Maseru - Post Report Question and Answers
Are there personal security concerns to be aware of at this post? Please describe.
Be aware of your surroundings. No huge issues but I lived in a house with a compound wall and drove a personal vehicle. I occasionally heard about some of the Peace Corps volunteers getting robbed when walking around the city. - Aug 2020
Westerners are not usually targets for crime, but we are very aware of our surroundings and cautious just as you would be in South Africa. There do seem to be frequent robberies and we hear gun shots occasionally from our house. However, we have felt safe with our 24-hour guards, alarm system, and dogs. Traffic accidents and the lack of nearby medical care are our biggest worries. - May 2016
We didn't experience anything, but this is a 'critical crime' post. Vigilance must be practiced, and just don't do anything stupid. Most expats and wealthier homes in Maseru all have high fences with barbed wire and 24-hour guards, but I knew of one case where a guard actually broke in to a residence. Car lock 'jamming' was common in the mall parking lots/garages. This is an extremely poor country, so those who have something really do stick out. - Aug 2015
Maseru is a critical crime threat post. Twenty-four hour residential guards are recommended, as home invasions (armed, but generally people who cooperate are not harmed) are not uncommon. Street crime (muggings and even sexual assault) have increased in number since Dec 08 and expats have been targeted in these crimes of opportunity. - Jun 2010
Yes. U.S. Embassy advises people not to walk around downtown Maseru. There have been assaults including right outside the U.S. Embassy. There have been home invasions so the residential security guards are a wonderful asset. - Mar 2009
