People ask me if I feel safe in Joburg, and my answer is yes. However, “safe” is a relative term. I think the odds of something happening to me are only slightly worse than other major cities. The first qualification is that this is heavily influenced by the areas in which I generally hang out; most crime is black-on-black in/near townships, and I don’t generally hang out in shebeens. The second qualification is that if something does happen, it will likely be much more violent than its American counterpart.
To bring this home, I found out yesterday that a friend of a friend was at home when two robbers entered the house. They got out, and while outside the home they heard the gunshots that killed the father.
"Vengeance is mine" seems to be a common theme in some places; another friend knew someone who was killed by taxi drivers. His crime? Driving his own minibus taxi on someone else's route.
To bring this home, I found out yesterday that a friend of a friend was at home when two robbers entered the house. They got out, and while outside the home they heard the gunshots that killed the father.
"Vengeance is mine" seems to be a common theme in some places; another friend knew someone who was killed by taxi drivers. His crime? Driving his own minibus taxi on someone else's route.
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