Advice on travelling to South Africa?

Im a young guy about to finish college and i want to go travelling. id love to go to america, australia and south africa. Ive heard some really bad things about south africa - how dangerous and corrupt it is apparently. Im not sure if this is true. Friends of mine have seen people being carjacked in broad daylight and shot. What do you guys think? ive been put off quite a lot but i cant tell if theyre over-exaggerating or whatever. do you think South africa would be a good place to spend time in for an 18 year old? and what would be the best way to go about it and actually getting into the country?
i live in england so dont everyone start telling me to go to london
oh yea im white too, does that mean ill get attacked or something?
right winger? im not a nazi im a kid trying to travel the world. i really want to go to south africa i was just wondering if it was safe

My friend went to Africa once.
She said to always pack an extra set of clothes.
But I dont think that would help YOUR case.
Buy pepper spray!
Ha ha.
I would go someplace other than South Africa. Like, GERMANY or loNDON.

Do not go on your own please!!

If it is not safe even for South Africans, what chance have you got on your own?

Also carry protection i.e. a knife!

This video will make you feel sick!

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=BfVSq3O-G84
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=vtThWcBa3ak&feature=related

**add**
It doesn't matter what race you are it's still dangerous!

Ok so there are a ton of sharks in the water and most years has the #2 crime rate in the world with Colombia in first and Jamaica in third.
If you know the band Dave Matthews you would know he was born in South Africa. His sister and her husband were murdered there.
I would not suggest going there.

hello.i know you are another Rightwinger trying to put people off from visiting south africa.SA does have a crime problem but try as you might you will never ever put any one off from visiting SA. You NAZIS will fail in your proganda attempt, so just give it up ok.SA is a paradise.....................

I so want to go to South Africa. I want to go during the World Cup. If I go there and get shot by someone then let it be. Anyways, Mexico is pretty dangerous (almost like South africa style crimes carjackings) have been their but not to Mexico City but I will be willingly go there. It depends one what part of South Africa you go to. Like outside of Cape Town I heard its pretty safe, Stellenbosch, Mossel Bay . OBviously you wouldn't go to a ghetto in london right? then why would u do so in a city in South africa? Oh yeah the one time I thought I would die was in Amsterdam when some asshole mugged me and pointed out a knife, also a time in italy where they were pickpocketing me too!!. so yeah it DEPENDS where u go!! haha

I was in South Africa for three weeks in the year 2000. Yes, it does have a high crime rate, but the only place I felt unsafe for in Jo'berg. If I were you I would fly into Capetown instead. It's a great city - you can go absailing (repelling) down Table Mountain with a fantastic view, you can visit Robin Island where Nelson Mandela was held for many years, then you can go east along the coast. My friends and I hiked 100 miles along the Indian Ocean and it was beautiful. There are some sharks, by the way. Overall, I think you'll like it, just be careful, use common sense, and stay away from Jo'berg.

Yeah dont.

There are many non SA answers here. They don't live there and they don't know what is happening. It is very different going for 2 weeks as apposed to living there. I love SA. But the country, the high veld sun set. Unfortunately the crime over counts that. No matter where you are in SA - not just Jo'burg - you will be affected by crime. You will take a huge risk going. Take advise from the SA's here - DON"T GO!!

http://www.southafricathetruth.net/

http://deathofjohannesburg.blogspot.com/

http://southafricanhell.blogspot.com/

http://groups.msn.com/crimebustersofsouthafrica/homepage1.msnw

Ive heard Spain is great, and a lot safer than South Africa.

Your friends were not exaggerating, its true. Crime happens in broad daylight and sometimes the criminals are caught.