PUBLIC HOLIDAYS

New Year’s Day 1 January
Human Rights Day 21 March
Good Friday (varies)
Family Day (varies)
Constitution Day 27 April
Workers’ Day 1 May
Youth Day 16 June
Women’s Day 9 August
Heritage Day 24 September
Day of Reconciliation 16 December
Christmas Day 25 December
Day of Goodwill 26 December

Republic of South Africa (RSA) 

Cape Town 

Bloemfontein 

ADMINISTRATIVE CAPITAL 

Pretoria

INDEPENDENCE  

31 May 1910

TIME  

GMT +2 hours

POPULATION 

43,426,386 (estimated July 1999)

AREA 

1,219,912 km2

CURRENCY  

South African Rands (ZAR)

PRESIDENT  

Thabo Mbeki (since 16 June 1999)

LANGUAGE

There are 11 official languages in South Africa: Afrikaans, English, Ndebele, Sotho (Sotho is only devided into Southern & Northern Sotho, when it comes to schools), Swazi, Tsongo, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu and Pedi. The English-speaking visitor will have no problem while travelling through the country. Below are a few words and phrases that have been translated into three of the country’s official languages – they should be helpful in most regions:

ENGLISH

AFRIKAANS

ZULU

XHOSA

Good morning

Goeie môre

Sawubona

Molo

Good afternoon

Goeie middag

Sawubona 

Molo

Good evening 

Goeie naand 

Sawubona

Molo

Goodbye

Totsiens

Hamba kahle

Hamba kakuhle

Thank you

Dankie

Ngiyabonga

Enkosi

Yes

Ja

Yebo

Ewe

My name is…

My naam is…

Igama lam ngu…

Igama lam ngu…

What is your name?

Wat is jou naam?

Igama lakho ngubani?

Ungubani Igama lakho?

Where is the nearest telephone?

Waar is die naaste telefoon?

Iphi itelefoni eseduzane?

Iphi imfonomfono ekufutshane?

Show me the way to... 

Waar is…

Ngikhombise umgwaqo oya…

Ungandikhombisa indlela ekufutshane...

CULTURE

The people of South African are made up of many diverse cultures and hence it is known as the Rainbow Nation. It has been a difficult task to unite the people under laws that represent the traditions and beliefs of all groups. The struggle to live together peacefully still continues, but South Africans are generally optimistic about living in harmony with each other, as well as the land that is so undeniably beautiful.

Many cultures are represented within South Africa. 75% of the population is made up of black cultures such as the Xhosa, Zulu, Ndebele, Venda, Sotho and Tswana. Large groups of South Africans are of mixed-race and there are also many of Asian descent. White people make up a sizable minority and are of mostly British or Afrikaans (Cape Dutch) origin.

Consequently, the modern South Africa is a vibrant mix of cultures and traditions, with influences from all over the world – Europe, Asia and Africa have all contributed to South African traditions, while the ubiquitous American pop culture has found favour especially amongst the youth.

All border posts open daily.

Border Posts:

Office Hours:

South Africa / Namibia Vioolsdrif

24 hours

South Africa / Moçambique Komatiepoort

07:00 – 22:00

South Africa / Botswana Tlokweng

07:00 – 22:00

South Africa / Zimbabwe Beitbridge

06:00 – 20:00

South Africa / Swaziland Oshoek

07:00 – 22:00

RAIL & BUS

South Africa has an extensive rail network, connecting most of the major towns. Booking must be made at least 24 hours in advance. There are a number of upmarket lines and special steam operators that offer a luxurious means of crossing the country. These should be booked through a travel agent. There are a number of long distance coach services connecting most of South Africa. Minibus taxis offer a cheap, though not always safe means of transport. By comparison to neighbouring countries, South African minibuses are less crowded and in better condition.

AIRPORTS

Domestic air services operate between the major airports:

Cape Town International (CPT)

Johannesburg International (JNB)

Durban (DUR)

Port Elizabeth (PLZ)

East London (ELS)

George (GRJ)

There are a total of 749 runways in South Africa, of which 144 are paved. Charter services can be arranged; ask your travel agent about fly-in safari options.

ROADS

Driving in South Africa is easy to adapt to, with sign posting in English and driving on the left on well-maintained roads. Your home driving licence is accepted if it has your photo; if not, an International Driving Permit should be obtained. In order to hire a car in South Africa, you must have held a valid driver’s license for at least five years. The age limit for car rental is a minimum of 23, and maximum of 70 years. There are a number of toll roads in South Africa that are clearly indicated well before reaching the toll stations, payment may be made at an attended booth. A word of caution regarding overtaking on the inside: this is not illegal in South Africa and is common practice. When changing lanes be aware of cars on the inside. In general, speed limits are 120 km/h (freeways) and 60 km/h (towns and cities). 

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
(as at June 2000)

This is a guide only – please check with your nearest South African Consulate for up to date information. All visitors are required to carry a passport that is valid for six months beyond the intended length of stay. There should be sufficient blank pages for entry stamps upon arrival. Note that if you will be travelling to neighbouring countries and back, you should apply for a multiple entry visa.

Nationals of the following countries do not require a visa:

United Kingdom, Northern Ireland (including British Islands), Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Japan, Lichtenstein, Luxemburg, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, USA.

Nationals of the following countries do not require a visa for a stay of less than 90 days:

Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, Israel, Jamaica, Malta, Paraguay, St Helena, Swaziland, Uruguay, Venezuela.

Nationals of the following countries do not require a visa for a stay of less than 30 days:

Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Botswana, Cape Verde, Costa Rica, Cyprus, Gabon, Guyana, Hong Kong, Hungary, Jordan, Lesotho, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritius, Mexico, Namibia, Peru, Seychelles, Singapore, Slovak Republic, South Korea, Thailand, Turkey, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

All other nationals should obtain an entry visa from the nearest South African Consulate, which is issued free of charge. An application form and passport photograph is required. All visitors may be requested to show proof of sufficient funds and onward travel / return ticket.

It is strongly recommended that you reserve all your accommodation as far in advance as possible, since availability is at a premium during peak seasons (Christmas, New Year and Easter) and school holidays. Lodges and safari camps tend to be set on private ranches and offer high standards of accommodation. Accommodation can be “tented camps” which are luxurious insect-proof tents, usually permanently pitched on concrete bases and often include en suite bathrooms with flush toilets. These are very popular and give the visitor the true experience of being close to nature without the inconvenience and discomfort that can be associated with camping in the open. There are a number of hotel chains that offer excellent accommodation in most of the cities and major towns. The guesthouse and B&B (bed and breakfast) industry has grown enormously over the last few years and the standard of these establishments is usually very high. The same goes for campsites in national parks, they have excellent facilities. Most towns also have very good municipal campsites. Booking is not essential but is advisable. Note that rates for most accommodation are nearly double in peak season.

SUMMER: September – April

WINTER: May – August

South Africa is a big country just south of the tropic of Capricorn, but it is the topography and surrounding oceans that influence its climate, rather than the latitude. Although the climate varies from region to region, it is generally mild and sunny throughout the year. On the whole it is a dry country with a mean annual rainfall of 502 mm. Snowfall is limited to the highest mountain peaks. Summer temperatures average between 15-30ºC (60-96ºF) at midday. KwaZulu-Natal has a sub- tropical climate with high humidity in summer. The southern Gauteng region has hot summers with occasional thundershowers and frosty winters, while the eastern part of this region (known as the Lowveld) enjoys mild winters. The Cape interior and the Free State have similar weather conditions to the southern Gauteng region. The Western Cape region has a Mediterranean climate with warm, dry summers and cold, wet winters.

Casual, comfortable wash and wear clothing is most useful. Jackets and ties are required in city hotel restaurants and golf clubs. All hotels offer extremely quick laundry turnaround, usually within a couple of hours. It is certainly not necessary to bring a separate change of clothing for each day and evening, and it is recommended that you keep luggage to a minimum for your own comfort and ease of transport, especially if you are using light aircraft transfers. 

The most practical items to pack for your South African holiday are:

Shorts & Cotton T-shirts

Swimming costume

Good comfortable walking shoes

Casual lightweight cotton, khaki or neutral coloured clothes for safari

Fleece or sweater and a warm jacket for game drives or cool evenings 

Wide brimmed hat

Personal toiletries, sun barrier creams and lip creams

Anti-malaria prophylactics

Binoculars, camera and accessories

Sunglasses

South Africa is an all year round destination. However there are certain regions that are more popular at different times: 

The northern regions are good destinations in the winter months as game viewing is at its best and the temperatures are very mild (maximum 20-23ºC). There is very little winter rainfall in the north.

The southern regions are summer destinations with low summer rainfall and temperatures reaching 28-30ºC or higher on beautiful days.

Namaqualand in the Western and Northern Cape Provinces becomes a floral masterpiece in spring (mid-August to mid-September), when the desert-like terrain is transformed into a carpet of flowers and draws thousands of visitors. 

The warm waters of the east coast make for almost year-round swimming. 

Winter is mild, except in the highest parts of the country. 

South Africans tend to take their annual holidays in summer and this causes tourist destinations to be overcrowded from mid-December to late January, as well as during the other school holidays (check these dates with your travel agent).

The unit of currency is the rand (R), which is divided into 100 cents. Notes are in R200, R100, R50, R20 and R10. Coins are in denominations of R5, R2, R1 and 50c, 20c, 10c, 5c, 2c and 1c.

EXCHANGE RATE

The exchange rate tends to be in the international tourist’s favour and you should find most goods very affordable, and some imported and specially manufactured items might be cheaper here than elsewhere. Generally, you will find that fine cuisine, wine and entertainment cost a fraction of the tariff charged by equivalent establishments elsewhere in the world. 

A general idea of what things costs in South Africa is: 

a beer costs about R11 in a restaurant

a can of Coca Cola R6.50 in a restaurant

a bottle of water about R12

petrol sells at about R4.20 per litre

a roll of 36 exposure print film will cost about R45-50

BANKS

Banks in South Africa are generally open from 09h00 to 15h30 on weekdays and 08h30 to 11h00 on Saturdays. Most banks change all travellers’ cheques in major currencies, but commission can differ greatly. Rennies Travel is an agent for Thomas Cook. American Express has branches in some cities, and Nedbank is associated with American Express. First National Bank is the Visa agent. Most ATM machines will support your card if it bears the Cirrus logo.

CREDIT CARDS

Visa, American Express, Diners Club and MasterCard are honoured by most restaurants, stores, hotels, car rental firms and other points of sale and service. Proof of identity may be requested in some instances and it is therefore useful to carry a passport or some form of photo identification at all times. Credit cards are not accepted at petrol stations.

TIPPING

It is customary to tip caddies, taxi drivers, hotel & railway porters, room maids, stewards, waiters/waitresses, tour guides & game rangers 10-15%. Because of poor wages, tips are often heavily relied upon by staff. Many hotels have an “envelope system” with tips distributed evenly among staff.

TAX

Value Added Tax (VAT) of 14% is levied in South Africa. Overseas visitors taking goods out of South Africa are able to reclaim the VAT, which they paid on these goods. Reclaiming VAT is only applicable for goods that you are able to produce at the airport and not for any services whatsoever. When purchasing your products you should request a tax invoice. The shop’s VAT number must appear on this invoice. As you are checking in at the airport ready to depart from South Africa, you should approach the customs official who will compare your invoices with the goods purchased. Once your invoices have been approved and stamped, the VAT Reclaim Office will refund you the appropriate amount. VAT Reclaim Offices are found at Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town Airports.

A range of traditional South African souvenirs are widely available, from handicrafts to animal skins. Zulu beadwork is available in many forms and makes excellent gifts. Beads were worn as symbols of status and also used as a means of communication, often as love letters. The colours and arrangements of the beads spell the message (red = passion/anger; black = difficulties/night; blue = yearning; deep blue = elopement, white/pale blue = pure love; brown = disgust/despondency; green = peace/bliss). Elaborately beaded items including garments, pouches, belts and pipes are widely available.

Township art is increasingly available on the roadside in cities and towns and often takes the form of functional items (baskets, candlesticks, hooks, magazine racks, etc.) made from wire and waste metal. Soapstone and wooden carved animals and weavings are also available on the roadside of tourist routes. These are usually mass produced, so check the quality very carefully.

As you would expect from a country rich in gold and diamonds, there is an excellent selection of jewellery and the opportunity to watch goldsmiths in action. Many visitors take the opportunity of the exchange rate’s effect on the prices of clothing, golfing equipment, etc.