There is absolutely no need to second guess planning a trip to South Africa. These are the type of media events that create a hysteria and do irreparable harm to the safari and touring industry that the vast majority of South Africans depend on.
AlphaHunter,
I did a pretty extensive search on the Lichtenburg protest and from what I have read this was a protest against the government, not an anti-white protest. The videos definitely show a mob that burned a couple of vehicles and threw rocks and bottles at police trying to disperse them. The only casualties reported where that several hundred chickens were burnt alive in one of the trucks set afire which apparently has created an outcry from animal rights activists in the country. (true story)... No shots seen fired by the crowd or police... Where did you get that info? I'm not trying to downplay a serious situation, but the Whats App message you posted is drastically different from what is on the internet.
http://ewn.co.za/2017/04/24/spca-38-000-chicks-burnt-alive-during-lichtenburg-protest