South Africa is back in the global headlines and the media is suggesting that foreigners are no longer welcome in our country? Nothing could be further from the truth! We are an amazing multi-ethnic diverse society which embraces eleven official languages and always recognised as a welcoming and friendly nation. Our country is the 25th-largest in the world and the second-largest economy in Africa. We have led the world in establishing a lasting democracy under a constitution which all South Africans treasure. Therefore, the recent media reports on xenophobia in our country needs to be contextualised. Tragic as many of these events have been, we should all remember that they are due to isolated local socio-economic problems being played out against foreign immigrants / nationals who are perceived to be taking scarce South African jobs. We should further remember that the media is dependent on viewership and ratings and thrives on creating sensation. Reality is that there have been no attacks on foreign international visitors to South Africa.
South African society at every level has unilaterally condemned xenophobia and protested its existence! From the President to the king of the Zulu nation to church, business and community leaders, including across the full political spectrum, xenophobia has been universally rejected and a clear message sent that all South Africans will not tolerate its continued existence.
The Safety and Security of visitors to our county remains paramount and we give you our absolute assurance that South Africa, as the gateway to Southern Africa, remains a safe place to visit for all our international travellers. Nelson Mandela once said – “You can’t build an Island of prosperity in a sea of despair.” Therefore, more than ever, your visit to our country enables us to further improve the prosperity and working conditions for all South Africans, allowing us to continue to build a country recognised as safe and friendly for world travellers.
So let’s take a moment to remind ourselves what South Africa has to offer:
As home to the world famous Kruger National Park, South Africa is regarded as the “safari hub of sub-Saharan Africa”. Contained within this vast wildlife area are the iconic private safari lodges, many of which are represented in the top 10 destinations in the world where travellers enjoy a once-in-a-lifetime safari experience. All are open for business and safaris continued unabated. On the southern tip of the continent, set against the iconic Table Mountain, lies Cape Town the most visited city in Africa. Throughout South Africa we look forward to being of service and to welcoming all international visitors to our country. Simply put, we love to showcase the beauty of our country and the friendliness and diversity of our people.
At the time of writing the country is marching in protest to the scourge of xenophobia which has already almost completely dissipated. Therefore, we ask you to see, in context, the erroneous perceptions caused by the media reporting, which in truth are over sensationalised and not an accurate reflection of the facts. By now the media has moved its spotlight onto its next “crisis” in the world.
In short, you are most welcome in South Africa and we look forward to being of service on your next visit.
Founder and CEO
David Ryan