Embassy of Saudi Arabia in Pretoria, South Africa; address 711 Jan Shoba Street, 0083, Pretoria; phone +27120720200. Head of mission: Faisal F Al-Harbi.
Head of mission: Faisal F Al-Harbi, Ambassador (as of 2025)
Saudi Arabia is becoming an increasingly attractive destination for South African visitors due to its rich cultural heritage and important religious sites. The country is actively diversifying its economy away from oil by investing in tourism infrastructure, which enhances its appeal as a diverse travel destination. This makes it particularly interesting for a segment of South Africa's 60 million population.
Saudi Arabia is generally considered safer for tourists compared to South Africa. According to the Global Peace Index, Saudi Arabia ranks 100th out of 160 countries, while South Africa ranks 125th. The murder rate in Saudi Arabia is significantly lower, at 0.8 per 100,000 people, compared to South Africa’s rate of 41.9. In terms of organized crime, Saudi Arabia has lower indices for mafia groups (3.0) and foreign crime (3.0) compared to South Africa (7.0). However, Saudi Arabia has higher indices for state crime (8.0) and human trafficking (8.5). Overall, while both countries have areas of concern, Saudi Arabia presents a safer environment for tourists from South Africa based on crime statistics.