Johannesburg Warning

[lcq]

FHF, I posted to try and help, not to argue - as the current teenagers say, "use it, don't use it". You refer to common sense and wearing your hunting gear proudly in the airport in the same paragraph... I guess we differ on common sense - I firmly believe that avoiding trouble is better than deterring it. The point that I am trying to get across is do not make yourself any more appealing as a target than you already are as a tourist. If that means not wearing your camo etc is that really such a hardship?
I'm delighted that you've never had issues and I hope that stays the case on all your future trips here. Not all our members are as seasoned travelers or as lucky perhaps..

This is illegal in SA if visible - only concealed carry is permitted for private citizens. The best deterrent/prevention is to avoid being the 'mark'.

that is what SAPS told my guy and he ignored them

 

[wesheltonj]

For entertainment have a look at the stats to help shift perception.

https://www.timeslive.co.za/sunday-...rules-joburg-but-cape-town-is-murder-capital/


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_cities_by_murder_rate

Liars, Damn Liars and Statistician.

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

My concern is that this will get blown out of proportion much like the Ebola scare a couple of years back..

FHF: I live in Lagos, ground zero for the Ebola outbreak a few years ago and I don't think it got blown out of proportion. Ebola is some bad stuff.

 

[firehuntfish]

FHF: I live in Lagos, ground zero for the Ebola outbreak a few years ago and I don't think it got blown out of proportion. Ebola is some bad stuff.

@375 Ruger Fan, I apologize if you took my comment out of the context for which it was meant... My reference to Ebola being blown out of proportion was by no means meant to delegitimize the very real and serious threat that Ebola poses in all of West Africa. I was referring to the hysteria that was affecting hunting destinations all over southern Africa where many prospective clients were cancelling their safaris a year after the fact due to a lot of the misinformation that was out there.

The irony was that statistically, you had a higher chance of contracting Ebola in the US compared to southern Africa during the 2014 outbreak. At the time, the US had more cases than the combination of nearly a dozen countries that make up the entire lower 1/3 of the African continent... As I am sure you are aware, the US did virtually nothing during this epidemic while over 30 African countries proactively instituted travel bans to and from the affected countries. If you will recall, our intrepid POTUS at the time did not want to overreact with a travel ban, and appear discriminatory to these countries..... Sounds like a broken record.... But, I digress... I'm getting off topic.

 

[firehuntfish]

Downtown Atlanta Georgia. Was walking fron my Hotel to a V.I.P event hosted by one of my suppliers at the International Woodworking show. Wearing a $2000 Armani suit, I attracted a small crowd of men of the African American persuasion, who followed me at a short distance.

Brent, If you were wearing your camo, they would have scattered...

In all seriousness, you are exactly right.... Common sense, and vigilance is a must when traveling anywhere these days.

 

[Mekaniks]

I have a friend and his wife that had their room burglarized the first day after arriving in the Bahamas. Cops told them it was probebly coordinated by their cab driver from the airport because my friend was wearing a Rolex and wife had on lots of jewelry.
That said, I work in the tourist industry in the summer time and it is really amazing how little attention people pay to their surroundings. Lots and lots of stupid tourist stories. It a wonder how people can get through everyday life if they pay the same amount of attention as when on vacation.

 

[Hogpatrol]

Here's my m.o. YMMV. When I go through Tambo, I dress and look like a down and out, paycheck to paycheck living freelance PH. I need a shave, my hair's a little on the shabby side, last haircut a month or so ago and my gun case is beat up, I wear a skungy, stained backpack and my two small bags look like they seen a week in Syria. My watch is a twelve dollar Walmart special. None of this ever affected my hunting success. On the other hand, I do see people smartly attired, expensive boots, flashy jewelry, manicured, with a just out of the Cabela's clothing section look. Again, YMMV.

In reference to Mekaniks post above, I've also found the naivete and stupidity of a majority of U.S. tourists traveling abroad mind boggling. Just because they're in a compound or hotel, they think they're still back in Kansas.

 

[IA Monsterbuck]

I think dressing as a hunter is the wrong angle. I think there are more effective modes of dress. Would you want to rob this guy???

 

[Brent in Az]

Brent, If you were wearing your camo, they would have scattered...

In all seriousness, you are exactly right.... Common sense, and vigilance is a must when traveling anywhere these days.

I was stopping in at a Cigar bar, not far from the event. A lady who worked there saw, the riff raff following me, and she put on quite the show yelling at these guys to quit stalking the tourists. It was daylight, and I wasn't too worried about it.

 

[Brent in Az]

My sister and husband had their hotel room robbed in the Philippines. Most of the stuff that goes on is usually an inside job. Cab drivers, people in the airports, and hotels. They probably have a network of ways to steal from tourists

 

[TOM]

Not suprised by the article at all. Joburg is a shithole and im always on pins and needles when there.