Ryan, these are the snakes I grew up with. It is perhaps not fair to compare them to snakes in the US, but my reactions stem from lessons learned in childhood. I don't go out of my way to hunt and kill snakes, but I will not have them around my house with my kids either. Check out my "rogues gallery" from childhood.
Spitting Cobra-Reports from people I trust tell of venom placement directly on windows and in one case a pair of glasses. Keep well away.
Black Mamba. One of the deadliest snakes in the world, highly aggressive. The "arrow" shape of the head is not very emphasized.
Green Mamba. Much shyer than its black cousin, but rather poisonous in its own right. "Arrow" shape of head not very pronounced.
Boomslang. The tree snake. A timid snake, bites to humans generally occur when people attempt to handle the snake. Potentially deadly hemotoxin.
Now, not every venemous snake hid its identity like the ones mentioned above. The puff adder was also indigenous to the area. A young friend of mine was bitten by a night adder, and I came within a hairs breadth of being bitten myself.