Namibia 2018 Crime & Safety Report According to the current U.S. Department of State Travel Advisory at the date of this report’s publication, Namibia has been assessed as Level 1 – Exercise normal precautions. Overall Crime and Safety Situation U.S. Embassy Windhoek does not assume responsibility for the professional ability or integrity of the persons or firms appearing in this report. The ACS Unit cannot recommend a particular individual or location and assumes no responsibility for the quality of service provided. The U.S. Department of State has assessed Windhoek as being a CRITICAL-threat location for crime directed at or affecting official U.S. government interests. Please review OSAC’s Namibia-specific page for original OSAC reporting, consular messages, and contact information, some of which may be available only to private-sector representatives with an OSAC password. Crime Threats Americans have regularly fallen victim to street crime. The most common incidents are non-violent crimes of opportunity (pickpocketing, purse snatching, theft/scams near ATMs, vehicle break-ins), committed by thieves who rely on stealth, surprise, or opportunity. Pickpocketing and purse- snatching are most likely to take place in downtown shopping areas and other high-traffic locations where foreign visitors congregate. Incidents occur more frequently after dark and increase slightly on the weekends when there is less pedestrian traffic. Walking alone at night is not advisable in the downtown areas, lower socio- economic/informal settlement areas, public parks, and other desolate or poorly illuminated areas. Additionally, people walking the streets alone, especially after normal business hours or after dark, with purses, bags, or backpacks are frequently targeted for the contents of their bags, especially electronics that are easily sold on the black market. Criminals sometimes brandish knives and occasionally firearms. In most cases, assailants leave the victim unharmed after receiving cash and/or a cellular phone. Theft from motor vehicles remains a concern. These types of crime usually involve smash-and- grab patterns and are sometimes associated with violence. They can occur when the vehicle is unattended or stopped in traffic at busy intersections. In the latter case, thieves often attempt to distract the driver by asking questions, begging for money, or knocking on the driver’s side door. Meanwhile, an accomplice on the passenger side attempts to unlock a door or break a window to steal anything of value. This most commonly occurs in the downtown areas of Windhoek. Criminals are also known to use remote key fobs to unlock vehicle doors. Criminals jam key fob devices in malls and other publicly accessible areas with vehicles. Visitors should manually double-check their vehicle doors to ensure the fob signal was not interfered with and, critically, should not leave anything inside the vehicle that would tempt a crime of opportunity. Residential break-ins remain prevalent. Criminals generally target unoccupied residences; however, home invasions resulting in violence do occur when criminals encountered residents. 1 During December-January holiday season, this type of crime increases in frequency. A similar increase occurs during the Easter holiday week, as many people are away from home. Major credit cards are widely accepted at most businesses in Namibia, and reports of credit card skimming and cloning do occur. ATMs are prevalent, and reports of ATM card cloning also occur. The incidences of credit card and ATM fraud are comparable to that of the U.S. Report any theft/loss to your financial institution immediately. Use ATMs that are in public, illuminated areas and that have a uniformed security guard presence. For more information, please review OSAC’s Report, “The Overseas Traveler’s Guide to ATM Skimmers & Fraud.” Cybersecurity Issues Namibia has a growing communications network with reliable internet and data services. Reports of cyber scams and cybersecurity issues are rare. Most cyber scams are via SMS due to the large percentage of Namibians who own cellular phones. Most such scams involve phishing messages purporting to be from a bank or other reputable organization. The SMS asks the user to click on a link or send personal information. Make a habit of regularly checking bank statements and online banking transaction history to identify any irregularities. Other Areas of Concern The poaching of endangered wildlife species occurs in Namibia. Visitors in national parks or game lodges should follow instructions from game wardens and law enforcement officials patrolling those areas. Poachers generally carry large caliber weapons, and shoot-outs between law enforcement officials and poachers are known to occur, sometimes resulting in serious injury or death. Transportation-Safety Situation For more information, please review OSAC’s Report, “Security in Transit: Airplanes, Public Transport, and Overnights.” Road Safety and Road Conditions Driving can be hazardous. Although major roads are generally well-maintained, Namibia’s network of gravel secondary roads can be dangerous, with areas of washboarding on heavily used roads developing year round and flooding possible during the rainy season. Defensive driving is essential on all roads to compensate for road conditions and the excessive speed and reckless passing tactics used by many drivers. Driving at night outside urban areas is dangerous, as darkened roads make it difficult to see road obstructions and animals. Visitors planning to drive outside Windhoek should plan to arrive at their destination before dark. Vehicles should be in good condition and appropriately equipped. Road accidents remain a major concern despite a relatively good road infrastructure and good road conditions. Road accidents are one of the most common causes of fatality in Namibia. Traffic fatalities among foreign visitors occur regularly. Drivers in urban areas should be aware that taxis often stop abruptly to pick up/discharge passengers, resulting in frequent rear-end collisions. Visitors involved in a motor vehicle accident should report to a police station within 24 hours of the accident if police were not at the accident scene and report the accident to the insurance company / car rental agency the next business day. 2 Traffic moves on the left, so it is essential to look right before crossing the street on foot or pulling onto a road in a vehicle. Drunk drivers are a major concern. In addition, auto accident victims are vulnerable to theft by those pretending to be helpful. As there are very few sidewalks or pedestrian crossings, visitors should be extremely cautious when walking, jogging, or biking. Police checkpoints are positioned approximately 15 kilometers outside the principal cities and towns on all major highways. During the holiday season, additional checkpoints may be established along the Windhoek-Swakopmund highway (B2) and near medium-sized towns. Most vehicles are allowed to proceed without inspection, but drivers should be prepared to produce vehicle registration documents, personal identification, car rental contracts, and/or drivers’ licenses on request. All drivers should plan to stop and proceed only when waved through. “For more information on self-driving, please review OSAC’s Report “Driving Overseas: Best Practices.” Public Transportation Conditions Traffic laws (including signage) are routinely ignored by many public taxi drivers, who often possess poor driving skills and/or training. These taxis are usually marked with a large letter and identifying numbers on the driver’s side door and rear window. Many of the taxis are in poor mechanical condition, with worn tires and broken and/or missing tail lights and headlights. In addition, these taxis routinely pick up multiple persons. There have been reports of additional passengers working in tandem with taxi drivers to rob passengers. Taxis found at the major hotels, taxis reserved via phone, and reserved shuttle services tend to be more reliable and will not pick up additional passengers. Aviation/Airport Conditions The Hosea Kutako International Airport in Windhoek has not experienced any prominent accidents in recent years. Small airplanes and helicopters are commonly used to transport passengers and cargo between Windhoek and distant farms and lodges. Terrorism Threat The U.S. Department of State has assessed Windhoek as being a LOW-threat location for terrorist activity directed at or affecting official U.S. government interests. Local, Regional, and International Terrorism Threats/Concerns The Namibian government is sensitive to the threat of terrorism and is engaged with international partners to combat terrorism. Visitors should consider attendance of any large public gatherings that could become attractive targets for terrorists. Transnational terrorism is a concern throughout Africa, as increased law enforcement and anti-terrorism activities in the Horn of Africa have the potential to force terrorist organizations to seek targets in areas outside their traditional sphere of operations. 3 Anti-American/Anti-Western Sentiment Bilateral relations between Namibia and the U.S. are good. Small-scale demonstrations to protest U.S. foreign policy have been held near the Embassy, but they were non-violent and have not occurred in several years. Political, Economic, Religious, and Ethnic Violence The U.S. Department of State has assessed Windhoek as being a LOW-threat location for political violence directed at or affecting