave items in my car, but in a locked trunk, I thought we were safe. Not true!! We met some Cape Town locals, and heard from others as well, that the thieves use something to jam the signal when you lock your car. So after "clicking" with the remote, you really need to check and make sure your car is locked. (Or, obviously, don't leave anything in it!) I had never heard this before so wanted to mention it.

Even a well-known winery with a mile long driveway is NOT SAFE!! Avoid Ernie Els winery. The others we visited had security, but Ernie Els did not. Don't let your guard down because you are in a beautiful rural setting. We were safer in Cape Town.

The police, at least in Stellenbosch and Franschhoek, will not help you. We insisted on making a police report because I needed it for insurance purposes, but it took two visits and about 4.5 hours total, and the police showed no interest in helping us. My work phone was one of the items stolen, and I was able to track it on my personal phone using Find My Phone. So I knew where my phone was the whole time. Unfortunately it was in an area where the police do not go. (I was told ambulances also do not go into these "informal settlements" because it is too dangerous.)

Sorry to be negative but trying to save others from our mistakes. Other than this we had a wonderful trip, met amazing people, saw beautiful sights and had delicious food and wine. Just be extra careful.

HappyTrvlr

Thank you for your realistic warnings!

AJPeabody

Hmmm The tour guide in whose car you were riding insists on going to a known insecure winery with a poor experience and where where everything in the car is stolen. One would suspect the guide got a cut of the proceeds.

Ian

Thanks for the report and the warnings. I remember the first time I looked into travel in SA many years ago and someone on the SanPark forum told me that we would be safer in Kruger - with all of the wild animals - than we would be in Johannesburg. We loved our 3 trips to SA and we had no problems whatsoever but we will not return.

mlgb

So sorry that this happened to you. I was quite aware of the theft potential and ALWAYS went to my lodgings first and removed luggage before venturing anywhere. In Cape Town I walked (in the central district), used Uber and had a car rental for a 9 days.

Received advice on places where it was not safe to venture far from the car or to go at night. I was advised if anyone approached my car as I drove along the coast to get back in and leave, and to always park inside security gates (eg Rondevlei). There is also advice that if you get routed through any area that feels sketchy to just run a red light if necessary. I actually did that, did get notice of a ticket in the mail and Budget said pay their admin fee but don't bother to pay the fine. It was interesting that many of the lodgings outside of the CBD wanted you to check in by about 5 or 6pm. I had booked a succession of small B&Bs and Airbnb lodgings after spending a few nights at Cape Heritage Hotel on Bree Street.

My winery experience was that on the way to the WCNP I had stopped at a shop and bought a bottle that I put in my bag in the trunk. I went over a speed hump and it broke! Shortly afterwards there was a traffic stop along the main highway(I don't know why they waved me over). Of course the policewoman could smell the wine but when I explained she laughed and sent me on my way. At the Langebaan B&B the owner helped me clean up my bag (fortunately most of the wine was contained inside). The car was still rather fragant as there was a little leakage into the trunk mat.

My only disturbing incident was an aggressive panhandler in downtown CapeTown but a local yelled at him and walked me across the intersection that apparently was his habitat.
Load shedding was happening then so I always kept my phone charged up and a flashlight by my bed.

I agree that there is a chance that your guide was in on it. The hacking device that captures a key fob signal and enables a thief to unlock the vehicle is here in the US and has been for at least 5-7 years.

JPCharlie

My husband and I have a layover in Cape Town before catching a flight elsewhere the next day, and I was thinking of staying in Century City. How safe did you feel walking around inside the Century City mall? Did you feel you had to be extra vigilant in that area and within the mall itself?

Heimdall

JPCharlie, I wouldn’t stay in Century City, it’s too far outside the places you will want to see in CT, but if the shopping mall the OP referred to is Canal Walk, it’s brilliant, and well worth an Uber or taxi ride to go there. I have in-laws in Cape Town, and every time we visit, Canal Walk Shopping Center is one place we go. It may not be as impressive compared with some of the malls in the US, eg Mall of America in Minneapolis, but it’s the largest in Cape Town.

Another good mall is the one in the V&A Waterfront complex, much closer to where I would recommend you stay. You can’t go wrong with a hotel in the V&A Waterfront, and the area is safe to walk even in the evenings.

As for the OP’s misfortunes, I’m sorry about that, but have never had a problem with crime in Cape Town. Perhaps that’s because we stay with family who know where to go and what to avoid. I think that shows the value of choosing a reliable guide.

moosey

I felt safe at Canal Walk. And agree, it had a little bit of everything. I would say it is probably too close to an American mall in that it was jot something I would normally spend time on while on vacation — too much like home!

Agree on the importance of choosing a good guide. I relied on Fodor’s for the vetting but did read a few reviews as well.

Heimdall

Moosey, you are correct that Canal Walk is very much like American malls. The same can be said of malls in the UK where I now live. Many of the shops in Canal Walk are familiar names to those from the US or UK, but there are also shops unique to South Africa. For instance, there is a little shop where you can buy biltong and droerwors. Biltong is a bit like beef jerky from the US, but once you’ve tried biltong you will never like jerky again.

One of my favourite shops at Canal Walk is a separate building from the mall itself: Cape Union Mart, which sells outdoor and adventure clothing and gear. The same can be said for V&A Waterfront — one of the best places to look for local crafts and designs is not in the mall, but a separate building a short walk away called The Watershed, with over 150 vendors:
https://www.waterfront.co.za/watershed-stores/

JPCharlie

Thank you for the info! Planning a trip for 2024 and haven’t purchased airfare yet. If we fly into Cape Town and arrive too late for a same-day connection to Skukuza airport, we were thinking of staying at the Marriott in Century City for the night and grabbing Nando’s at the mall, but not if it wasn’t safe enough. We are saving the rest of the Cape Town sightseeing for after a Safari.

ekscrunchy

So sorry to read of that awful experience at Ernie Els.

Question: Did the driver/guide not remain with the car? I would have thought he would....

I think you ought to post this, and the name of the company that arranged this drive for you.......on a wider forum...

So glad most of the trip turned out good for you!!!!!

erickaqua7805

Glad you made it back safely. Were you able to leave the resorts in Cape Town and feel safe? I have never been, but many were telling me you will be mainly stuck in the resorts and the tourists area. Anything outside that will be too risky? How true was that in your experience? I would love to visit, but I would love a safe chance to visit their authentic restaurants, shops and towns if they are safe enough. Did you need a local or guards while traveling around towns?

glover

We spent a week on our own in Cape Town last December and had a great time. I have a trip report (at last Africa) that includes our time there. We stayed in a nice apt in the Waterkant nabe and walked or Ubered around town. We also used the big red buses to go to major sites several times. All easily arranged in advance online or on the spot. We were never out late at night. Cape Town is beautiful.

mlgb

Don't take recommendations from out of date guidebooks, apparently. Ask the hotel receptionists or your host about safety when venturing out. Or go on one of the free tip-based guided walks. The leaders are happy to share safety and eating tips. I went on two (Bo Kaap and Historic City). The major concern is more car jacking and robbery of someone in or from a vehicle.

I stayed in several neighborhoods, one east of Kirstenbosch (Newlands I think), Seaforth/Simons Town, and in Muizenberg (The Muize B&B), as welll as in a real hotel (Cape Heritage) on Bree Street downtown. I didn't even go to the V&A Waterfront as I usually hate those sterile designed for tourists environments. Maybe I missed out on something, I dunno.

I drove by Century City and the adjacent Intaka ponds on the way to another B&B near the West Coast National Park, and I wouldn't stay there. It isn't representative of anything special and advice about not walking around at night is consistent with all of the advice I was given. If you won't have time to go into Cape Town, I would just stay at the airport hotel instead, there should be a restaurant or room service. There is also a surprisingly nice Woolworths with grab n go groceries inside the airport if you intended to buy some items for your trip. (Open hours listed as 0600 to 2100) I believe it is landside.

Heimdall

Cape Town is a city with neighbourhoods and suburbs, but no “resorts” that I know of. V&A Waterfront indeed is a modern, and some would say sterile, part of the city, but it is safe to walk around, and has many shops and restaurants. There is a large shopping mall, and The Watershed, a large building with 150 vendors selling locally designed goods and crafts. One restaurant at V&A I recommend is Den Anker, with views over the harbour. The Two Oceans Aquarium is there. The ferry to Robben Island leaves from V&A.

Other neighbourhoods considered relatively safe include Gardens and Sea Point. During the day you can take the Red Bus hop on hop off tour for sightseeing, but take Ubers to restaurants in the evenings.

One part of Cape Town I enjoy staying at is Camps Bay, a western beach suburb. It has a promenade along the beach, Victoria Road, lined with restaurants and bars. We stayed there for two weeks for my daughter’s wedding, and walked from/to our AirBnB most nights. There were a few annoying beggars, but nothing I would call threatening. Ubers are plentiful, cheap, and fairly quick from there to reach the city bowl. Views from Camps Bay are beautiful, with sunsets over the ocean and, Table Mountain/Twelve Apostles at the back.

moosey

She did not remain with the car - came inside with us. The company was Vinventures. I hesitated to name them, but to be clear, I am not accusing them of anything, and I personally did not think the guide was involved. But at a minimum, I suppose she could have been more vigilant in making sure the car was locked, or as you point out, staying with it. The fact that she immediately mentioned that there are thieves who can scramble your remote lock means that she should have anticipated this possibility. I had never heard of such a thing. But, again, I am also responsible for leaving luggage in the car despite the many warnings in the Fodors guide book and other guides not to do that. I just let my guard down out in wine country, whereas I was very careful in the city center. Lesson learned.

moosey

​​​​​​​We were not there long enough to say, really. We stayed at Derwent House in the Garden District. Highly recommended!! We walked to dinner that night a few blocks away, and my son and I went for a short (~8k) run in the morning, when it was still dark. Felt a little bit sketchy at parts of the run, just because it was fairly deserted - but we occasionally saw other runners as well.

crellston

Of course not. Most people visit South Africa without incident. We spent two and a half months driving from Durban to Cape Town visiting just about everywhere we could think of in between. We experienced no problems whatsoever.

Before visiting we had read lots about security issues but frankly found it no better or worse than anywhere else in the world (apart from Sierra Leone which where we lived for a while) which was a lot worse! Some things are different there such as "guards" at supermarket and restaurant car parks or even on street who would ask for a "fee” for looking after your car (cynical me sometimes assumed that this was a bribe not to steal it!) . In reality , it just seems to be the way things are done and for people to survive. The locals seemed to pay so when in Rome….

The only place a guide was needed was when visiting one of the townships. Lots of tours operating to those which can be arranged , often including dinner in one of the many restaurants. I wouldn’t want to find myself driving through one of the townships accidentally by taking a wrong turning which has happened and people did find themselves in danger.

Moosey - sorry to hear of your problems. I can only imagine the stress and problems that caused. Unforgivable of the tour operator and the guide who really should have known better than to leave belongings in the car unattended. The guide/driver really should have stayed with the car. At the very least, you should have been warned of the danger.

The ability to open cars with a radio frequency device has been around for years and is commonplace around the world though less so with very modern cars with more advance locking systems. Indeed, a few years ago I parked on street in London and got back to my car to find it unlocked and everything inside in disarray. At first I though I must have left it unlocked and then I saw that every other car in the street was the same!

Sadly, with the events of recent years; pandemic, Ukraine and the resulting and evolving financial crisis, people are becoming poorer and the world is becoming a more dangerous place in which to travel. Wherever we go we should always check out safety issues beforehand and seek local advice on arrival.

erickaqua7805

Thanks @Moosey. I have always wanted to visit South Africa, but safety concerns have been pushing it back on the list for a while. Thanks to your feedback. I will do some more research on Derwent House in the Garden District. Your feedback is quite encouraging to be honest.

erickaqua7805

Thanks @Crellston. That's sound promising. To be honest, the feedback you hear from people around here and on the news are always exaggerated I guess. It was worrying to be honest. I agree the car radio hijacking is becoming common everywhere in the world even in Canada within cities that are the safest in the world. I was more worried about personal safety than belonging to be honest. Though @Moosey definitely get my empathy as losing belonging is always frustrating, but belonging theft and pick pocketing is common everywhere, although that does not make it any less frustrating.