South Africa
Business/social hints
Appointments: Must be made in advance.
Attire for business meetings: Men should wear a lightweight suit and tie, women a two-piece suit or equivalent.
Etiquette: it is customary to shake hands on meeting and taking leave. Business cards are exchanged after introduction. When a service charge is added to the bill gratuities are not necessary. Gratuities in restaurants are around 10%. On social occasions be punctual and dress as for business meetings.
Laws: the minimum drinking age is 18.
Local time:GMT+2hrs.
Capital: Pretoria (administrative), Cape Town (legislative).
Language: Afrikaans, English, many African languages, including Xhosa, Zulu.
Electricity: 250V AC 50Hz (Pretoria)
Int. direct dialling code: 27.
Driving: on the left. International Driving Permit required.
Currency: Rand (Zar 1 = 100 Cents).
Notes: ZAR: 10; 20; 50; 100; 200.
Coins: ZAR:1, 2, 5. Cents: 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50.
Business hours
Banks: Mon-Fri 8.30am-3.30pm, Sat 8am-11.30am.
Offices: Mon-Fri 8.30am-4.30pm
Shops: 8.30am-5pm Mon-Fri, Sat 8.30am-12.30, 9am-5pm (shopping centres), some open on Sunday.
Emergency Services
Varies according to area.
Clothing
Lightweights for summer months. Rainwear is needed in the northern provinces during summer
Health
Compulsory vaccinations: yellow fever certificate if arriving within six days from infected areas.
Weather
Varies from temperature to sub-tropical. In Gauteng summers are hot with showers and cold in winter. The west coast and Karoo is a semi-desert region.
Johannesburg Temp C Humidity % Rain
Max/Min am pm (mm)
January 28 14 75 50 114
February 25 14 78 53 110
March 24 13 79 50 90
April 22 10 74 44 38
May 19 6 70 36 25
June 17 4 70 33 8
July 15 2 69 32 8
August 20 6 64 29 8
September 23 9 59 30 23
October 25 12 64 37 56
November 25 13 67 45 108
December 26 14 70 47 125
Cape Town
International CPT
Postal address: Private Bag X9002, Cape Town 7525.
Telephone:+27 21 937 1200.
Fax:+27 21 934 0932.
Location: 14 miles East of Cape Town
Transport from airport to city centre: Bus: Interkaap service meets all flights, fare ZAR 20, journey time 25mins. Taxi: fare ZAR 80, journey time 25mins
Airport departure tax: none.
Flight information: tel 937 1200, available 24hrs.
Business facilities: three rooms available for 20-100persons.
Passport and visas
Required by all and must be valid for six months from day of departure. For business travel passports must be valid for 12 months beyond intended length of stay.
Customs
Import allowances:
alcohol and tobacco for persons of 18 or older, 400 cigarettes and 50 cigars and 250gr of tobacco. Two litres of wine and one litre of spirits, 50ml of perfume and 250ml of toilet water, gifts up to a value of ZAR 500, but including the value of imported articles.