Danger in Johannesburg

Johannesburg is repeatedly rated as being one of the most dangerous cities in the world. When I first visited in 1998, I immediately noticed all of the gated properties with bars on the windows. I was advised not to walk anywhere, and I didn’t. At the very least, I could have been robbed, but I was more concerned with being raped or killed. Peter Greenberg quotes some interesting statistics about the city in his book Don’t Go There: “From April 2006 to March 2007, there were 611 murders.” From 2006 to 2007, there were 2,332 carjackings and “from April to December 2007, there were 1,353 rapes and indecent assaults.” In fact, Johannesburg has earned the reputation as being the rape capital when a report cited that one in five men admitted to having sex with a woman without her consent. Despite the danger, I have always enjoyed myself there, visiting the local malls and restaurants. I just made sure to take a taxi everywhere. It must be horrible though for the people who live there. Two of my friends—one male and one female--said they would move to another country without hesitation if they had the opportunity.