If you traveled to South Africa for the World Cup Soccer Games, I hope you made serious preparations for your personal safety. Inasmuch as I was forewarned about the crime, nothing prepared me for the first-hand stories of violence I encountered while I was there. Everyone I met had a tale of violence to relate.

The corruption and violence in South Africa is inspired from the top and reminds me of Zimbabwe -- they don’t turn a blind eye to violence, they cheer it on. The cities seem calm but any expectations of law and order is clearly a fantasy. The violence is not as overt as in Somalia, but in a way it’s worse – you are lulled into a false sense of security -- things seem peaceful at first but suddenly you’re surrounded by four guys with knives, machetes – or even AK-47s.

United Nations Ranks South Africa as a Top Crime Country

According to the United Nations, South Africa ranks among the top countries in crime. This includes: murders, car hijackings, robberies and violence on farms. Rapes and sexual assaults are the highest of any country – including ...more