{"license":"CC BY 4.0 — attribution: IsMyTripSafe.com","source":"https://ismytripsafe.com/south-africa/johannesburg-cbd","updatedAt":"2026-11-05T19:19:46.367Z","place":{"city":"Johannesburg CBD","country":"South Africa","countryCode":"ZA","lat":-26.2,"lon":28.03333},"safety":{"score":40,"level":"CAUTION","answer":"Caution advised","saferThanPctOfCountries":27,"confidence":0.83,"caps":[],"databaseScore":41,"travellerSentiment":{"score":37,"label":"Very Negative","summary":"Only 37% of residents feel safe walking alone after dark, indicating widespread concern about personal security.","weightInScore":0.18,"components":[{"label":"Reported feel","score":30,"weight":0.35},{"label":"Robbery risk","score":34,"weight":0.45},{"label":"Pickpocket risk","score":58,"weight":0.2}]},"categories":[{"key":"crime","label":"Crime","score":33,"tier":1},{"key":"sentiment","label":"Traveller Sentiment","score":37,"tier":1},{"key":"advisories","label":"Advisories","score":75,"tier":2},{"key":"stability","label":"Stability","score":64,"tier":2},{"key":"health","label":"Health & Air","score":65,"tier":2}]},"advisories":[{"source":"U.S. Department of State","level":2,"label":"Exercise Increased Caution","updated":"Tue, 27 May 2025","url":"https://travel.state.gov/content/tsg_aem/us/en/home/international-travel/travel-advisories/destination.zaf.html"},{"source":"UK Foreign Office (FCDO)","level":1,"label":"No advisory against travel","updated":"2026-11-05T11:07:46Z","url":"https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/south-africa"},{"source":"Government of Canada","level":2,"label":"Exercise a high degree of caution","updated":"2026-10-28T13:04:44.2520526-04:00","url":"https://travel.gc.ca/destinations/south-africa"}],"indicators":[{"key":"homicide","label":"Homicide rate","value":43.7202551331462,"display":"43.7 / 100k","year":"2022","score":7,"source":"World Bank Open Data"},{"key":"crime_major_constraint","label":"Crime seen as a major business constraint","value":40.4,"display":"40.4%","year":"2007","score":26,"source":"World Bank Enterprise Surveys"},{"key":"terrorism_deaths_pm","label":"Terrorism deaths (latest year)","value":0.1235572394897154,"display":"0.12 / million","year":"2021","score":91,"source":"Global Terrorism Database"},{"key":"road_deaths","label":"Road traffic deaths","value":22.2,"display":"22.2 / 100k","year":"2019","score":38,"source":"UN SDG (via Our World in Data)"},{"key":"stability","label":"Political stability & no terrorism","value":58.9198341,"display":"59/100","year":"2025","score":59,"source":"World Bank Governance Indicators"},{"key":"rule_of_law","label":"Rule of law","value":59.3034187,"display":"59/100","year":"2025","score":59,"source":"World Bank Governance Indicators"},{"key":"corruption","label":"Control of corruption","value":45.3510173,"display":"45/100","year":"2025","score":45,"source":"World Bank Governance Indicators"},{"key":"gov_effectiveness","label":"Government effectiveness","value":51.872237,"display":"52/100","year":"2025","score":52,"source":"World Bank Governance Indicators"},{"key":"regulatory","label":"Regulatory quality","value":54.3217993,"display":"54/100","year":"2025","score":54,"source":"World Bank Governance Indicators"},{"key":"voice","label":"Voice & accountability","value":70.2179531,"display":"70/100","year":"2025","score":70,"source":"World Bank Governance Indicators"},{"key":"numbeo_crime_index","label":"Crime index (crowdsourced)","value":74.5,"display":"74.5 / 100","year":null,"score":22,"source":"Numbeo Crime Index"},{"key":"safe_walking_dark","label":"Feel safe walking alone after dark","value":37,"display":"37.0%","year":"2022","score":30,"source":"UN SDG Global Database"},{"key":"human_trafficking_victims","label":"Detected human-trafficking victims","value":0.03,"display":"0.03 / 100k","year":"2022","score":92,"source":"UN SDG Global Database"},{"key":"bribery_contact_rate","label":"Bribery during public-official contact","value":18,"display":"18.0%","year":"2019","score":62,"source":"UN SDG Global Database"},{"key":"air_quality","label":"Air quality","value":81,"display":"US AQI 81 · Moderate","year":null,"score":75,"source":"Open-Meteo Air Quality"},{"key":"health","label":"Travel health notices","value":null,"display":"3 global notices","year":null,"score":92,"source":"CDC Travelers' Health"},{"key":"hospitals","label":"Hospitals nearby","value":22.512779725,"display":"23 beds / 10k · country avg","year":"2010","score":65,"source":"WHO Global Health Observatory"},{"key":"weather","label":"Extreme weather","value":32,"display":"November: highs ~32°C · wet spell","year":null,"score":92,"source":"Open-Meteo"},{"key":"natural_hazards","label":"Natural hazards","value":5,"display":"5 active alerts · Wildfire (green)","year":null,"score":81,"source":"GDACS / USGS"},{"key":"advisory","label":"Government travel advisory","value":2,"display":"Level 2 — Exercise Increased Caution · 2 govts","year":null,"score":75,"source":"CA / US"},{"key":"research_robbery_risk","label":"Mugging & robbery risk","value":2,"display":"High risk","year":null,"score":34,"source":"City Web Research"},{"key":"research_pickpocket_risk","label":"Pickpocketing & theft risk","value":2,"display":"High risk","year":null,"score":58,"source":"City Web Research"},{"key":"research_sentiment_score","label":"Visitor safety sentiment","value":30,"display":"30 / 100 (Very Negative)","year":null,"score":30,"source":"City Web Research"}],"healthNotices":[{"level":"Alert","title":"Global Polio","url":"https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/notices/level2/global-polio"},{"level":"Watch","title":"Global Dengue","url":"https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/notices/level1/dengue-global"},{"level":"Watch","title":"Global Measles","url":"https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/notices/level1/measles-globe"}],"hazardAlerts":[{"kind":"Wildfire","severity":"green","title":"forest fire notification in Botswana","distanceKm":459},{"kind":"Wildfire","severity":"green","title":"forest fire notification in South Africa","distanceKm":472},{"kind":"Wildfire","severity":"green","title":"forest fire notification in South Africa","distanceKm":473},{"kind":"Wildfire","severity":"green","title":"forest fire notification in Botswana","distanceKm":475},{"kind":"Wildfire","severity":"green","title":"forest fire notification in Botswana","distanceKm":495}],"fieldResearch":{"verdict":"Johannesburg CBD presents a high risk to travelers and requires extreme vigilance.","summary":"Johannesburg CBD faces significant safety challenges due to high rates of violent crime, including robbery and mugging. Recent protests have also disrupted the area, leading to foreign government advisories to exercise increased caution or a high degree of caution. Visitors should avoid walking alone, especially after dark, and rely on reputable transportation.","robberyRisk":{"level":"High","note":"Armed robbery and mugging are common, particularly in city centers and after dark."},"pickpocketRisk":{"level":"High","note":"Pickpocketing and bag-snatching are widespread in crowded areas like malls, markets, and public transport."},"safeAreas":["Sandton","Rosebank","Melrose Arch"],"avoidAreas":["Johannesburg CBD (high crime, recent protests)","Hillbrow (high crime)","Berea (high crime)"],"scams":["Fraudulent short-term rental listings, often advertised in areas like Sandton and Rosebank but potentially targeting visitors anywhere, where payment is made outside official platforms and the property does not exist.","Distraction pickpocketing scams, where a group may create a diversion to steal from individuals in crowded areas.","Fake taxis and overcharging by unofficial transport providers."],"zones":[{"name":"Johannesburg CBD","level":"avoid","note":"High crime rates, including muggings and robberies, make the CBD a high-risk area, especially after dark. Recent protests have also caused disruptions."},{"name":"Hillbrow","level":"avoid","note":"Consistently cited as a dangerous area with high levels of crime, including muggings and carjackings."},{"name":"Berea","level":"avoid","note":"Similar to Hillbrow, Berea is frequently mentioned as an area with significant safety concerns and high crime rates."},{"name":"Sandton","level":"safe","note":"Considered a safe and modern business hub with private security, upscale malls, and hotels."},{"name":"Rosebank","level":"safe","note":"A trendy area with galleries and markets, generally safe during the day and around the mall at night."},{"name":"Melrose Arch","level":"safe","note":"An artsy neighborhood with restaurants, considered safe during the day; use ride-hailing services at night."}]}}