We are the worst ambassadors for our own country
South Africa´s cities are considered to be the world´s most dangerous and so tourists come mostly with a lot of fear and prejudices. But is the reality really as bad?
The number 1 city with the worst reputation is Johannesburg. But at the same time it is the city where you hear most often that things aren´t as bad as people say- that media and people created a horror-picture of a city that doesn´t exist and that the inhabitants themselves “are the worst ambassadors for their own country”.
Most of the people I´ve talked to from Johannesburg agree: it is a dangerous city and if you don´t take care you will for sure come home with a few bad experiences. But it is also a city where people live and survive and which is worth to visit. The city is full of young people with a lot of ideas. There is art and culture everywhere.
If you know where to go: go! You will be surprised by what you see. For example how the city is selling its bad image now with the slogan like “i was shot in joburg :-)” (see my last post). Or with glass bottles for sale saying “the safest thing you can do in Joburg is to drink this tapwater” - Joburg´s tapwater is famous for being extremely clean and good. This proves entrepreneurial spirit: having such a bad reputation you might aswell just use it for business.
The dangerous image somehow also makes an impression on the travellers. Most of the conversations in the hostels of South-Africa are about who got robbed where, although most stories are about someone who heard about someone...
The tourists goad each other about how dangerous it is out there. But the next minute they walk off with their reflex camera hanging around their neck.