South Africa is a dangerous place

[Michael N Q8]

some criminals should just be thrown off a very tall building. I hate thieves

Amen to this, at this stage I am willing to do the throwing...

[GerardoG]

Sorry to hear this Michael. As everyone here posts, you and your loved ones are ok and that is the important issue.

[1675-David]

What a horrible experience, glad to hear you and your family got through it without any physical scars.

[eric23]

Sorry to hear about this, I hope everyone is ok!

I don't think I would ever got to Africa, My Dad goes almost every year and I tell him to be carefull!

[matt4hand]

I'm truly glad that no one was raped or killed. As bad as it sounds you guys were very lucky. I almost won a trip to SA this year. Hearing all this I'm kinda glad I did not win.

[figbo]

Crossing it out of my bucket list.

[Oyster1982]

Sorry to hear about what happened, but SA hasnt been safe for at least 18 years. They sell a car alarm that shoots fireballs in SA. You cant unravel an old government that fast anarchy happens when the old gaurd falls too fast.

[tudorlex]

ex SA, never been back 15 yrs. Beautiful country, but too much bad stuff. You and your family are lucky to be alive. Possessions come & go. Wishing you & your family well in moving foward from this terrible event.

[joeychitwood]

I attended an Emergency Medicine conference and one lecture was given by an ER doc at Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital in Soweto. I sat at a table with docs working in trauma centers in Los Angeles and New York City. By the end of his talk, we were stunned. The violence and trauma the South African doc saw in a single day made us feel like we worked in a day care center clinic. It's an incredibly dangerous place.

[gregmoeck]

glad everyone is ok, that really sucks. I once had a gun held to my forehead, it's not fun.

[speedo]

guys, i guess it is unnecessary exaggerating. it is awful what happened to michael and we all know that sa is dangerous but i reckon it is also one of the must see places. millions and millions of tourists enjoy sa annually so you don't need to be chuck norris to survive a holiday. just think of the last world cup.

[capote]

First off I'm sorry to hear about such a horrible ordeal. Second: I'm quite surprised that some people in this thread thought South Africa was a safe place

[TswaneNguni]

On my way to doping two open heart cases this morning at 7am,neighbour phones and says four strangers ran through the open gate as her husband left.They were spotted by a labourer and ran away.I immediately phoned my mother who is alone at home(My wife also left for her pratice)No answer.Immediately phoned the armed response to investigate.Later on she phoned back and I informed her.All OK

Then,at 16h00 got a call from her that they tried to steal my irrigation pump.Luckily it weighs arround 300kg so wont be lifted that easily.Damage was done and will cost to repair.

This is all in just one day.

This is how we live.

At night we sleep guarded by dogs,armed response,alarm beams around the houses,alarms inside the houses and Glock within arms reach.Electric fencing,burglar proofing and dogs are absolutely wothless.Proven time and time again.Best.....vigilance,beams ,alarm,armed response and "shooting intrument"

You need to be tough to survive/live here or is that "live" here ??

Oh and except for the crime and goverment,this is one of the best countries in the world to live in......and perhaps thats the most tragic part of all.

[TswaneNguni]

Oh and at my wifes practice her generator was also stolen.Huge heavy generator.Police did find the generator.Wait for it ..................at one of the armed response company's guard's home !!!! So the people you pay to guard you,steals from you !!

Cant call the police,cant call the armed response,,,,,who must we call ..Ghostbusters ????

We have a very well developed sense of humour here in SA,Have to see the funny side.Its a coping mechanism.

[TswaneNguni]

If I work late at night,on my way home.I dont stop at stop signs or red traffic lights....always keep the car in motion.If I get ticketed for that....tough !!
I phone my wife,just as I am approaching the house,then only does she switch off the beams and alarm.I also have a panic button with me for the alarmsystem.I also phone her to let her know at what exact time I will be arriving.

[kcmo]

Chris, I don't know how you can live like that....unbelievable. It is certainly a beautiful country, but in the end, I am so very glad that my family immigrated. We could never have stayed there.

[TswaneNguni]

Originally Posted by kcmo

Chris, I don't know how you can live like that....unbelievable. It is certainly a beautiful country, but in the end, I am so very glad that my family immigrated. We could never have stayed there.

Have to admit it ....it is debilitating to be always aware and awake.To always fear for some sort of trouble/problem whenever my family calls me at work.

As I sit here typing,the alarm beams are set around the house.Going to sleep.Set the alarm inside the house.We set the alarms religeously.We NEVER forget.An alarm buys one time.

I sometimes feel selfish for staying in SA.I was born and bred here.This is my land !! I love this place,but sometimes I think I am not doing my kids a favour.Their future will be better elsewhere.....and I feel so awfully guilty.

[sea-dweller]

Glad you are OK!

[Demosthene]

Originally Posted by Pep04

WOW!!! I'm sorry to hear of your ordeal. I thought South Africa was a safe place.

Originally Posted by axxeman01

Sorry to hear that; like the other posters here, I had always thought of South Africa as a safe place.

Defiantly not.
An average of 50 murders a day makes it one of the most dangerous countries in the world, and that’s without going into the rape statistics which are outright the highest in the world.

I lived there as a kid until 2000 until my family immigrated to Australia and haven’t been back for 11 years. Both of my grandparents were high jacked at gunpoint twice, I’ve had to flee an AK47 gunbattle from a local taxi war. A family friend recently took in there nephews after both their parents were assassinated etc

I’ve had visiting South Africans have near panic attacks when I stop my car at deserted red lights late at night in Aus.
The constantly on edge lifestyle TswaneNguni described is not one I would ever choose to live again.

[Michael N Q8]

Yes, South Africa was a really fantastic place to live. In particular, the weather is really great. When I went back (when the attack happened) the weather was perfect every day.

At the end of it all, the bad outweighs the good there now :(

[skypilot]

Incredible, don't see how you can keep your sanity !! Just curious, not trying to start anything political, was it like that in colonial days ?

[Demosthene]

Originally Posted by Michael N Q8

Yes, South Africa was a really fantastic place to live. In particular, the weather is really great. When I went back (when the attack happened) the weather was perfect every day.

At the end of it all, the bad outweighs the good there now :(

The really sad thing is that most South Africans would describe you as lucky in that situation.
Glad that you and your family are ok btw, it’s still terrible to hear when stuff like this happens.

Originally Posted by skypilot

Incredible, don't see how you can keep your sanity !! Just curious, not trying to start anything political, was it like that in colonial days ?

It exploded after the fall of apartheid.
Not really surprising considering how horrific apartheid was, and the South Africa of today is a result of that.

[Stonedcl]

Sounds like Camden or Newark nj.. I was robbed at gunpoint 2x in newark .. Once for $10 and once for $20 in my younger days driving around Newark looking for some trees but I was kinda looking for trouble... In some areas of newerk you can't stop at stop sign either..

[TopNotchChach]

I'm glad you made it safe.

Animals.

[KirkWilfred]

Horrible! Focus on the positive that you and your family were not killed. Glad your safe!

[bodybump]

Im so sorry to hear this Michael...i believe in karma they will have their turn...just glad everybody in your family is well....

[Wolfgang427]

Wow thats terrible news, but I'm glad everyone's OK, as material things can always be replaced. Good luck in finding your stuff and the cops on getting the bad-guys.

[kcmo]

[QUOTE=TswaneNguni;2753203]Have to admit it ....it is debilitating to be always aware and awake.To always fear for some sort of trouble/problem whenever my family calls me at work.

As I sit here typing,the alarm beams are set around the house.Going to sleep.Set the alarm inside the house.We set the alarms religeously.We NEVER forget.An alarm buys one time.

I sometimes feel selfish for staying in SA.I was born and bred here.This is my land !! I love this place,but sometimes I think I am not doing my kids a favour.Their future will be better elsewhere.....and I feel so awfully guilty.[/QUOTE]

Chris, that's exactly what my parents went through back in the 80's when they decided to move us all to the states.

They knew what was coming...that eventually their kids would leave them in SA to seek a better life elsewhere. It happened to all of their friends. Their kids grew up and immigrated to Australia, the UK, and the states...and they were left behind.

As tough as it was for my parents to leave their own parents, it was the BEST decision they ever made for the family and I will be forever grateful to them!

[mikkolopez]

glad to know you and your family made it. i thought SA was a safe place just like Brazil, well not anymore. there are also horror stories from Brazil

[Dr.B]

Glad to hear that you and your family are OK.
Just shows you how vulnerable any of us could be at any given time.
I wish you and your family inner peace.