• The advisory tells tourists to stay off the roads at night and avoid helping strangers who look like they are in trouble.

• Cape Town's airport route and city centres after dark are listed as major danger zones.

The Canadian government has a blunt message for its citizens visiting South Africa: watch your back.

In a new travel advisory issued on 4 December, Canada listed the country as a high-risk destination.

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Travellers are being urged to "exercise a high degree of caution" due to a "significant level of serious crime".

The list of dangers is long.

It includes armed robberies, home invasions, carjackings, sexual assaults and murders.

The government specifically highlighted "express kidnappings". This is where victims are grabbed and forced to withdraw money from ATMs, sometimes being held overnight to make a second withdrawal.

The advisory gives strict instructions on how to stay safe.

• Travellers are told to avoid city centres and townships after dark. They should keep valuables hidden and only use reputable tour operators.
• On the roads, drivers need to be on high alert.
• Carjackings and smash-and-grabs are described as "common".
• Criminals are known to throw nails or rocks at cars or pretend to be in distress to get drivers to stop. The advice is simple: keep windows up, doors locked, and do not stop to help strangers.

Cape Town gets a special mention.

Travellers heading to the airport are warned to stick to the N2 and strictly avoid Borcherds Quarry Road, which has been the site of numerous attacks.

Women and LGBTQ+ travellers were urged to be especially careful, with reports of targeted violence and online scams.

The warning follows similar red flags raised by the US and China earlier this year.