I am a South African living and working in the UK. Never been affected by crime in SA and would / will go back there to complete my training. I come from the sunny coast of Durban where Natal Flight Centre would be the place I would go back to.
Regarding crime, it's everywhere! I feel more 'uneasy' walking along a road here in the UK after dark with 4 or more youths approaching me than I used to walking home after my shift at a local night club bar at 3am back in SA!! If we going to drag up headlines, how about the Brazilian bloke who was shot for a mistaken identity by coppers! Now if I was anywhere else in the world looking to start a flying course, reading the press would I come to the UK ...... surely not as you get shot by coppers sitting on a tube!!!
Seriously, go to SA and see what you think for yourselves! I have taken many English mates I have met during the past 5 years in the UK back for holidays and they LOVED IT!!!