TOURISM CONSTRAINTS OF UMLAZI TOWNSHIP RESIDENTS ...

The consequences ofthis fear ofcrime are numerous and can take various forms.Fear can lead to avoidance behaviour - as when normal activities are curtailed andcertain areas are avoided.People can change their lifestyles in order to protectthemselves from crime. People can avoid getting into aeroplanes because ofthe fearof hijacking. They can avoid using road transport because of the fear of carhijacking and violence - particularly taxi violence which is so prevalent on the SouthAfrican roads at the moment. All this impacts heavily on tourism. People also stoptaking holidays because they fear that their houses will be broken into during theirabsence.In the proceedings of a conference entitled Managing Crime in the New SouthAfrica: A Practical and Affordable Approach, held in Pretoria in 1992, Glanz hadthis to say about the rate ofcrime in South Africa:Few would dispute the contention that the problem ofcrime in South Africa has reached critical proportions.The threat to personal safety which. is felt by mostcitizens is eroding the very fabric ofsocial life. Peopleare restricting their social activities and altering theirnormal behaviour patterns because of the fear ofcrime.The more affluent members of society have surroundedtheir homes with high waIls and have installed extremelysophisticated security systems. Those with limitedresources live with the constant threat ofpersonal attackand loss ofproperty (Glanz, 1993: 11 0).This increasing crime rate is experienced at a crucial period when South Africa iscontemplating the opportunities presented by the lifting of international trade andcultural sanctions after the abolition of apartheid.Some of the opportunitiescontemplated is the development of the tourism industry both nationally andinternationally. The liberaIization of air regulation for both domestic and27'.