Passport/Visa Requirements: Most travelers to South Africa do not require a visa, including visitors from the U.S., Canada, European Union countries, Australia and New Zealand. A three-month entry stamp is issued on arrival.
Population: 3,254,000.
Languages: South Africa's 11 offical languages are Afrikaans, English, Ndebele, Northern Sotho, Sotho, Swati, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa and Zulu. English is the predominant language of education and business..
Predominant Religions: Christian, Islamic, Hindu.
Time Zone: 2 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (+2 GMT). Daylight Saving Time is not observed.
Voltage Requirements: 220 volts.
Telephone Codes: 27, South Africa; 011,Johannesburg;
| Currency Exchange | Top  |
The exchange rate of the South African rand (R) has been fairly stable against international currencies. It is the strongest currency in southern Africa, with other neighboring countries pegging their own currency with the rand's position on the market. The rand can be used interchangeably with currencies in Namibia, Lesotho and Swaziland.
Cash and travelers checks are easily changed in banks and currency-changing agencies, but expect to pay a fee. The best exchange rate is often found with ATMs, although your home bank may charge a fee for the transaction.
All credit and debit cards can be used in South Africa's ATMs. There is often a daily limit on the amount you can withdraw from a foreign card, but if you go into the bank and make a transaction over the counter, the daily limit is considerably more.
ATMs are prolific. Every shopping mall has several, as well as large supermarkets, smaller convenience stores and most petrol stations. Note: In South Africa, fuel can only be paid for in cash and not by credit card, but because of this, most stations have an ATM.
Crime at ATMs can be a problem. Never let anyone look over your shoulder and never accept help using the ATM. If possible, choose an ATM within the confines of a mall or cubicle, or one with a security officer on duty, rather than one along the street.
| Banking Hours | Top |
Banking hours are generally Monday-Friday 9 am-3:30 pm, Saturday 9 am-11 am. Banks have longer hours in the large shopping malls, and a few are open on Sunday. Banks are busy on the last Friday of every month (payday).
A 14% VAT is charged on goods and services. Foreign tourists are entitled to a VAT refund upon departure from South Africa. VAT refund desks can be found at all international airports and borders. This applies to unused good exported from the country, but not for services rendered.
Keep all receipts to be shown and stamped against purchases by customs officials. At the airport, this can be done in the departures hall, allowing you to repack your goods before check-in. Once you are airside, show the stamped receipts at the VAT desk to receive a refund. For more information about the procedure, visit http://www.taxrefunds.co.za.
Tipping is usual practice in South Africa. A 10%-15% tip is the norm for good service in a restaurant and for tour guides if they have been interesting and informative. Tip R10-R20 for a bellhop. R2-R5 is about right for a car guard (a common practice that provides hundreds of thousands of jobs in South Africa), who will watch over your car if it's parked in the street. At filling stations, attendants fill up your car with fuel, wash the windscreen and, if desired, check your oil, water and tire pressure. A small tip of R5-R10 is suggested for the service.
Johannesburg has a moderate climate. The summers (November-February) are warm and wet, and winters (June-August) are cool and dry. The coldest months are July and August, when there are occasional cold snaps and frosts at night, but little to no rain and clear sunny days. The summer months receive long days of sunshine and reach temperatures of 85 F/30 C, but it is also when the region gets rain, though this is normally a short but heavy outburst of showers in the afternoon. Spring and autumn are mild, and the best times to appreciate the city's trees, which blossom in spring and turn to a russet brown in Autumn. Johannesburg can be visited year-round.
| Weather Forecast | Top  |
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| Pressure: | 1014.89317092 Millibars | | Dew Point: | 14 °F/ -10 °C | | Humidity: | % | | Visibility: | 3 Miles / 6 Kilometers | | Wind: | 5 MPH / 9 KPH N | | Comfort Index: | 59 °F/ 15 °F | | Last Updated: | 8/29/2008 10:00:00 PM |
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| SUN | Weather Condition | High | Low |
| SCATTERED CLOUDS | 80 °F
27 °C | 50 °F
10 °C | | MON | Weather Condition | High | Low |
| SUNNY | 73 °F
23 °C | 44 °F
7 °C | | TUE | Weather Condition | High | Low |
| SUNNY | 73 °F
23 °C | 44 °F
7 °C | | WED | Weather Condition | High | Low |
| SUNNY | 75 °F
24 °C | 44 °F
7 °C | | THU | Weather Condition | High | Low |
| SUNNY | 80 °F
27 °C | 50 °F
10 °C |
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| What to Wear | Top |
Casual, comfortable clothes at all times are the norm. Only businesspeople need to wear a light suit or formal shirt at the least. Restaurants prefer smart-casual attire, but no dining establishment is formal enough for a jacket and tie. Warm clothes are essential in July and August, when you may have to ask for an extra blanket in your hotel. A lightweight raincoat is needed in summer to dodge the occasional shower. Johannesburg is at a fairly high altitude (5,750 ft/1,753 m) above sea level, so sunscreen is advisable year-round.
| Communication | Top |
| Internet Access | Top |
Free Wi-Fi can be found at the airport, large coffee shop chains such as Mugg & Bean and News Cafe, and the larger hotel chains such as Intercontinental, the City Lodge Group and Protea. Accessibility continues to increase. Most other hotels and guesthouses offer wireless, and you pay for a top-up card at reception. Alternatively, they often have business centers or at least one terminal where guests can use the Internet. Internet cafes are found in all the shopping malls and Vodacom cell-phone stores. Visit http://internetcafedirectory.co.za for locations.
| Mail & Package Services | Top |
There are post offices all over Johannesburg, and every shopping mall has one. Postnet, located in most shopping malls, offers private mail and business service. In most malls you will find major international courier companies as well as local ones.
International packages generally take three working days. The Web site offers a branch locater, Johannesburg. Phone 011-921-3666. Toll-free 0860-345-000. http://www.dhl.co.za.
International packages generally take three working days. The Web site offers a branch locater, Johannesburg. Phone 011-923-8000. Toll-free 0809-953-9599. http://www.fedex.com.
Postnet is mostly found in the shopping malls. A full range of business services include phone, fax, Internet, mail, courier, printing, laminating, business cards and office supplies. Hours depend on the branch and store location, but generally Monday-Friday 9 am-4 pm. Some stores are also open on weekends. The Web site offers a store locater, Johannesburg. Phone 011-207-2900. Toll-free 0860-767-8638. http://www.postnet.co.za.
Airmail takes 4-7 days to Europe and North America. A letter costs R4.64 and a small parcel costs R41. Rates for surface mail are cheaper, but take up to six weeks. The post office also offers a courier service called Speed Services Couriers, which costs approximately R950 for a small parcel to Europe (2-3 working days) and R1,500 for a small parcel to North America (3-4 working days). The Web site offers a store locater. Offices open Monday-Friday 9 am-3:30 pm, Saturday 9 am-1 pm. Open longer hours in the shopping malls. Phone 012-401-7902 for customer service. http://www.sapo.co.za.
| Newspapers & Magazines | Top |
The most popular English-language newspapers are the daily
Star and weekly
Sunday Times, which cover local and international news and have a broad-based readership. The
Mail & Guardian is a weekly publication with more high-brow content and a considerable amount of editorial. The daily
Sowetan covers general news and has the best sports coverage, especially of football.
Magazines useful to visitors include the monthly Africa Geographic, which takes a glossy look at Africa's environmental issues, including coverage of national parks and safari destinations. Eat Out reviews the country's best restaurants, while the monthly Getaway concentrates on holiday destinations in southern Africa. In-flight magazines from various airlines can also be a good source of information. Visit http://www.tonight.co.za for further event information.
South African telephone numbers have seven digits, and each city or region has a three-digit prefix (011 for Johannesburg). The prefix must be dialed for all calls. For directory enquiries, dial 1023.
There are card and coin phone booths in many public areas and shopping centers. Cards can be purchased from post offices, convenience stores and supermarkets.
International calls can be made from all phones. Dial 00 to get an international line. For international directory enquires, dial 10903.
Cell-phone coverage is widespread in South Africa apart from a handful of remote national parks and distant rural areas. Most international phones will be able to pick up roaming on arrival in Johannesburg. Local Sim cards and start-up packs are available at the airport and many other outlets.
| Transportation | Top |
Getting to and from Johannesburg is straightforward enough, and there are good international and local air and bus connections. Highways link the city with all of South Africa's other major cities and the capital cities of neighboring countries.
Getting around Johannesburg, however, poses more of a problem. The city was designed with cars in mind, but the transit system is not recommended. The bus, metro-rail system and local minibus taxis that ply the streets with no formal stops are generally used by commuters going to and from the city center from outlying suburbs and townships, but they have associated crime and safety problems.
Driving offers the greatest flexibility. There is an efficient network of freeways connecting all parts of the city, though these become very busy during weekday rush hours. Driving is on the left.
Taxis can be hired immediately on arrival at the airport or can be arranged within an hour or two from your hotel. An alternative to renting a car is to visit Johannesburg on half- and full-day tours with local tour operators.
Johannesburg's O.R. Tambo International Airport (renamed after leading African National Congress stalwart and late antiapartheid activist Oliver Reginald Tambo) is served by dozens of international airlines and is one of the most important air travel hubs in the southern hemisphere. It's also linked to southern Africa's regional airports and South Africa's other larger cities by several local airlines.
The airport is modern and efficient, and is currently being upgraded in line with requirements for the 2010 FIFA Soccer World Cup. There is a full range of facilities, including car-rental desks, banks and currency changers, ATMs, post offices, food courts, extensive duty-free shops, conference facilities, baggage storage and a medical clinic. There are a number of hotels within a short distance from the airport. Phone 011-921-6262. http://www.airports.oc.za.
The airport is 15 mi/24 km from the city center (CBD) and approximately 22 mi/35 km from Sandton, in the heart of the northern suburbs. Official metered taxis are found outside the arrivals hall and cost R300-R400, depending on your destination. The shuttle minibus companies cost around R250 per person and have desks inside the arrivals hall. Courtesy shuttle buses to the nearer hotels are located outside of the arrivals hall.
Most of the major car-rental companies have desks in the Parkade Centre opposite the domestic terminal.
There are three mainline bus companies with daily services along all of South Africa's main routes. Even the smaller towns are served by these buses. There are also services over the borders to the capital cities of neighboring countries. Intracity coaches are modern and comfortable, with reclining seats, movies, toilets, air-conditioning and refreshments.
Johannesburg's long-distance bus station is at the Park City Transit Centre (where the train station is also located) on Rissik Street, Braamfontein, CBD. All bus tickets can be booked online through the national reservation system Computicket. http://www.computicket.com.
The Baz Bus is a "backpacker's bus," which runs through Johannesburg between Pretoria and Durban via either Swaziland or the Drakensburg. It picks people up and drops them off at the backpacker hostels. It also offers a route along the coast between Durban and Cape Town. http://www.bazbus.com.
Greyhound provides coach service to points in South Africa and beyond. http://www.greyhound.co.za.
Intercape provides coach transportation throughout South Africa. http://www.intercape.co.za.
Translux offers comfortable coach bus service to destinations in Johannesburg and beyond. http://www.translux.co.za.
The N1 highway runs all the way from Cape Town through Johannesburg and Pretoria, and ends at the border with Zimbabwe in northern South Africa. The N3 runs from Johannesburg south to Durban and the coast, while the N7 runs through Johannesburg and links Gaborone in Botswana to the west, and Maputo in Mozambique to the east, which is also the main access road to Kruger National Park.
Johannesburg itself is dissected by a number of highways, though these are best avoided during rush hour, when traffic is very heavy. Driving is on the left. Speed limits are 37 mph/60 kph in built-up areas, 50-62 mph/80-100 kph on other roads and 74 mph/120 kph on highways. Johannesburg is a large city, so while roads are well-marked, a street map may be useful (available at any filling station).
Every larger destination such as shopping malls and hotels has a car park, and there are many multistory car-park complexes. If you park on the street, tip a car guard to watch over your car—they will usually be wearing a badge or vest.
| Public Transportation | Top |
Public transport in Johannesburg is provided by city buses, a metro rail network and informal minibus taxis. Large blue city buses run up and down the main roads and stop at clearly designated bus stops. A short distance will cost no more that R3, but more for a longer distance across the city.
The metro-rail network has routes to outlying suburbs and townships, and is used by commuters, so it is not very useful for visitors. Plus there is an added danger of theft and overcrowding on the trains.
Minibus taxis can be flagged down on the side of the street, but they are not recommended. There is no way of knowing where they are going, they are driven quite aggressively and recklessly, and there is a problem with theft at the minibus "stands" where they start and finish their journeys.
Modern, metered taxis are available throughout the city, but they cannot be flagged down and there are only taxi ranks at the airport, bus and train station, and outside the larger hotels. Order a taxi by phone—any hotel or restaurant can do this on your behalf—and one will appear pretty much instantly. Expect to pay in the region of R10 per mi/km.
Several long-distance trains criss-cross the country linking the major cities. Most pass through Johannesburg. The train station is at the Park City Transit Centre (where the bus station is also located) on Rissik Street, Braamfontein, CBD. The rail service is operated by Spoornet. http://www.spoornet.co.za.
The Gautrain, a rapid-rail link between Johannesburg, O.R. Tambo International Airport and Pretoria, is under construction, and completion is expected by 2009. http://www.gautrain.co.za.
| For More Information | Top |
| Tourist Offices | Top |
This provincial tourism association offers a wealth of information at its office and Web site. It also runs tourist-information kiosks at O.R. Tambo International Airport, the African Craft Market in the Mall of Rosebank and in Sandton City. Open Monday-Friday 9 am-5 pm. 1 Central Place, Henry Nxumalo and Jeppe streets, Mary Fitzgerald Square, Newtown, Johannesburg. Phone 011-832-2780. http://www.gauteng.net.
Johannesburg's tourist office has a drop-in office and an informative Web site. Open Monday-Friday 8 am-5 pm, Saturday 9 am-1 pm. Grosvenor Corner, 195 Jan Smuts Ave., Parktown North, Johannesburg. Phone 011-214-0700. http://www.joburgtourism.com.
