These are the tourist scams Trzly has documented across Afrika Kusini, grouped by destination. Each one is real, with a clear way to stay safe. Read before you land.
Jinsi inavyofanya kazi: Skimming devices occasionally appear on standalone ATMs, and strangers who offer to 'help' with a stuck card or a confusing machine sometimes memorise your PIN or swap your card.
Jinsi ya kuuepuka: Use ATMs inside banks or shopping malls, cover the keypad when entering your PIN, and never accept help from a stranger at the machine.
Jinsi inavyofanya kazi: Informal, unbadged 'car guards' sometimes pressure visitors into paying an inflated fee to watch a parked car, occasionally becoming aggressive if refused.
Jinsi ya kuuepuka: A small tip for a genuinely badged car guard is normal and appreciated, but you are not obligated to pay an aggressive unbadged tout; park in an attended, well-lit lot where possible.
Jinsi inavyofanya kazi: Taxis without a working meter, especially at the airport or tourist sites, sometimes quote a price well above the standard fare once you are already inside.
Jinsi ya kuuepuka: Agree the fare before getting in if no meter is running, or use a rideshare app that shows the price upfront.
Jinsi inavyofanya kazi: Thieves occasionally break a car window at a traffic light or in a parking area to grab a visible phone, bag or camera from the seat.
Jinsi ya kuuepuka: Keep valuables out of sight in the car at all times, and put bags in the boot before you start driving rather than after you stop.
Jinsi inavyofanya kazi: At a cash machine, a friendly stranger offers to help — often saying the machine is faulty — then watches your PIN and swaps your card for a similar one, or distracts you while an accomplice does. You leave with the wrong card and they drain your account.
Jinsi ya kuuepuka: Only use ATMs inside shopping malls or banks, never street machines. Refuse all offers of help, shield the keypad, and if anyone crowds you, cancel and walk away. If your card is 'swallowed', call your bank yourself — don't accept a stranger's phone or advice.
Jinsi inavyofanya kazi: At red traffic lights (robots), thieves smash a car window and grab phones, bags or laptops left on the seat, then run. It is one of Johannesburg's most common street crimes and can happen in daylight in good areas.
Jinsi ya kuuepuka: Keep windows up, doors locked and all valuables out of sight in the boot or footwell. Leave a gap to the car ahead so you can pull away, stay alert at intersections, and be extra careful after dark. In a rideshare, keep your phone down and bag off the seat.
Jinsi inavyofanya kazi: People in convincing uniforms stop tourists to 'check' their ID, wallet or bag for drugs or counterfeit notes, then palm cash or cards. South Africa has no dedicated 'tourist police', so anyone using that title is a scammer.
Jinsi ya kuuepuka: Real officers do not search your wallet or take your money on the street. Ask for ID, don't hand over cash or your passport, offer to go to the nearest police station, and call a hotel or your ride-hailing driver if you feel pressured.
Jinsi inavyofanya kazi: Inside the OR Tambo arrivals hall, touts approach tired arrivals offering 'taxis' at inflated, arbitrary fares in unregistered, uninsured cars, sometimes with a detour or a demand for more money on arrival.
Jinsi ya kuuepuka: Never accept a ride from anyone who approaches you inside the terminal. Walk to the Gautrain, the official metered-taxi rank, or your pre-booked Uber/Bolt pickup point, and only get into a car you booked in an app or arranged with your hotel.
Jinsi inavyofanya kazi: Displaying a phone, camera, jewellery or a full backpack while walking in the CBD, around Park Station or on quiet streets marks you as a target for muggings and 'follow-home' theft, especially after dark.
Jinsi ya kuuepuka: Don't walk through the inner city carrying valuables; keep your phone pocketed and jewellery off. Explore the CBD, Soweto and Maboneng on a guided tour or by rideshare door to door, carry only what you need, and after dark move by car, not on foot.
Jinsi inavyofanya kazi: Some street or rank metered taxis quote inflated 'tourist' prices, take longer routes, or claim a broken meter, charging far more than a fair fare for the trip.
Jinsi ya kuuepuka: Use Uber or Bolt, where the price is fixed in the app before you ride and the driver is tracked. If you must take a metered taxi, agree the fare before setting off and have a rough idea of the distance.