Johannesburg - Could watching a safety video upon arrival in South Africa help keep tourists safe?
The Department of Tourism certainly seems to think so following their latest safety awareness campaign.
The department is embarking on a Festive Season Safety Awareness campaign in early November to protect tourists and prevent crimes that directly target or affect them.
One of the initiatives includes a safety video that tourists may need to watch upon arrival in SA. Under this campaign, the Department will engage with the Airports Company of South Africa (ACSA) to try and acquire space on TVs across airports. On the screen, a recorded message presented by the minister of tourism, Lindiwe Sisulu, would air, spouting safety advice to tourists. The safety campaign comes after a string of horrific attacks on tourists, including the recent attack on a group of German tourists at the Kruger National Park.
Yesterday Napoleon Joseph Nyalungu (35) appeared in the KaBokweni Magistrate's Court on charges of murder, attempted murder and attempted hijacking, following his arrest on Wednesday.
The tourist was fatally wounded on Numbi Road in Mpumalanga last week, in an alleged hijacking.
Nyalungu has been remanded in custody until October 19.
A Ukrainian national, Anichka Penev, was also recently kidnapped outside of a business in Blackheath in Cape Town. She was later found in Khayelitsha and safely reunited with her family shortly afterwards. With the country’s reputation as a tourism destination having suffered of late with the high volumes of crimes on tourists, the Department of Tourism is set to institute various safety measures to keep them safe, with the safety video being one of them.
Other safety measures include a dedicated police team who will focus their attention on keeping tourists safe as well as fast-tracking cases involving international tourists.
Crime experts say while a safety video could be useful to tourists, allowing them to watch the video only just before landing is a terrible idea.
Kidnapping Incident Manager at TSU International, advocate Herman Bosman said a safety video was more likely to scare off visitors.
“Prior proper planning would be a better option instead of a safety induction. It’s like going to any country in the world,” said Bosman.
“Just like certain places in the US I would not visit alone or at night. Some areas I would not even visit at all. Same here in SA, some areas are safe, and some are not.”
Bosman advised would-be visitors to make sure they carefully plan their trips, regardless of where in the world they plan to travel to.
Private investigator Mike Bolhuis said showing tourists a video literally before they stepped into the country was a bad idea.
“It's, unfortunately, a shocking idea, in my opinion,” said Bolhuis.
“It will put so much fear into them that they will catch the next flight straight back home.
“All people should know well in advance before coming to another country about the dangers, etc. I don't think it helps telling people about the dangers just before they arrive in South Africa.”
Bolhuis said while the idea of a safety video was a good one, it needed to be shown to potential tourists well before they booked their ticket.
“I am all for a safety video. But that safety video needs to be seen by tourists when they are planning their trips to South Africa and not just before they leave or arrive in the country. All people should know before they go to another country exactly what the situation of that country is that they are going to crime wise.
Bolhuis said the safety video also needs to include hard, true facts that will educate the tourist on exactly what they can expect.
“The safety video also shouldn't be soap washed. We need to show the true reality of what is actually going on in this country so that people are made aware of everything that is happening.
“Unfortunately, the Department of Tourism has instituted these safety measures to ramp up tourism during the festive season so that the country makes money. It is always about money.”
Bolhuis said information such as statistics on the number of tourists who have been kidnapped, robbed, harmed, or murdered should be made readily available to those interested in visiting the country.
“Yes, tourism in this country may take a hit, but it's about keeping people safe. They can make an informed decision then as to whether they want to visit or not.
“If you are a wealthy family, it will be a good idea for you to also appoint a private bodyguard or police officer to look after you and your family while you are visiting.”
Lizette Lancaster, manager of the Crime Hub at the Institute for Security Studies, believes a safety video would be beneficial for tourists before they enter the country.
“South Africa is a particularly violent and dangerous place for many of the citizens, particularly if you live in lower socio-economic areas where crime and violence are rife,” said Lancaster.
“Where the problem arises is when tourists transit through dangerous areas.
“It is our social responsibility to make sure that whoever visits our country is as safe as they can be by having accurate information about the country and explaining to them that some areas are more risky than others.”
Werner Koekemoer, a senior specialist investigator, said tourists need to be made aware of the various dangers that they could face when visiting South Africa.
“The country has a high rate of violent crime, though it is typically concentrated in larger cities like Johannesburg and Cape Town,” said Koekemoer.
“Several gangs operate in these cities and are often involved in violent acts, such as mugging, robbery, and car-jacking.”
Tourists also need to be made aware of property crime. This can be a significant source of criminality. It includes crimes like burglary, theft, and vandalism.”
Tourists also need to be made aware of corruption in the country. While corruption is unlikely to manifest violently, tourists should be prepared for it. In particular, some officials may try to solicit bribes or take advantage of tourists.”
“Several scams also target tourists in South Africa. These can include anything from someone pretending to be a police officer to try and get money from unsuspecting individuals to people selling fake souvenirs.”