State Department Warning for Johannesburg Airport

I have a trip to SA coming up in early June & just received this warning. Since my connecting flight is the next day I am concerned about this. Has anyone heard of any bad experiences along these lines?

U.S. Consulate General, Johannesburg
Security Message for U.S. Citizens
April 17, 2013

Robberies of Shuttle Buses Transporting Passengers from
Johannesburg OR Tambo International Airport

The U.S. Mission to South Africa advises U.S. citizens to exercise special caution when arranging ground transportation from OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg to hotels, guest houses, and residences. In the past month, several U.S. citizens and other travelers were robbed at gun point while traveling in shuttle buses from OR Tambo International Airport to their place of lodging. In some instances, the robberies took place after the shuttle bus arrived at a hotel or guest house. In other instances, the shuttle bus was boxed in and stopped by two vehicles on the street.
The U.S. Mission recommends travelers select shuttle or taxi service with care, use reputable companies recommended by major hotels or shuttles provided by hotels, and use only licensed taxis parked at marked taxi locations at the airport. Travelers should avoid changing money at the airport, and avoid displaying ostentatious jewelry, watches, or luggage while traveling.

There have always been stories of robberies or stolen bags in relation to OR Tambo.

If you are staying at a reputable guest house, most of the hunters use the same ones, you have a professional driver associated with the guest house driving you from point A to point B.

I also doubt hunters are there target of choice!!

Just like the cautionary note says: Use reputable services.

We drove all over RSA and within Joburg with ZERO issues.

It is a big city. Take reasonable precautions.


I looked up some internet news sites in RSA and saw all the typical bad news. I also visited our national news website and saw the same thing.


Where are you staying?

Originally Posted by BRICKBURN

There have always been stories of robberies or stolen bags in relation to OR Tambo.

If you are staying at a reputable guest house, most of the hunters use the same ones, you have a professional driver associated with the guest house driving you from point A to point B.

I also doubt hunters are there target of choice!!

Just like the cautionary note says: Use reputable services.

We drove all over RSA and within Joburg with ZERO issues.

It is a big city. Take reasonable precautions.


I looked up some internet news sites in RSA and saw all the typical bad news. I also visited our national news website and saw the same thing.


Where are you staying?

Staying at the Afton House.

Afton House knows everyone, they are not going to put their clients in harms way.

Originally Posted by Hogpatrol

Staying at the Afton House.

That would be one of the reputable guest houses that I was talking about.

Email them and express your concerns and they will answer you.

Thanks for the updates, guys. More than a little disconcerting reading this considering it is my first trip to SA. I will contact them to see if they have had any issues.

Upon arrival one of Aftons representatives will receive you accompany you to the firearms desk and load you in their own personal vehicle......

It is exactly the same as any large city in other locations in the world no different, I was robbed in Madrid last year.

Enjoy your safari it is an awesome experience:-)

My best always

Afton House sends their van and driver who meets you when you come out of Customs before you get your guns. The driver works his butt off to make sure you are taken care of. I always give him a big tip. He deserves it. You have nothing to worry about with Afton and transportation. My first time there (many years ago) they wouldn't let us walk to dinner. Drove us there and told us to stay in the lobby until they cams in and got us to go back to Afton. They will take care of you, no worries.

i agree with jaco. there are cities in the usa nobody would go near if they paid attention to the write ups this side of the atlantic. so relax , and dont wind yourself up by worrying, just go and enjoy your trip. the guest house staff and owners will be more clued up about the situation and will not put you in harms way. enjoy.

Comforting to hear. I am so excited about making this lifetime dream come true, I could explode. Thanks to all who replied.

Is there a suggested list you experienced Hunters can Offer up to help us First timers,,Thanks

I stayed at the Afton Guest House last year....they're great! I was also a first-timer. They handled the import permits for my firearms and had someone waiting for me upon my arrival. This was etremely helpful because my rifles didnt make my flight, and Afton's guy really helped to get everything squared away, and I ultimately received my rifles the next day. The actual guesthouse is also very comfortable and clean. The only word of advice I have is to be cautious of the porters at the airport. I found them to be very aggresive...everyone is looking for a tip! More than one will approach you to help with your bags and I was afraid something would disappear. I had to show some New York attitude to keep the porters in check.

Africa Sky is very good also. I have stayed with them four times. They furnish the meet and greet services,clearing firearms, as well as bringing you to and from the guest house in one of their own vehicles.

They also will feed you a very good steak in the evening and breakfast is quite nice also. This is all on their property. It is very safe and secure.

Schutte & Deidre are nice people to boot.

Africa Sky Home

Originally Posted by Mike70560

Africa Sky is very good also. I have stayed with them four times. They furnish the meet and greet services,clearing firearms, as well as bringing you to and from the guest house in one of their own vehicles.

They also will feed you a very good steak in the evening and breakfast is quite nice also. This is all on their property. It is very safe and secure.

Schutte & Deidre are nice people to boot.

Africa Sky Home

This is the other very reputable guest house where many hunters stay.

Heck I not worried Louis meet me at the firearms desk and Louis or one of his PH never left our side for the 18 days in country, even stayed at the guest house with us...............................

Originally Posted by Mike70560

Africa Sky is very good also. I have stayed with them four times. They furnish the meet and greet services,clearing firearms, as well as bringing you to and from the guest house in one of their own vehicles.

They also will feed you a very good steak in the evening and breakfast is quite nice also. This is all on their property. It is very safe and secure.

Schutte & Deidre are nice people to boot.

Africa Sky Home

+ 1 You can't go wrong with either the African Sky or Afton. I've stayed at both. Just my preference but I prefer the African Sky. A little more remote and quite. Great place.

as handgun hunters,my wife and I always use a meet and greet service that have our permits ready and waiting.they meet you before customs and stay with you until you are safely in the afton house van.as they walk you through the air port no porters will try to approach you.when you go back to the air port the next morning to continue your trip they take you to domestic and see you through the police and take you to where you depart to your final destination.they also meet you on your way back home and reverse the prosess.well worth the extra cost.

My friend just returned from his safari in Namibia (sadly, one of the PHs was killed by a charging elephant). He overnighted at the Afton House in Joberg and caught his plane out the next day to Namibia no problem. Be alert, if you do exchange for RAND do it at the first exchange booth after you get off the plane. Out of sight of others, it is located on the right side of the exit area right after you get through customs. I spent three weeks there this past March, south of Johannesburg two hundred miles and returned without incident via Joberg. Good luck.

For what it is worth, just heard this Tory from a friend through J-burg airport a month go.

On the way back to USA once the rifles had been cleared by SAP and checked they were going though passenger security. Traveling in a pair, once one of the men made it though security, the other was called out and signaled by a man stating there were issues with the rifles. The guy hesitated, but the man was adamant he follow him to clear up some paperwork issues with the rifles before they could proceed through security, and before the rifles would be cleared for the flight. Reluctantly he followed the man, who led him in an opposite direction of the SAP office, down one hallway to another. Luckily his sixth sense kicked in and he started questioning the man-and eventually made it out of the hallway and back into e terminal.

Could have ended badly, as the scam was definitely set up to target a split group-who like any of us were at least 1/2 confused Witt the rifle process at the airport.

Keep in minds there are crooks everywhere, but I could easily see this happening, considering how all of that back room business goes down with clearing rifles!

What you describe here is reason enough to use one of the permit services, as this kind of funny business will be very unlikely.