aren't they? Well, good. But you have all these snakes and bugs and so on, no? Plus, maybe the man was going to participate in some arranged safari. Why could not he wear his outfit if he liked it?

Is this a question or a complaint? If it's a legitimate question, then, Don't all animals run around?

it sounds to me like you live in a city and hav'nt actually seen that much of South Africa

Gosh, thanks for 'some info', it would have never occurred to me…

Juds. I've become numb to these people. The fact that you can make postings on this website says nothing to them! During one of my visits to America (in 1997 to be exact) our host lady at one of the municipalities asked us whether we feel comfortable in the clothes, which according to her were bought at JFK. Part of taking us to tour the city, she even took to an ATM to tell us how it works. There's so much stereotyping I come across everytime I meet those people. While one can understand that in some cases it is pure ignorance, in some instances I have a feeling that it is unequalled prejudice!

Alot of foreigners is just very naive and a little ignorant. If you see South Africa on the telly here in the UK you only see wild animals etc. You don't really see the cities etc. I am South African and my wife is British and in the beginning of our relationship she didn't know we have tarred roads and brick houses etc and I think that is down to the media. I have learned to just laugh it off and put it down to them being a bit thick.

just ignore all ignorant people who are uneducated and believe such silly things about south africa. just enjoy our beautiful country.you should see the things i get asked (im a south african living in greece)the usual why are you light skinned and not dark skinned like all the people in africa.and then they look at me strangely.i just dont pay any attention and so should you

It has never dawned on you that South Africa is so irrelevant in the global World that Americans and Europeans dont need to know anything about it. However, your question is a gross exaggeration. I live in England and there are so many South Africans here that you cannot but help knowing about the place.That is why we stay away.

This question is posted every week!!!
By now everyone knows there are no wild running animals in SA.

No matter how many times you post this issue people will stay ignorant untill they see it for themselves.
I personally hate people who think we are just some monkeys running around with lions and elephants.
But really I have accepted that GOd made stupid people too, eslse our lives would have been so boring!

Why do you care of people choose to stay ignorant.

I find it amusing that some folk still think that there are lions living on Table Mountain and the surrounding mountains. True there are snakes but really! I am just tired of it

It is good to hear that you are living such a normal life. Actually, all South Africans do not have AIDS but over 4 million do, you may have a computer and a car but not all South Africans do, you may not live in a hut but many South Africans do.
As far as the wild animal question goes, they are not running around everywhere, neither are they in Kenya or Tanzania or Botswana…..but I have personally seen a wild elephant at a South African border which had to be shooed away as he was making the tourists nervous.

because they dont know any better

Juds, you are new here, right? Welcome to the club. But this question is posted at least once a week here by some South African who talked to some ignorant American. And the phrase "running around" always features.

Sigh