Safety is a major concern of first-time visitors to South Africa. Although the country has a high crime rate and crime is an issue, most incidents occur in areas that are away from the usual tourist trail and so the risk to tourists is low.

It is imperative to use common sense and to always be aware of your surroundings. It is also helpful to know which actions and places to avoid to stay safe in South Africa. With proper precaution and preparation, many problems can be avoided.

• Avoid ostentatious displays of expensive possessions such as jewellery, cameras, mobile phones and other valuables.

• Do not keep any items unattended, as you may do so back home. Store valuables (including passports) in the safety deposit box of your accommodation. Keep large camera equipment, handbags, phone, and other valuable belongings out of view to avoid attracting any unwanted attention.

• Better safe than sorry. As a preventative measure and common caution, remember to keep your car doors always locked.

• Pay attention to your location and surroundings as you would in every major city around the world.

• Know where you are going before you head off, particularly at night.

• Do not put any valuables in suitcases. Carry all valuables with you in hand luggage as opposed to leaving them in the checked luggage. 

The currency is the South African Rand (ZAR), which is divided into 100 cents (c).

There are R200, R100, R50, R20 and R10 notes.

Coins come in R5, R2, R1, 50c, 20c, 10c and 5c.

Automatic teller machines (ATM) are situated in every mall and outside, most banks in towns and cities, operating 24 hours a day.

Always advise your bank of our intention of travelling outside of the country so that your purchases are not blocked while abroad.

Credit Cards

All major international credit cards such as MasterCard, American Express, Diners Club and Visa are widely accepted. You cannot purchase fuel with a credit card but you can pay road tolls with MasterCard or Visa.

In some small towns and smaller shops, you may find you’ll need to use cash. You will also need cash for tips.

It is recommended to withdraw cash from the ATM when you arrive. You will receive a better exchange rate from the machines when compared to using a currency exchange service at the airport.

There are numerous ATMs around so just take out as much as you think you may need for a few days, rather than carrying large sums of cash.

Do take note of the following baggage restrictions applied at OR Tambo International Airport:

Checked-in luggage:

• Only regular-shaped bags will be allowed to be checked in. This means that the bags must have at least one flat surface to be accepted
• Round or irregular-shaped bags will not be allowed
• Bags with longs straps will not be allowed
• Passengers who try to check in bags that don’t conform to these rules will have the option of having their baggage wrapped with one flat side at airport-approved baggage wrapping stations.

Hand luggage:

• Always keep your hand luggage with you.
• Ensure that all zips and fasteners are in good working condition – baggage can move about in the overhead compartment and unsecured items may fall out.
• Don’t wrap gifts – it is possible that the security teams may wish to view them properly and will unwrap them.
• Keep electronic items to a minimum.
• A change of clothes, or at least underwear and a spare shirt may also be appreciated, either at the end of a long-haul flight or if hold baggage is delayed.
• Don’t carry anything onto an aircraft for anyone else. If you are asked to do so, please contact Airport Security.
• Remove old tags and barcodes from your hand luggage. 

Size

Each passenger is allowed one item of hand luggage which should not be bigger than the size indicated. 

56 centimetres tall (approximately 22 inches).

45 centimetres wide (approximately 17.7 inches).

25 centimetres deep (approximately 10 inches). 

Weight

The guideline is approximately 5kg for hand luggage.  If you cannot easily lift your hand luggage above your head, it is probably too heavy. 

Medicines

If taking medicines with you, try to keep them in the original packaging.  This will assist security to identify the medicines and will prevent delays. 

Camera Film

The x-rays used to screen hold baggage should not affect most camera film.  Film material over 1000ASA/31 DIN should be removed and offered for screening separately.          

Valuables

Keep your valuables such as jewellery and important documents safely stored in your hand baggage.  It is a good idea to keep some money (local currency) on your person.  Then, should you be separated from your bag, you will still be able to make payphone calls, pay for transport or purchase small items. 

Laptops

Laptops should be removed from their bags for screening prior to boarding the aircraft.

Many laptop bags look similar which can cause confusion when leaving the aircraft.  Put a key ring, sticker, or another identifying mark on your bag so that you can be sure that you are leaving with the correct computer. 

Prohibited and Permitted Items

Airports Company South Africa will enforce new rules that restrict the amount of items that passengers may take on board. Please refer to our Prohibited and Permitted Items guidelines.

Currently, the following duty-free allowance applies per person:

200 cigarettes, 250 grams of tobacco and 20 cigars, two litres of wine, one litre of other alcoholic beverages, 50 ml of perfume and 250 ml of eau de toilette. Also, gifts, souvenirs and all other goods to the value of R 500.00. No person under 18 is entitled to the alcohol or tobacco allowance. Duty is levied at 20% thereafter.

Tax – Value Added Tax (VAT) of 15% is levied in South Africa.

International travellers taking goods out of South Africa are able to reclaim the VAT that they paid on these goods. Reclaiming VAT is only applicable for goods that you can produce at the airport and not for any services whatsoever. When purchasing your products, you should request a tax invoice.

VAT Reclaim Offices are found at Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town Airports. Before departing, visit the customs official offices where your invoices and goods purchased will be inspected. Once your invoices have been approved and stamped, the VAT Reclaim Office will refund you the appropriate amount.

Mobile data connection

If your phone is unlocked, you can purchase a local prepaid SIM card from one of the many vendors around the country. The largest four network operators in South Africa are Vodacom, Cell C, MTN, and Telkom.

You can also purchase a SIM card at the airport on arrival, though it’s usually more expensive. You will need to show identity, such as your passport, and address/proof of where you’re staying, in order for the card to be activated.

You can purchase data bundles that will help you stay connected as well as airtime for any phone calls you need to make. Do note that data costs are relatively high, so save all the browsing and downloading for when you’re able to connect to free WIFI. Also, internet speeds are not the greatest, for the most part. But, good enough to get things done.

Mobile Phone Coverage

Mobile coverage and network availability are extensive and easy to access. However, it is worth noting that many remote areas, don’t have cellular reception or internet connection.

The international dialling code for South Africa is 27.

Emergency numbers: 112 for any emergency from a cell phone, 10111 for police response, 10177 for ambulance response.

Vodacom is suggested as a service provider when travelling to the Kruger National Park as they have the best coverage in the area.

Entry and Exit Requirements

Make sure to have at least two blank pages available in your passport should you require a visa to travel to South Africa. Otherwise, one blank page is sufficient, even though only half a page is needed for the stamp at immigration.

Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months after the date of departure from South Africa.

In South Africa, the supply voltage is 230V. If the appliance is a single voltage-rated appliance, it will need to operate at the same voltage as the supply voltage of the country (i.e., 230V). If this is not the case, it should be used alongside a voltage transformer or converter to allow the appliance to work safely and properly. South Africa uses plug socket types D and M.