Safety in Cape Town: what the FCDO says and how Brits actually live with it

Most Brits in Cape Town live happily and safely, but they do it by changing a handful of habits from day one.

The short version

• The FCDO says South Africa has "a high crime rate", with most violent crime in townships, informal settlements, some city centres and isolated areas, and a higher threat after dark [1].
• On arrival, stay on the N2 and M3 from Cape Town International, avoid the R300, and use the airport approach road rather than Borcherd's Quarry Road [1].
• Hike Table Mountain, Lion's Head and Signal Hill on busy, marked trails in groups of four or more, and avoid quiet times early and late [1].
• Use ride-hailing apps properly: check the registration and the driver match the app, and wait somewhere safe, not on the street [1].
• Save 112 (from a mobile), 10111 (police) and 10177 (ambulance and fire) in your phone today [3].

What the FCDO travel advice says

We read the FCDO's South Africa travel advice when we checked on 7 November 2026. The page was "still current at 7 November 2026" and last updated on 5 November 2026, with new information on fraud, scams, taxis and ride-hailing apps [2]. Travel advice is written for visitors, but it's the best official summary of the risks, and it's worth reading in full before you move. Here are the points that matter most for Cape Town residents.

Carjacking and the car

Carjacking is the risk that most changes how locals drive. The FCDO says it's common, especially after dark and at traffic lights, junctions and petrol stations, and that criminals may put spikes, stones or glass in the road, or pose as police with blue lights [1]. Its advice if it happens to you is blunt: don't resist, because resisting can lead to a violent reaction [1].

The habits locals use:

• Leave space in front of you at red lights so you can pull away.
• Keep bags, phones and laptops in the boot, never on the passenger seat.
• Don't stop for "broken-down" motorists; call it in instead [1].
• Watch your mirror as you turn into your own road, and wait in the street if you're unsure, rather than sitting in front of a slow gate.
• Keep the tank above half full, as the FCDO suggests for longer drives [1].

Our guide to driving and getting around Cape Town covers licences and the rules of the road. In short, the FCDO says a UK photocard licence can be used for up to 12 months [1].

Cards, cash and cash machines

The FCDO advises hiding your PIN, being wary of strangers offering to help at cash machines, and changing large sums only in banks or secure shopping centres [1]. Most Capetonians pay by card or phone and use the cash machines inside malls rather than on the street. Card cloning and phone scams are common, which is why the FCDO's latest update added more on fraud [2].

Choosing a neighbourhood

There's no official "safe neighbourhoods" list, and we won't pretend to give one. What we can say is how Brits tend to choose:

• Walkability matters more than postcode. Areas such as Sea Point and Green Point on the Atlantic Seaboard, or Kalk Bay and Muizenberg on the False Bay side, have busy promenades and high streets where you can walk in daylight. Many of the leafy Southern Suburbs (Rondebosch, Newlands, Claremont) and the northern suburbs (Durbanville, Table View) are quieter and more car-based.
• Visit at night. View a flat after dark. Is the street lit? Are people out? Where would you park?
• Ask about the street, not just the suburb. Crime in Cape Town is very local. A road backing onto a greenbelt or mountain path can be different from one two minutes away.
• Look for a neighbourhood watch or improvement district. Many suburbs have a residents' neighbourhood watch, and parts of the city centre and other areas have city improvement districts that pay for extra patrols and cleaning.
• Check the security of the building. In flats, look for controlled access, secure parking and a working intercom.

Our guide to renting in Cape Town has more on finding a place, and our community group for Brits in South Africa is a good place to ask about specific streets.

Getting around, especially after dark

The FCDO advises against walking around after dark [1]. In practice most Brits in Cape Town drive or use ride-hailing apps in the evening, even for short trips.

1. Ride-hailing apps: The FCDO says scammers target passengers, especially at airports. Use the official app, check the registration and driver ID match before you get in, and wait in a safe place rather than on the street [1].
2. Strikes: Tension between ride-hailing and metered-taxi drivers has led to armed violence. During strikes, the FCDO suggests using other private transport [1].
3. Minibus taxis: These are minimally regulated, vehicle standards vary, and there's a greater risk of theft and violence [1]. Most newcomers give them a miss.
4. MyCiTi buses: The City's bus network runs from Atlantis to Hout Bay and from Sea Point to Khayelitsha, paid with a myconnect card [5]. It's handy for the Atlantic Seaboard and city centre by day, but heed the FCDO advice about not using it to visit townships [1].
5. Power cuts: The FCDO notes that outages knock out traffic lights, alarms and petrol stations and can raise crime risk [1]. Our load-shedding and water guide explains where that stands in 2026.

Hiking, beaches and the mountain

Table Mountain National Park is the best thing about living here, and you should use it. The FCDO notes recent attacks on hikers, including on Lion's Head and Signal Hill, and advises avoiding quieter areas, especially early in the morning and in the evening, sticking to busy marked trails and hiking in groups of four or more [1].

A few habits on top:

• Tell someone your route and when you'll be back.
• Take water, a charged phone and a layer. The weather on the mountain turns fast, much like the Lake District, only hotter.
• Save the Wilderness Search and Rescue number, +27 21 937 0300, and the sea rescue number listed by the FCDO, +27 87 094 9774 [3].
• On the beach, don't leave bags unattended while you swim.

Home security

Home security in Cape Town is a normal part of life rather than paranoia. A typical house has burglar bars, a monitored alarm with an "armed response" company that sends a patrol when it goes off, outside beams, an electric fence and an automatic gate. Flats usually have controlled access and guarded parking.

Before you sign a lease or buy, check:

• whether the alarm is monitored and who pays the monthly fee
• whether the alarm, gate motor and electric fence have working battery backup
• the burglar bars and security gates on doors that open onto the garden
• the lighting outside, and whether it's on a sensor
• what your contents insurance needs (many insurers want a monitored alarm)

Your UK home insurance and travel insurance won't cover a home in South Africa once you live there, so arrange a local policy. The FCDO's Living in South Africa guide also reminds you there's no reciprocal health agreement with the UK, so you'll need health cover too [4].

If something goes wrong

1. Call 112 from a mobile, 10111 for the police, or 10177 for an ambulance or the fire service [3].
2. Get a case number from the South African Police Service. Insurers and banks will want it.
3. Cancel cards and block your phone.
4. If your passport is stolen, contact the British Consulate General in Cape Town or the British High Commission in Pretoria [6]. Our guide to consular help from the FCDO explains what they can and can't do.
5. Family back home can call the FCDO in London on 020 7008 5000, 24 hours a day [3].

Sources

1. GOV.UK (FCDO): South Africa travel advice – safety and security
2. GOV.UK (FCDO): South Africa travel advice (still current at 7 November 2026, updated 5 November 2026)
3. GOV.UK (FCDO): South Africa travel advice – getting help
4. GOV.UK (FCDO): Living in South Africa
5. MyCiTi (City of Cape Town)
6. GOV.UK: British Consulate General Cape Town

Keep reading

• Moving to Cape Town as a Brit
• Driving and getting around Cape Town
• Load-shedding, water and backup power in Cape Town
• Consular help from the FCDO