Last week I was on a "7 day Plains Game Safari" in Adelaide, Eastern Cape, South Africa. I tacked 2 days of sightseeing in Cape Town and a day of sightseeing in Port Elizabeth onto each end of the safari. My son was with me and we took the normal crime prevention precautions that one would take in any large American City. We had a wonderful experience hunting and sightseeing in South Africa and I would not hesitate to recommend it to others. We felt safe walking around Cape Town and Port Elizabeth. But, we did not go at night into the poor areas of the Cities.
If you ever hunt in Africa; you will wish that you had started ten years earlier.
Yes, their unemployment rate is 50% and there are crime problems associated with that. Single family residences, occupied by both black and white families, have bars over the exterior windows and bars on the exterior doors. This suggests that the crime is more rooted in economics than race. They have a small middle class and that is a problem. I saw a line of people out in front of a bank on the day the government handed out the welfare checks. But, I can observe the same in the US. South Africa's biggest job is to figure out how to reduce their unemployment rate.
The government is still delivering services, The roads are maintained and the utilities work. The small businesses seem to be functioning. The hunting economy is still very large in SA and it is functioning well. People are going about their normal day to day activities and doing well.
Yes, GM is pilling out and GM's bonds in South Africa are rated as 'junk'. However, Chinese manufacturing in South Africa appears to be increasing. I picked up a South African magazine at the airport and it seems that the Chinese are exploring the idea of opening a aircraft manufacturing plant in South Africa. Japanese made vehicles are plentiful and everywhere. We spend 7 days hunting in a Japanese Toyota Hillex with 4 wheel drive and that vehicle was incredible. It went everywhere. I came a wondering whether we Americans should not be trying to figure out what it takes to compete in that market.
The South African farmers that I talked with indicated that "South Africa is a 1st world nation with a 3rd world problem". They realize that they are loosing their professionals. They told me that the Doctors trained in SA are going to Canada because the health care system in Canada is more lucrative etc. That concerns them. I loved talking with the farmers etc. They are the same "salt of the earth" genuine individuals I find associated with agriculture in the US.
I would return to another hunt in South Africa without hesitation.
