The South African government quickly slammed a travel advisory issued by Australia to deter Australians to visit the African country.
The travel advisory has the potential not only to deter Australians from visiting South Africa but also to tarnish the country’s image, the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) said in a statement. DIRCO also says the travel advisory is simply misleading about Africa and about South Africa in particular, regarding the experiences of foreign tourists who visit the continent.
“Officials from the Department of International Relations and Cooperation have in the past requested, without success, that the advisory be amended to reflect the situation in South Africa as it relates to the true experiences of foreign tourists,” the statement said.
South African Minister of International Relations, Lindiwe Sisulu will raise the concerns of the government with her Australian counterpart Minister Julie Bishop.
The advisory, issued on Tuesday, urges Australian visitors to exercise a “high degree of caution” in South Africa and offers an extensive list of dangers under the heading “safety and security.”
“Crime, including violent crime, is a serious issue in South Africa. Most types of crime are increasing. Be alert. Don’t expect the same level of service from South African police as you would in Australia,” warns the advisory.
The advisory lists murder, rape, car hijackings, civil unrest, water shortages, spiked drinks, drunk drivers and terrorism as potential threats to tourists.
DIRCO’s decision to escalate the matter follows these unsuccessful attempts and indicates the seriousness with which the South African government values the contribution of the tourism sector to the economy.
“South Africa remains one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world, and tourists in most instances have pleasant experiences of our country,” the statement quoted Sisulu as saying.
Tensions between South Africa and Australia became strained following comments by Australian Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton. In criticizing the South African government in March for prosecuting white farmers, Dutton said he would prioritize granting visas to them. Dutton went on to say that South African white farmers deserve special attention from his government over South Africa’s land redistribution.
But later both Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Foreign Minister Julie Bishop retracted Dutton’s offer to help white South African farmers, saying Button’s words “are not in line with Australian immigration policy.”
