South Africa Travel Guide

Full Name

Republic of South Africa

Former Name

Union of South Africa

Capital City

Pretoria; note - Cape Town is the legislative center and Bloemfontein the judicial center

Government Type

Republic

Area Size

1,233,404 sq km 476,217 sq miles

Time Zone

UTC/GMT +2 hours

Climate

Known to some as sunny South Africa, the country has a warm to hot climate, making it one of the best year-round destinations in the world. Most provinces enjoy a summer rainfall with occasional afternoon thunderstorms, which are spectacular to see. Snow sometimes occurs, especially on the mountain peaks. Some areas have such mild winters, that visitors will never guess it’s winter at all.

Geography

South Africa is located, as one might expect, on the southern tip of Africa. It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean on the west, the Indian Ocean on the south and east. Along its northern border, from west to east, lie Namibia, Botswana, and Zimbabwe, and to the northeast are Mozambique and Swaziland. Wholly-enclosed by South Africa, and situated in its eastern central plain, is the independent kingdom of Lesotho.

Languages

IsiZulu 23.8%, IsiXhosa 17.6%, Afrikaans 13.3%, Sepedi 9.4%, English 8.2%, Setswana 8.2%, Sesotho 7.9%, Xitsonga 4.4%, other 7.2% (2001 census)

Culture

The first thing to realise about the South African culture is that it is not one single culture: instead it is a whole range, representing every level of this very stratified community. South Africa invites you to view the cell in Robben Island where former president Mandela was imprisoned, dance and sing with the tribal folk of Shakaland in KwaZulu- Natal, hear the sound of the bones shaked by the Sangoma, view the final rest place of the symbol of woman empowerment Saartjie Baardman, explore the oldest rock art culture sights in the Darkensberg Mountains, or view South African art and drama in one of the many art galleries and theatres found in almost every city and town. Diverse people and cultures combine to make the Rainbow Nation colourful.

History

After the British seized the Cape of Good Hope area in 1806, many of the Dutch settlers (the Boers) trekked north to found their own republics. The discovery of diamonds (1867) and gold (1886) spurred wealth and immigration and intensified the subjugation of the native inhabitants. The Boers resisted British encroachments, but were defeated in the Boer War (1899-1902). The resulting Union of South Africa operated under a policy of apartheid - the separate development of the races. The 1990s brought an end to apartheid politically and ushered in black majority rule.

Travel Information

These days getting to South Africa is pretty simple when one considers the vast quantity of international daily flights and direct connections to Johannesburg and Cape Town. There are an outstanding number of world-class airlines flying daily into South Africa’s international airports from all the corners of the globe. Our World Class International Airports include: • O.R. Tambo International Airport (ORTIA) • Cape Town International Airport (CIA) • Durban International Airport (DIA Through the Airports Company of South Africa (ACSA), passenger-handling facilities are continually being upgraded, offering excellent facilities for the business traveller. There superb restaurants, bars, shopping areas, rest facilities and a number of VIP services at these airports.

Accommodation

South Africa is a world beater in accommodation and many of the country’s accommodation providers have won leading international awards. Whether you choose to stay in an internationally recognized South African hotel, bed and breakfast, lodge, guest house or resort you are assured of excellent service, good food and sound sleep.

Visa Requirements

For the majority of foreign nationals who travel to South Africa for vacation, entry is straightforward and hassle-free. All visitors to South Africa must be in possession of a valid passport, but for many countries, visas are not required up to a maximum number of days. For the latest visa requirements, contact your nearest South African embassy or mission. A yellow fever inoculation and certificate from travellers over 1 year of age coming from an infected area, is an official requirement.

Getting Around

South Africa has three major international airports and six national airports. Through the Airports Company of South Africa (ACSA), passenger-handling facilities are continually being upgraded, offering excellent facilities for any traveller. O.R. Tambo International Airport (ORTIA) • Situated 24km east of the Johannesburg city centre. • Regular shuttles run between the airport and the city centre and the northern suburbs of Johannesburg as well as Pretoria. Cape Town International Airport (CIA) • Situated 22km from Cape Town’s city centre. • There are regular shuttles between airport and city and taxis are on standby at the airport. Durban International Airport (DIA) • Situated 14km from the centre of Durban. • There are regular shuttles to the city and taxis are on standby at the airport. National Airports Apart from the three major international airports that all have domestic departure lounges, the other national airports in South Africa include: • Bloemfontein • East London • George • Kimberley • Port Elizabeth • Upington South Africa’s national road network covers more than 7 200km. The roads include 1 400km of dual carriageway freeway, 440km of single carriageway freeway and 5 300km of single-carriage main road with unlimited access. There are a number of reputable car hire companies offering a wide range of vehicles that vary according to the traveller’s needs. One can hire vehicles from the most basic to the ultimate in luxury. Some car hire companies even rent out 4x4 vehicles for trips to the bush.Companies with excellent international reputations operate in South Africa – so try out familiar car hire companies such as Avis, Europcar and Hertz. One can catch a Metro public bus in the cities of South Africa. Our bus system is by no means as effective or comprehensive as the systems in Europe, but if you do your homework – you can use our public bus system to travel around locally at minimal cost. There are a number of excellent bus companies offering cost-effective deals for people to travel around the country. Look out for the Greyhound and Trans-Lux buses, amongst others. These luxury buses will transport you from one major city centre to another at a very reasonable cost. There is an excellent backpacker’s bus option for those who fall into the rough-and-ready category. Known as the Baz Bus you can get from point A to B with a number of stopovers along the way – which makes for great flexibility. South Africa does not generally have metered taxis cruising the streets looking for customers as in cities like New York and London. These metered taxis generally need to be ‘ordered’ by telephone. Often the hotel you are staying at will organise a taxi through a reputable company. These taxis are dependable, but can be rather costly especially if you are covering large distances. The AA has recently launched a taxi service and is probably your best bet in terms of efficiency and cost-effectiveness. Trains are also a popular way of moving around South Africa. The standard long-haul passenger trains operated by the state-owned Spoornet, called Shosholoza Meyl, are inexpensive, clean and safe, but not particularly luxurious. However, there are a number of opportunities for travellers who want a little more luxury, including Spoornet’s Premier Classe and the two luxury trains that are the pride of the country – Rovos Rail and The Blue Train.

Health & Safety

Malaria is found only in the Lowveld of Mpumalanga (incl. the Kruger National Park) and Limpopo (north-eastern areas and near the Zimbabwean and Mozambican borders) and on the Maputaland coast of KwaZulu-Natal (north-east as far south as the Tugela River). Malaria risk is highest October-May. Although the incidence of malaria is rare, it would be best to take adequate precautions if you choose to visit these areas. In addition to malaria prophylaxis, insect repellants and mosquito nets can be effective. Medical facilities equal the best in the world and in many medical disciplines, South Africa is a global leader. A large network of hospitals offer excellent service, but make sure you have adequate health insurance. Most parts of the country can be safely visited by tourists, provided they take basic common-sense precautions e.g. not walking alone in deserted areas at night, not flashing photographic equipment or jewellery and, in traffic, maintaining a safe following distance. Most major cities run organized crime prevention programmes and Basic Safety Tip guidelines are available at hotels and tourism information offices. If you are in doubt as to the safety of a particular area or attraction, contact the National Tourism Information and Safety Line on 083 123 2345. This number may also be used for assistance in replacing lost documents or reporting incidents.

National Holidays

1 Jan - New Year’s Day. 21 Mar - Human Rights Day. 6 Apr - Good Friday. 9 Apr - Family Day. 27 Apr - Freedom Day. 1 May - Workers Day. 16 Jun - Youth Day. 9 Aug - National Women's Day. 24 Sep - Heritage Day. 16 Dec - Day of Reconciliation. 25 Dec - Christmas Day. 26 Dec - Day of Goodwill.

Currency

South African Rand (ZAR)

Electricity

220/230V AC

Working Hours

Office hours: Mon-Fri 0830-1630.

Emergency Numbers

107 or 10177(Ambulance/Fire) 107 or 10111(Police)