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for internationals:

relevant info on south africa

  climate

  money matters

  recreation and entertainment

  health/ medical

  safety and security

  news and information

  transportation

  links to everything from Archaeology sites to the Cape Winelands

  charts of the temperatures of the main cities; the distance chart

       between main cities; world times

climate:

South Africa is blessed with a moderate climate all year round - summers are generally hot, with afternoon thunderstorms on the Highveld (Gauteng).  Winters are generally mild and dry with the occasional cold spells.  Only parts of the country experience snow.  The Western Cape experiences a somewhat Mediterranean climate with dry summers and rainy winters.

money matters:

currency:

the main unit of currency is the Rand, divided into 100 cents.

coins: 50c, R1, R2 and R5 pieces  -- notes: R10, R20, R30, R50, R100, R200. 

credit cards:

most major credit cards (Visa, MasterCard, American Express etc) are accepted. They may also be used to draw cash from ATMs. Petrol may only be purchased with a special card or cash. 

banking:

banks are open from 09:00 am to 15:30 pm hrs on weekdays and 08:30 am to 11:00 am hrs on Saturdays. Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) are readily available in cities and towns.

foreign exchange:

can be converted into Rands at commercial banks, bureaux de change and most hotels. Do not exchange money on the street.

recreation and entertainment:

beaches:

swimming is generally safe and hygienic. 8 SA beaches enjoy international Blue Flag status. Shark nets protect beaches in KwaZulu-Natal

computicket:

the nationwide electronic booking service for cinemas, theatres, buses, sporting events etc. Tel: 011 978 5315 or 083 915 8000, or visit the website: www.computicket.com

conferences:

facilities range from international conference venues in Durban, Cape Town and Johannesburg to smaller venues in game parks and resort areas.  Tel: SAAACI 012 804 8110 or www.saaci.co.za  

golf:

South Africa offers a wide range of spectacular golf courses, at reasonable prices for visitors. See links for details or e-mail: sagolf@global.co.za or Tel: 011 442 3723, or visit www.golfinginsouthafrica.co.za, www.golfingsa.com.

shopping:

hours are generally 08:00am - 17:00pm on weekdays; 08:30am - 13:00pm on Saturdays. Many shops in the bigger cities, most supermarkets and large malls are open on Saturdays and Sundays.  Mall hours are ususally much longer, particularly in Gauteng, closing at 21:00pm on Fridays, 16:00pm on weekdays and 17:00pm on weekends.

health/ medical:

vaccinations:

for cholera and small pox are not required, but travellers from a yellow fever zone must have a valid certificate. Contact Travel Vaccination Clinic on (011) 921-6609 or 390-1641

Visitors to game parks must take anti-malarial tablets, available from pharmacies (drugstores).

For updated medical travel advice, visit www.airportmedicalclinic.co.za

costs:

Medical and hospital charges must be paid for immediately
Travel insurance is strongly recommended. 

drinking:

water - tap water is safe to drink.

Alcohol - only over 18s may purchase; may not be consumed in public.

For drivers, the legal blood/alcohol limit is 0.05mg per 100 ml. Do NOT drink and drive.

safety and security:

take a few basic precautions to ensure that your stay in South Africa is safe and trouble-free.

• if you are driving - plan your road routes in advance

• keep car doors locked at all times and keep windows closed - especially at intersections

• lock valuable items (i.e. laptops, luggage) in the boot/ trunk of the car - never leave handbags/ briefcases or cellular phones on the passenger seat or in plain view

• at night - park in well-lit places and steer clear of dark isolated areas

• never pick-up stangers or hitch-hikers

• ask work collegues about certain areas of interest and whether they are safe for you to venture into - its better to explore in groups and look for well-lit, busy streets

• if in doubt about the safety of an area, phone a police station for advice

• avoid ostentatious displays of expensive jewellry, cameras and other valuablew items, particuallary cellular phones

• do not carry large sums of money on you

• familiarise your self with all the local emergency numbers - police, car break-down

news and information:

news:

Business Day - daily business newspaper: www.bday.co.za
IOL - daily online newspaper: www.iol.co.za
Sunday Times - updated daily: www.sundaytimes.co.za

south african search engines

Aardvark:: www.aardvark.co.za
Ananzi: www.ananzi.co.za

transportation:

taxis:

telephone for a taxi or go to a taxi rank as taxis do not cruise. Only take taxis with a working meter. Cab services do not always accord with international standards, so be cautious. A small tip is expected.

by air:

International and domestic airports: Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban
Other domestic services to Bloemfontein, Port Elizabeth, East London, George, Kimberley, Kruger Mpumulanga, Polokwane, Pietermaritzburg and most major tourist destinations

by rail:

for more information and reservations call 086 000 88 88 or www.spoornet.co.za

Spoornet’s Shosholoza Meyl passenger services include:

-  The Trans-Karoo - Pretoria/Capetown/Pretoria via Johannesburg/ Kimberley, daily (26 hours)

-  The Trans Natal - Johannesburg/Durban/Johannesburg via

Pietermaritzburg , daily (13.5 hours)

-  The Trans Oranje - Durban/Capetown/Durban via Bloemfontein and

Kimberley – weekly departures on Mondays and Wednesdays (36 hours)

by bus:

luxury coaches link the major cities across the country every day:

-  call Greyhound (011 276 8500), Translux (012 315 4300) or Intercape

Mainliner (021 380 4400)

-  The Baz Bus runs less frequently from Capetown to Johannesburg via

KwaZulu-Natal and the Drakensberg (021 439 2323).

by car:

roads are good and generally well sign-posted. Petrol is cheap by European standards. Vehicles of all types may be rented from the major car hire companies.

-  Avis 0861 021 111

-  Budget 0860 016 622

-  National 0800 011 323

-  Hertz 0861 600 136

-  Imperial 0861 131 000

PLEASE NOTE:

• Should you need to contact CEDAR CORPORATE SERVICES:

  TeleFax:  011 475 1016

  Email:     cedar@telkomsa.net

  Ricardo:  082 451 4551

• Whilst every care has been taken in the preparation of this web-site, we cannot be held responsible for any possible omission/ insertion errors