Safety in Limpopo SA for hunters?

[tampabayfishing]

I want to thank everyone in advance for their comments. We have booked our first African hunt to the Limpopo area of SA for late August. One of our group's members is concerned for his safety after reading about recent developments in regards to corrupt government officials, refugee arrests on the Limpopo river, rhino poaching, escalating attacks on white farmers/PHs and the recent death of a PH in Kruger. This information has caused him to consider canceling his trip. I was hoping this forum may offer some additional insight from the point of view of experienced hunters that may help him understand the realities of safety for hunters going to Limpopo.

 

[Second Wind]

No worthwhile endeavor is ever devoid of risk

I submit to you that, statistically, the West side of San Antonio, Texas, while a bastion of cold beer and Mexican food, harbors substantially more risk on a Saturday night than the whole of Sub Saharan Africa

So spare no effort, hunt Africa, order the number 2 dinner and have another beer.... you only live once

 

[huntingbigun]

Got back a month ago from my first trip to Africa and went to Limpopo & Kalahari, never once from the time I steo foot on African soil did I feel threatened by anyone, the opposite really even the natives in the small towns would smile and wave. Plus you travel armed to the teeth, heck I think everyone knows your a hunter lol, so go for it just like Second Wind said now the Lion hunt well I was glad I had the gun and the lion had his teeth.

 

[Upton O. Good]

If you want excitement (gunfire) try Chicago or New Orleans, lots of dangerous games there. I've been to South Africa twice and, sure, there are places that are dangerous but I just don't go to those places. You PH and outfitter will have your health and wellbeing first and foremost in mind.

I won't go to Chicago or New Orleans but I will be back in South Africa again next year.

 

[Diamondhitch]

My 1st thing I was thinking was Central park is waaay more dangerous than Limpopo. A single PH was attacked and it was big news, can you say that about any individual attack or murder in NYC? Just another day in paradise.

 

[BRICKBURN]

All the news is true.
People do run across the borders into RSA. I have heard tell a few come across into the USA from Mexico too.

White Farmers have been killed. Heard of any home invasions in the US lately!

People get hurt while hunting. Animals, guns, etc. Do your part: Be safe with your rifle and shoot straight.

People have been mugged walking up Table Mountain. Walk in a group.

There are SAPS officers that have accepted bribes. That never happens in the US does it? Report them.

Rhino are being poached at a reckless pace. Don't dress like a Rhino and don't join the Anti poaching teams and you will be safe.




My experience:

I drove all around RSA (They drive on a funny side of the road too); Limpopo, Mpumalanga, KZN, Northern Cape, Gauteng, and the Western Cape last year for 6 weeks. Much of it on our own.

I drove around one garbage strike. The most violent act I saw was dumping a garbage can.

Gas Truck Drivers striking by holding up fuel supplies to the capital. I never ran into fuel shortages myself.

Passed by Alex (Alexandra Township) in Joburg, no issues. I did not walk in for a sit down though. As others have said, stay out of Central Park after dark, etc.

I walked around Soweto and had a lovely lunch on the patio with friends. Excellent sandwiches.

I dodged more children and cattle on the narrow roads and found that to be my greatest unexpected hazard to driving. Other than one taxi driver on the N2, who drove like an absolute moron, we encountered no road safety issues.

Someone did attempt to steal our transfer van when it was parked over night. This all occurred before we were picked up and delayed our trip by an hour or so.

We lived beside the Cape Flats for a week and the worst thing that happened was a young boy asking for money when he had seen me donate money to a blind man. I just laughed.



Now, if your friend wants to make excuses not to go he'll find the reasons to support it.

Here's hoping he can get over it and take reasonable precautions and go and enjoy himself.

 

[Fritz Rabe]

Well said Brickburn. Well said.
I live here amongst everything that is on the news and to be honest, even I get scared if I have to rely on the media to tell me what is going on.

My doors are not locked at night and I do not feel even the least threatened by any of the locals and I live here.

 

[Red Leg]

I suppose I am just getting old and cranky, but this sort of self-absorbed fear of any sort of personal risk seems a product of our times. From product liability (have you seen all the stickers on a new step ladder!) to our growing fixation on protecting our precious selves from nearly everything, caution permeats our whole society. Just last week I was speaking at one of our employee retirement dinners (in California no less), and during the meal was regailing a young couple about Africa. Another middle-aged couple at the table kept glancing at each other disapprovingly, and I assumed I was about to be treated to an anti-hunting lecture. But no, they simply couldn't understand why anyone would ever go somewhere so dangerous. I laughed, and pointed out that for God's sake they lived in LA. To which they responded very earnestly, that I was correct, and they were VERY careful. Personally, I wish more of my fellow citizens had served in the military. Nothing quite like being shot at to put the world in perspective.

 

[spike.t]

I suppose I am just getting old and cranky, but this sort of self-absorbed fear of any sort of personal risk seems a product of our times. From product liability (have you seen all the stickers on a new step ladder!) to our growing fixation on protecting our precious selves from nearly everything, caution permeats our whole society. Just last week I was speaking at one of our employee retirement dinners (in California no less), and during the meal was regailing a young couple about Africa. Another middle-aged couple at the table kept glancing at each other disapprovingly, and I assumed I was about to be treated to an anti-hunting lecture. But no, they simply couldn't understand why anyone would ever go somewhere so dangerous. I laughed, and pointed out that for God's sake they lived in LA. To which they responded very earnestly, that I was correct, and they were VERY careful. Personally, I wish more of my fellow citizens had served in the military. Nothing quite like being shot at to put the world in perspective.

Red leg in the uk there is a thing called health and safety, and they have regulations and training for everything. govnt employees cant use a small step ladder to change a bulb or put something up if they havent been trained to use it. when they put police on bicycles they had to have special training before they could ride them. last winter more than one person including a child drowned, because the police etc who got there first were not allowed to try and rescue them, because they didnt have the correct equipment or training according to the health and safety regulations, so were forced to wait till the h&s qualified crews arrived, by which time it was too late. i think one did try but was reprimanded for breaking the h&s regulations. bit bloody different from the winston churchill days !! i dont think its getting old and cranky, i think its just getting pissed off that people are being brain washed into a herd of sheep, who are becoming scared of anything they dont know/understand (and unfortunately they arent going to make any effort to educate themselves about the issue). a lack of knowledge, or knowledge pushed at people through the media gives them a very unbalanced view of certain parts of the world, so if a country has a problem then to these people the whole continent is unsafe.

 

[Diamondhitch]

Well said Brickburn. Well said.
I live here amongst everything that is on the news and to be honest, even I get scared if I have to rely on the media to tell me what is going on.

Maybe if the media would report the good in actual proportion to the bad we would have a different view of the world.

 

[Diamondhitch]

Red leg in the uk there is a thing called health and safety, and they have regulations and training for everything. govnt employees cant use a small step ladder to change a bulb or put something up if they havent been trained to use it. when they put police on bicycles they had to have special training before they could ride them. last winter more than one person including a child drowned, because the police etc who got there first were not allowed to try and rescue them, because they didnt have the correct equipment or training according to the health and safety regulations, so were forced to wait till the h&s qualified crews arrived, by which time it was too late. i think one did try but was reprimanded for breaking the h&s regulations. bit bloody different from the winston churchill days !! i dont think its getting old and cranky, i think its just getting pissed off that people are being brain washed into a herd of sheep, who are becoming scared of anything they dont know/understand (and unfortunately they arent going to make any effort to educate themselves about the issue). a lack of knowledge, or knowledge pushed at people through the media gives them a very unbalanced view of certain parts of the world, so if a country has a problem then to these people the whole continent is unsafe.

Couldnt agree more. We are legistating ourselves into a no one moves, no one gets hurt society. There is a place for safety and liability but there has to be a limit.

 

[mudslinger]

You should have zero problems. Your PH should meet you in the airport at J'oberg and be in his hands the entire trip. I have been twice, 08 and 10 and we have had zero problems with anything. I am very seldom out of my PH's view the entire trip. My wife and another wife went on an elephant ride in 2010 and had zero problems with my PH's mother or the concession the elephants were on. We have traveled to other concessions within the Limpopo with zero problems. As long as you do not leave the airport in J'oberg without supervision and stay with a gropu if you stop for sighe seeing or trinket buying, then I firmly believe you will encounter zero problems. I think you stand a greater chance of having something happen to you almost anywhere her in the states than you do in RSA. Don't cancel and enjoy your trip.

 

[Nyati]

Four trips to RSA, different areas, zero problems.

 

[enysse]

I think you guys covered it, I enjoyed reading the reasons too!!!

The Limpopo Province is very safe to visit.

 

[tampabayfishing]

I truly appreciate all of these comments. This is exactly the experienced and intelligent dialog I was hoping to receive. It further convinces me to stick to my convictions and not listen to the voice of fear and ignorance. I hope this thread will help my friend not to be persuaded by u tube videos and ideologues and come to the realization "No worthwhile endeavor is ever devoid of risk" . Thanks again, looking forward to the hunt.

 

[BRICKBURN]

Have fun and take lots of pictures and get ready to write the hunt report for us.

 

[R.Ezio]

A friend of mine, who has immagrated to Canada, but was born in, and lived in South Africa gave me this advice when I told him I had booked a hunt.

Get out of the airport as soon as possible.

Do not talk to anyone you don't need to talk to.

Get the name, and preferably picture of the person picking you up from the airport. Firmly state to your outfitter you will only leave with this person, so it had better be them that comes to collect you. This is the scenario as he explained it to me. You will be waiting with your luggage. A fellow will approach you, and ask who you are waiting for. You say, "Peter with xyz safari." He says,"Peter is unable to make it, but he has sent me to pick you up. Come with me.". If you go with him, he will rob you. If you decide you do not want to be robbed, he will kill you.

He also said, "don't be afraid, just be smart."

He also said once you are in the vechile leaving the airport, you will have no worries until you return. He really stressed that the airport is the most dangerous place I will be.

 

[Second Wind]

I think this really convinces me that the "Meet and Greet " services are worth the money

 

[shaffce]

I just returned from SA Limpopo area, 3rd safari with Ingogo Safaries. Never had a thought about safety. If there was a risk issue I wouldn't have taken wife and 11 year old daughter. Your outfitter and PH, if reputable, will keep you out of harms way, it's thier job. They won't be taking you into the township of Joburg as i wouldn't take them into allison hill area of Harrisburg. Take half the amount of clothes and twice the amount of money, shoot straight and have a good time!!

 

[enysse]

Welcome to AH, shaffice, there have been some people wondering about Ingogo Safaris lately. Could you please post a hunt report, I have heard good things about Ingogo Safaris.