The South African Presidency has shrugged off the travel alert issued by the United States, which warns of increased risks for American travellers in South Africa.

The advisory, issued on 27 May, cautions visitors to “exercise increased caution” due to threats such as terrorism, crime, and civil unrest, and specifically advises against night-time driving outside urban areas.

SEE: US – South Africa Travel Advisory

The Presidency says there is little cause for alarm, as the advisory does not reveal anything unfamiliar to South Africans. Presidential spokesperson Vincent Magwenya addressed the issue during a media briefing at the Union Buildings on Thursday.

“There’s always been some kind of standard travel alert that the U.S. issues to its citizens on a number of countries. With respect to South Africa, the travel alert just lists the kind of crimes that most South Africans, if not all South Africans, fall victim to, or crimes that confront us as a country,” said Magwenya.

He stressed that the travel alert should be seen in context and is not indicative of a deteriorating security situation.

Magwenya then highlighted that there is continued interest in South Africa as a travel destination, noting the high number of American visitors to the country.

“I think I saw a number somewhere to the tune of about 400,000 visitors,” he said, referencing the President’s May newsletter on US-South Africa relations.

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Magwenya further emphasised that tourists, like locals, typically take reasonable safety precautions.

“The reality is that those people who want to visit South Africa and enjoy its beauty and splendour, they do so and they do so by taking enough precaution that we all take as citizens in this country and precaution that we take even when we visit other parts of the world.”

“White genocide” claims

Magwenaya also briefly reflected on the claims of so-called persecution of white Afrikaner families, addressed in President Cyril Ramaphosa’s meeting with US President Donald Trump at the Oval Office.

“That narrative, as you have observed, is dying a very slow natural death in that regard, because it cannot be substantiated. And we’ve always said that narrative cannot be sustained in the absence of anything substantial that is placed on the table,” said Magwenya.

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