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Google Delists Suburb Pockets of Cape Town from Navigational Apps due to Security Concerns

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(3 minutes read) (Global)

Google Gnavigation apps, Waze and Google Maps, will no longer guide users through Cape Town’s Nyanga township and nearby areas

Google navigation apps, Waze and Google Maps, will no longer guide users through Cape Town’s Nyanga township and nearby areas. Increased security concerns are engulfing suburbs of Cape Town as more and more cases of robbery and violence are reported. As a consequence of these developments, Google navigation apps, Waze and Google Maps, will no longer guide users through Cape Town’s Nyanga township and nearby areas. This was announced by Alistair Mokoena, the company’s South Africa head recently.

Last week, a US tourist was robbed at gunpoint.  He was also shot in the face in Nyanga while following the navigation app’s route that directed him through the township as the quickest path from Cape Town International Airport to the city.

In September, British surgeon Kar Hao Teoh, was fatally shot during a protest by taxi operators in the same township. Individuals, mostly tourists, have been attacked or killed while driving through Nyanga, often after heeding the advice of navigation apps.

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The UK government issued a warning to its citizens visiting South Africa, urging caution when relying on GPS navigation.  It has advised against taking alternative routes away from main roads, as these routes can lead to less secure areas. The advisory highlighted that most violent crimes occur in townships on the outskirts of major cities or in isolated areas.