In recent times, South Africa has become one of the world’s most loved travel destinations with Cape Town making the top 10 list of best travel destinations in the world. South Africa offers a unique and colourful combination of cultures, cuisines, geography, sights and people – all gelling together to create the Rainbow Nation. However, as with all countries, there are a number of things that you should know before you book your ticket. So, without further adieu, here are 10 savvy South African pieces of knowledge to prepare you for your next adventure.
1. There Are 3 Official Capitals
Instead of the usual 1 like most countries, South Africa is home to 3 capital cities and its largest – Johannesburg – isn’t one of them! The three capitals are strategically spread across the country and are representative of different branches of the government.
Pretoria, in the northeast, is the administrative capital, serving as the seat of the executive branch of the government and the home of the Union Buildings.
Cape Town, in the southwest corner of the country, is the legislative capital, which includes the parliament and the National Assembly.
Finally, Bloemfontein, in the centre (or thereabout) of South Africa, serves as the judicial capital and is home to the Supreme Court of Appeal.
2. Tap Water is Mostly Safe to Drink
Even though there are some remote places where you should not drink tap water, most places have safe tap water. Even if not, your accommodation is likely to have some sort of water filtration unit to make the water safe for human consumption.
This can save you money as you won’t be buying plastic bottles of water during the course of your trip. Furthermore, it adds a level of convenience that other tourist destinations can’t match up to.
3. Wall Plugs and Sockets Used in South Africa
If you’re visiting South Africa for the first time, you may need to find yourself a universal adaptor. South Africa, along with India and Pakistan, tends to use Type D and Type M wall sockets, characterised by having 3 pins and being grounded. The older Type M sockets are being phased out, but still exist in many South African homes and accommodation spots. However, Type M sockets are 100% compatible with the newer Type Ds. Regarding 2-pin sockets and plugs, South Africa uses the ungrounded Type C socket and plug combination. Our outlets are almost always 220 – 240 V.
If you don’t bring a universal adaptor with you, it’s not a problem as you may find them in most local electrical stores. If you are still unsure, here’s a handy list of sockets from around the world.
4. Transport in South Africa
South Africa’s large cities, such as Cape Town and Johannesburg, have reliable and safe public transit systems in place with hop-on and hop-off trains and buses. Furthermore, ride-sharing apps such as Uber are readily available and fully functioning in most cities. However, as you get to the outskirts and to more remote areas, dependable and safe public transport becomes scarcer. It is inadvisable for a tourist to depend on South African minibus taxis as it could be quite dangerous if aren’t in the know.
Thus, the best option for the discerning traveller is to hire a car. Most if not all airports in South Africa have well-known rental agencies that offer reasonably priced cars for hire. Once you’ve rented a car, you’ll have the freedom to explore South Africa at your own will and at your own pace.
However, if all else fails, the O’Two Hotel offers a 24-hour concierge service to make arrangements for transportation on your behalf.
5. ZAR – The South African Currency
As you may know, South Africa operates in ZAR – the Rand. Travellers from the West are usually pleasantly surprised to find out how cost-effective South Africa is due to our exchange rate, with the USD usually trading at R15-R18 to the Dollar and GBP trading at around R20 to the Pound. A current, regularly updated exchange rate for the South African Rand is available here.
However, don’t be fooled – you may not need cash during your stay. Most stores accept credit cards via swiping and tapping, as well as apps such as PayPal and SnapScan. However, if
you’d prefer to exchange money pop into a local exchange bureau and make sure you have the correct information and documents on hand, such as your passport.
South Africa is Ready. Are You?
Hopefully, this helps you navigate our beautiful country a little more. Just remember that anything can happen in SA – it’s just one of those places and we love that about it. There are so many large and subtle things about South Africa that a simple list can’t prepare you for (in a good way!). The best way to find out is to experience it. We can’t wait to meet you!
