Here’s the rather disturbing advice and Travel guidelines from the British Government for UK travelers to South Africa. You can read it in full by clicking this link. And if you’re planning on traveling to South Africa don’t be too disturbed by this advice, the government are quite rightly telling us all the bad stuff we should be aware of. (I’ve read the one for Spain and France and it’s equally disturbing!).

• There is a high level of crime, but most occurs in townships and isolated areas away from the normal tourist destinations.
• The standard of driving is variable and there are many fatal accidents.
• More than 460,000 Britons visit South Africa every year (Source: Statistics South Africa). Most visits are trouble- free. The main types of incident for which British nationals required consular assistance in South Africa in 2007 were for: replacing lost or stolen passports (over 750 cases); deaths, mainly from natural causes (over 50 cases); and dealing with arrests or detentions, for a variety of offences (17 cases). You should keep photocopies of your passport with you in a separate place to your passport.
• There is an underlying threat from terrorism. Attacks, although unlikely, could be indiscriminate, including in places frequented by expatriates and foreign travellers.
• We recommend that you obtain comprehensive travel and medical insurance before travelling. You should check any exclusions, and that your policy covers you for the activities you want to undertake.
• South Africa authorities state that officially only one blank passport page is required for entry. However, recently several visitors have been refused entry and sent back to the UK as some officials are insisting on two blank pages. We advise that you have two blank pages in your passport on arrival.