Cape Town among Top 5 summer destinations raising safety concerns for teens

by Staff Bona

With high crime levels and low political stability, Cape Town, South Africa, is among the most dangerous spots for teenagers to visit.

Also see: Cape Town voted ‘World’s Most Beautiful City’ in 2026

A July 2026 teen travel safety report released by iSharing, a family location tracking app, named Cape Town the fourth riskiest spot to visit during the summer months. The research examined 30 cities around the world to find where teenagers face the highest safety risks during summer travel.

The study looked at safety, with the crime index measuring everyday theft, assaults, and scams, and the homicide rate tracking violent death risks. Human trafficking was also taken into account as a reflection of the danger of organised exploitation. Healthcare was measured through emergency care quality, while the political stability index reflects overall peacefulness.

Here are the 10 most dangerous summer destinations for teens:

  1. Mexico City, Mexico
  2. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
  3. Marrakech, Morocco
  4. Cape Town, South Africa
  5. London, United Kingdom
  6. New York, United States
  7. Athens, Greece
  8. Los Angeles, United States
  9. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
  10. Paris, France

Also see: UK woman goes viral after calling Cape Town mall biggest in South Africa

Tourists should look out for their safety in Cape Town

Cape Town has the highest homicide rate in the study at 39.7 deaths per 100K people. The crime index is also very high at 73.5, meaning theft and assault are common.

Additionally, the healthcare is below the level of major Western cities, with an index of 64, so a victim of violence may not receive the same standard of emergency care. The city’s climate is milder than in Mexico City or Marrakech, which rank a bit higher, but summer heat also poses more risks, especially for younger tourists.

What the experts say

A family safety expert from iSharing commented on the topic:

“A city can have a low average crime but dangerous neighbourhoods. A city can have a high average crime rate but safe streets where tourists stay. Statistics flatten those differences.

“A parent needs to know where their teenager actually is, not where the average visitor goes. A simple check on a phone screen, seeing a dot move across a map in real time, turns a citywide risk number into a personal safety alert.”

Also see: Kenny Lattimore returns to SA for one-night-only Cape Town show

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