US travel advisory reveals 'bigger issues at play' in diplomatic ties
US President Donald Trump uses an image taken in Congo as proof of his claims that there is a genocide against Afrikaner farmers in South Africa.
Image: AFP
The United States government has revised its travel advisory to South Africa after President Cyril Ramaphosa met with Donald Trump at the White House, raising concerns that these may be further attempts to paint the country as a no-go zone.
This latest level 2 travel advisory warning its citizens to be cautious when visiting the country, issued on May 27, comes hot on the heels of Ramaphosa's recent visit to Washington where he and his delegation pleaded with Trump to reconsider some of his recent views about a white genocide in South Africa.
The advisory urges American citizens to exercise increased caution in South Africa due to crime, terrorism, civil unrest, and kidnapping.
'Violent crime is common and includes robbery, rape, carjacking and mugging. There are also "smash-and-grab" attacks on vehicles. Violent crime is more common in the downtown areas of big cities, especially after dark.
"Kidnapping is a threat in South Africa. Kidnappers target US citizens and other foreign travelers to steal money. Captors often force victims to withdraw cash or give online account passwords before they are let go. Though rare, some kidnappings involve demanding ransom from families," it said.
Video Player is loading.
Play Video
Play
Unmute
Current Time
0:00
/
Duration
-:-
Loaded :
0%
Stream Type LIVE
Seek to live, currently behind live
LIVE
Remaining Time
-
0:00
This is a modal window.
Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window.
Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque
Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps
Reset
restore all settings to the default values Done
Close Modal Dialog
End of dialog window.
Advertisement
Video Player is loading.
Play Video
Play
Unmute
Current Time
0:00
/
Duration
-:-
Loaded :
0%
Stream Type LIVE
Seek to live, currently behind live
LIVE
Remaining Time
-
0:00
This is a modal window.
Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window.
Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque
Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps
Reset
restore all settings to the default values Done
Close Modal Dialog
End of dialog window.
Next
Stay
Close ✕
The Department of State also warns about the risk of terrorist violence and urges US Mission staff use fully armoured vehicles.
International relations expert Dr Noluthando Phungula said the US was trying to vilify South Africa as part of a bigger issue.
The reality is that there are numerous issues that have caused strain, including the Israel-Palestine conflict, BRICS expansion and perceived alignment with Russia and these differences may be well be among the reasons behind Washington's lashing out against Pretoria.
"We cannot deny crime remains a major challenge for the country, but the US is capitalising on this defect in painting SA as a no-go zone. Crime in this country remains a huge challenge which is closely tied to the stark inequalities. This reality continues to fuel the negative perceptions of the country," Phungula said..
South Africa has been added to the list alongside Namibia, Botswana, Belgium, Greenland, Denmark, and Germany. Level 2 indicates moderate risk, unlike Level 4 'Do Not Travel' advisories issued for countries such as Sudan and the DRC.
The latest advisory comes more than a year after the US State Department issued another updated Level 2 travel advisory to South Africa in February 2024 in which it warned its citizens to exercise increased caution in the country due to crime and civil unrest.
Responding to the alert, Minister of Tourism, Patricia De Lille indicated that context is important as South Africa remains one of the most safe and stable countries in the world.
"We respect the sovereign right of all nations to provide guidance to their citizens travelling abroad. We also acknowledge the recent meeting between Presidents Ramaphosa and Trump and the subsequent media coverage that has followed. However, it is important to offer broader context and reaffirm our unwavering commitment to ensuring the safety, comfort, and enjoyment of all visitors to our country.
Furthermore, the advisory states that there is risk of terrorist violence, including terrorist attacks and other activity, in South Africa.
"Due to the risks, U.S. government employees working in South Africa must obtain special authorisation to travel to many informal settlements (townships) in and around Cape Town. U.S. mission staff must use fully armoured vehicles when visiting and visiting hours are limited to 10am to 3pm," it states.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Eyewitness News
an hour ago
- Eyewitness News
Colombian presidential contender has successful surgery after shooting
Thirty-nine-year-old Senator Miguel Uribe was speaking to supporters in the capital when a gunman shot him twice in the head and once in the knee before being detained. A security guard managed to detain the suspected attacker, a minor who is believed to be 15 years old. Uribe was airlifted to hospital in "critical condition" and underwent a "neurosurgical" and "peripheral vascular procedure," the Santa Fe Clinic in Bogota confirmed. He "overcame the first surgical procedure," Mayor Carlos Fernando Galan told media, adding that he had entered "the critical hours" of recovery. Uribe's wife, in an audio recording shared with media, said "he came out well from the surgery." "He fought the first battle and fought it well. He is fighting for his life," she is heard saying. Images from the scene of the shooting showed Uribe slumped against the hood of a white car, smeared with blood, as a group of men tried to hold him and stop the bleeding. The suspect was injured in the affray and was receiving treatment, said police director Carlos Fernando Triana. Two others -- a man and a woman -- were also wounded, and a Glock-style firearm was seized. "Our hearts are broken, Colombia hurts," Carolina Gomez, a 41-year-old businesswoman, told AFP as she lit candles and prayed for Uribe's health. 'Day of pain' A large investigative team is working on determining the motive for the attack, Defense Minister Pedro Sanchez said Sunday. Earlier he had offered a roughly US$725,000 reward for information about who was behind the shooting. Leftist President Gustavo Petro condemned the violence as "an attack not only against his person, but also against democracy, freedom of thought, and the legitimate exercise of politics in Colombia." The shooting was similarly condemned across the political spectrum and from overseas, with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio calling it "a direct threat to democracy." But Rubio also pointed blame at Petro, claiming the attack was the "result of the violent leftist rhetoric coming from the highest levels of the Colombian government." "President Petro needs to dial back the inflammatory rhetoric and protect Colombian officials," the top US diplomat said. Venezuela, which has a longstanding border conflict with Colombia, also denounced the shooting, with the foreign ministry saying: "Venezuela strongly condemns the attack" on the senator. Uribe, a strong critic of Petro, is a member of the Democratic Center party, which announced last October his intention to run in the 2026 presidential election. Authorities said there was no specific threat made against the politician before the incident. The country is home to several armed guerrilla groups and powerful cartels, and has a long history of political violence. Shot 'from behind' Uribe is the son of Diana Turbay, a famed Colombian journalist who was killed after being kidnapped by Pablo Escobar's Medellin Cartel. One of his grandfathers was president Julio Cesar Turbay, who led the country from 1978 to 1982. Supporters gathered outside the Bogota hospital, lighting candles and clutching crucifixes as they prayed for Uribe's recovery. The leader of Uribe's party, former president Alvaro Uribe -- who is not related to Miguel -- described the shooting as an attack against "a hope for the country." Miguel Uribe has been a senator since 2022. He previously served as Bogota's government secretary and city councilor. He also ran for city mayor in 2019, but lost that election.
eNCA
2 hours ago
- eNCA
Tens of thousands join anti-government protest in Madrid
MADRID - Tens of thousands of people rallied Sunday in an opposition-organised demonstration in Madrid accusing the government of Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez of corruption. Protesters, many waving red and yellow Spanish flags, massed in the Plaza de Espana, a large square in the centre of the Spanish capital, and chanted "Pedro Sanchez, resign!". "The expiry date on this government passed a long time ago. It's getting tiring," Blanca Requejo, a 46-year-old store manager who wore a Spanish flag drapped over her back, told AFP at the demonstration. The Popular Party (PP) called the rally after leaked audio recordings allegedly documented a member of the Socialist party, Leire Diez, waging a smear campaign against a police unit that investigated graft allegations against Sanchez's wife, brother and his former right-hand man. Diez has denied the allegations, telling reporters on Wednesday that she was conducting research for a book and was not working on behalf of the party or Sanchez. She also resigned from Sanchez's Socialist party. PP leader Alberto Nunez Feijoo has accused the government of "mafia practices" over the affair, and said Sanchez is "at the centre" of multiple corruption scandals. "This government has stained everything -- politics, state institutions, the separation of powers," he told the rally, going on to urge Sanchez to call early elections. The PP estimated that more than 100,000 people attended the rally, held under the slogan "Mafia or Democracy." The central government's representative in Madrid put the turnout between 45,000 and 50,000. - 'Go away' - The government's spokeswoman, Pilar Alegria, mocked the turnout, writing on X that veteran Spanish rock duo Estopa drew a larger crowd to their recent concert at Madrid's Wanda Metropolitano stadium than "the apocalyptic Feijoo at the Plaza de Espana." Sanchez has dismissed the probes against members of his inner circle as part of a "smear campaign" carried out by the right wing to undermine his government. He came to power in June 2018 after ousting his PP predecessor, Mariano Rajoy, in a no-confidence vote over a corruption scandals affecting involving the conservative party. Rafael Redondo, a 73-year-old real estate agent, said the corruption cases that have affected the PP were "completely different". "The corruption that may have existed in the PP involved individuals acting on their own. But the Socialist Party is a criminal organisation which has committed crimes from A to Z," he told AFP at the rally. Maria del Mar Tome, a 59-year-old businesswoman, said she had turned up because "we want Pedro Sanchez to go away once and for all, because this man is corrupt, he's a liar." - Poll lead - AFP | Thomas COEX This is the sixth protest which the PP has organised against the government since Feijoo took the helm of the party in April 2022 The demonstration comes as the PP is gearing up for an extraordinary party congress set for July. Originally set for 2026, Feijoo moved the event forward, citing the need for the party to "be prepared" in case of early national elections in what was seen as an effort to consolidate his power. Rajoy and another former PP prime minister, Jose Maria Aznar, attended Sunday's rally, along with several heads of regional governments. Recent polls show the PP holding only a slim lead over the Socialists. although Sanchez remains the most highly rated party leader among voters. One in four voters, 24.6 percent, said Sanchez is their favourite party leader to lead the country, ahead of the leader of far-right party Vox, Santiago Abascal, who was picked by 17.1 percent, according to a poll published Monday in daily newspaper El Pais. Feijoo was the third most popular option, with 16.6 percent. The next general election is expected in 2027.
eNCA
2 hours ago
- eNCA
Colombian presidential contender has successful surgery after shooting
BOGOTA - A prominent Colombian right-wing presidential candidate who was shot during a campaign event in Bogota has successfully undergone initial surgery, the city's mayor said Sunday. 39-year-old Senator Miguel Uribe was speaking to supporters in the capital when a gunman shot him twice in the head and once in the knee before being detained. A security guard managed to detain the suspected attacker, a minor who is believed to be 15 years old. Uribe was airlifted to hospital in "critical condition" and underwent a "neurosurgical" and "peripheral vascular procedure," the Santa Fe Clinic in Bogota confirmed. He "overcame the first surgical procedure," Mayor Carlos Fernando Galan told media, adding that he had entered "the critical hours" of recovery. Uribe's wife, in an audio recording shared with media, said "he came out well from the surgery." "He fought the first battle and fought it well. He is fighting for his life," she is heard saying. Images from the scene of the shooting showed Uribe slumped against the hood of a white car, smeared with blood, as a group of men tried to hold him and stop the bleeding. AFP | Raul ARBOLEDA The suspect was injured in the affray and was receiving treatment, said police director Carlos Fernando Triana. Two others -- a man and a woman -- were also wounded, and a Glock-style firearm was seized. "Our hearts are broken, Colombia hurts," Carolina Gomez, a 41-year-old businesswoman, told AFP as she lit candles and prayed for Uribe's health. - 'Day of pain' - A large investigative team is working on determining the motive for the attack, Defense Minister Pedro Sanchez said Sunday. Earlier he had offered a roughly US$725,000 reward for information about who was behind the shooting. Leftist President Gustavo Petro condemned the violence as "an attack not only against his person, but also against democracy, freedom of thought, and the legitimate exercise of politics in Colombia." The shooting was similarly condemned across the political spectrum and from overseas, with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio calling it "a direct threat to democracy." But Rubio also pointed blame at Petro, claiming the attack was the "result of the violent leftist rhetoric coming from the highest levels of the Colombian government." "President Petro needs to dial back the inflammatory rhetoric and protect Colombian officials," the top US diplomat said. Venezuela, which has a longstanding border conflict with Colombia, also denounced the shooting, with the foreign ministry saying: "Venezuela strongly condemns the attack" on the senator. Uribe, a strong critic of Petro, is a member of the Democratic Center party, which announced last October his intention to run in the 2026 presidential election. Authorities said there was no specific threat made against the politician before the incident. The country is home to several armed guerrilla groups and powerful cartels, and has a long history of political violence. - Shot 'from behind' - Uribe is the son of Diana Turbay, a famed Colombian journalist who was killed after being kidnapped by Pablo Escobar's Medellin Cartel. One of his grandfathers was president Julio Cesar Turbay, who led the country from 1978 to 1982. Supporters gathered outside the Bogota hospital, lighting candles and clutching crucifixes as they prayed for Uribe's recovery. The leader of Uribe's party, former president Alvaro Uribe -- who is not related to Miguel -- described the shooting as an attack against "a hope for the country." Miguel Uribe has been a senator since 2022. He previously served as Bogota's government secretary and city councilor. He also ran for city mayor in 2019, but lost that election.
