Travel Information

Johannesburg Accommodation - World cup 2010

Contacts

South Africa / Johannesburg
Sanvila Puhaca / Alex Cook
Tel: +27 (0) 11 326 4267
E-Mail: reservations@staywithus.org.za

United Kingdom / London:
Darin Davies
Mobile: +44 (0) 7951 886 769
E-Mail: darin@staywithus.org.za

Germany / Twistetal:
Carola Wever
Tel: +49 (0) 5695 400 / 8070
Mobile: +49 (0) 162 904 4327
E-Mail: carola@staywithus.org.za

Switzerland / Sierre:
Christophe Zwissig
Mobile: +41(0) 76 417 2589
E-Mail: christophe@staywithus.org.za

Travel Information

Below you will find some useful information when travelling to South Africa. For more detailed travel information visit: www.southafrica.info/travel.

Safety Information & Emergency Numbers. As our guest, your enjoyment and well-being are of the utmost importance. We want your visit to be special, we want you to leave with great memories, and hope that you will return over and over again.

As in other countries, there are few basic precautions you should take in South Africa to ensure that your stay is as pleasant and safe as possible.

At the hotel

Never leave your luggage unattended.
Store valuables in the hotel’s safety deposit box.
Keep your room locked, whether you’re in or out.
If someone knocks, check who it is before opening the door.

In the street:

Avoid ostentatious display of expensive jewellery, cameras and other valuables.
It’s definitely not advisable to carry large sums of money around.
At night, steer clear of dark, isolated areas.
It’s better to explore in groups and to stick to well-lit busy streets.
Plan your route beforehand.
A policeman or traffic officer will be glad to direct you if you get lost.
If you wan to call a taxi, your hotel or the nearest tourism information office can recommend a reliable service.
Only use ATMs in well-lit areas.
Carry traveller’s cheques instead of large amounts of cash.

In the car:

Plan your route in advance.
Keep the doors locked at all times and wind the windows up.
Lock valuable items in the boot (trunk).
At night, park in well-lit areas.
Never pick-up strangers.
If in doubt about the safety of an area, phone a police station for advice.

Emergency numbers

Police Emergencies Tel: 10111
Ambulance Tel: 10117
Fire Brigade Tel: (0140) 23333
AA (Automobile Association) Breakdown Service Tel: 0 800 01 01 01

Local and International dialing codes

To call outside South Africa dial 00 "country code" (all international dialing codes)
International Operator Tel: 0009
International Directory Tel: 0903
Electronic Yellow Pages Tel: 10118
Time Telephonel: 1026
Trunk/Collect Calls Tel: 0020
Phonograms Tel: 1028
Teleconferencing Tel: 0020
Telkom Information Centre Tel: 0 800 535 800

Local Calls

Exchange codes must always be dialled when calling within and outside metropliitan or municipal areas. A zero (0) always precedes dialling codes, eg. Polikwane (015), but falls away when calling from overseas, eg. Polokwane +27-15.
Directory Enquiries Tel: 1023
International Calls
Tariffs for international calls differ. Dialling codes are listed in the front of White Page telephone directories.

South African Rand & Currency Exchange Rates

Foreign exchange facilities are widely available in the province. Traveller’s cheques and foreign currencies are exchangeable at most hotels and banks. It is helpful to remember that most facilities do accept the major credit cards. Take note however that fillings stations only accept cash or dedicated garage/petrol cards.

Most banks in South Africa are open Mon-Fri 09h00 to 15h30 & Sat 08h30 to 11h00. All main shopping centres have automated teller machines.

Currency table, provided by gocurrency.com

Tax (VAT) Refund

Visitors to South Africa are not exempt from paying VAT (Value-added Tax) on purchased items. However, tourists can claim back the VAT paid on items taken out of the country with a total value exceeding R250.

The VAT can be claimed at airports and/or harbours of departure, and customs offices. Visitors should present the following documents at VAT Refund Administration Offices and Customs Offices: original tax invoices, a VAT refund control sheet and foreign passport, and all items on which VAT is being reclaimed.

Travel requirements & South African Embassies

Travel requirements for entering South Africa

A valid acceptable passport or travel document good for a sufficient period to cover the intended stay.
A valid visa, if required.
Sufficient funds.
A return or onward ticket.
Yellow fever certificates are required if the journey starts or entails passing through the yellow fever belt of Africa or South America.

It is highly recommended to contact the nearest Embassy or Consulate for specific information on visa requirements that may be applicable to you.

Nationals of the following countries may not require visas for stays of up to 90 days:

Argentina, Australia, Austria, Ballwick of Guernsey, Belgium, Brazil, British Virgin Islands, Canada, Chile, Denmark, Ecuador, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, N. Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Liechtenstein, Luxemburg, Malta, Isle of Mann, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Paraguay, Portugal, Spain, St Helena, Sweden, Swaziland, Switzerland, United Kingdom, United States of America, Uruguay and Venezuela. For more information visit: www.southafrica.info

South African Embassies

Health Precautions

Medical facilities

Medical facilities in cities and larger towns are world-class, but you will find that in rural areas the clinics and hospitals deal with primary health needs, and therefore do not offer the range of medical care that the large metropolitan hospitals do. Trained medical caregivers are deployed round the country, so help is never far away.

The sun

We have a warm sunny climate and you should wear sunscreen and a hat whenever you are out of doors during the day, particularly between 10am and 4pm, regardless of whether there is cloud cover or not. Even if you have a dark complexion, you can still get sunburned if you are from a cooller climate and have not had much exposure to the sun. Sunglasses are also recommended wear, as the glare of the African sun can be strong.

Malaria

While most of the Limpopo is malaria-free, visitors to the northern parts near the Zimbabwean border as well as the Lowveld towards Mozambique are advised to take a malarial prophylaxis at least a week before entering these areas. Preventing mosquito bites, by staying indoors between dusk and dawn and wearing long sleeve clothing and trousers, is the most effective way to prevent malaria.

If you show any malaria symptoms, very similar to flu, which occur up to six months after leaving a malaria risk area, it is important that your doctor tests you and if necessary, medical treatment is given immediately. Visitors from yellow fever areas need a vaccination certificate to obtain entry.

Can I drink the water?

High-quality tap (faucet) water is available almost everywhere in South Africa, treated so as to be free of harmful micro-organisms, and in any area other than informal or shack settlements, is both palatable and safe to drink straight from the tap. In some areas, the water is mineral-rich, and you may experience some gastric distress for a day or two until you get used to it. Bottled mineral water, both sparkling and still, is readily available in most places.

HIV/Aids

As in other countries, always take precautions when having sex. South Africa has one of the highest rates of HIV in the world. For more information, see HIV/Aids in South Africa.

Driving in South Africa

Road Infrastructure

Vast open spaces and long distances through scenic surroundings are synonymous with Limpopo Province and are covered in comfort and safety on thousands of kilometres of well-maintained tarmac surfaces. The main artery, the dual-lane N1 toll road, dissects the province into two. Running from Gauteng in the south, right through to the Zimbabwe border in the north, it is one of the best stretches of the N1 in South Africa offering free-flowing and safe travelling.

Toll gates

Before you set off, check your route. Many of the national roads between the major centres are toll roads. Check the toll fees before you leave, and make sure that you have either a credit card or cash to pay. Toll fares for a light passenger vehicle vary from R2.50 to R46.00. Please refer to the current toll gates fees at the South African National Roads Agency

Keep left, belt up, think kilometres (km)

We drive on the left-hand side of the road, and our cars - rental cars included - are right-hand drive vehicles. All distances, speed limits (and speedometers) are in kilometres.

Wearing of seat belts is compulsory. Using hand-held phones while driving is against the law - use a vehicle phone attachment or hands-free kit if you want to speak on your mobile phone while driving.The law prohibits the use of hand-held phones while driving but that doesn't stop most of the locals from using them.

The general speed limit on national highways, urban freeways and other major routes is 120km/h (75mph). On secondary (rural) roads it is 100km/h (60mph). In built-up areas it is usually 60km/h (35mph) unless otherwise indicated. Check the road signs.

Watch out for animals in rural areas

Be aware that the roads in many rural areas are not fenced, so you could find dogs, chickens, sheep and even horses or cows on the road, so it may be dangerous to drive at night. Large antelope crossing the road can also be a hazard in certain areas - watch out for the road signs depicting a leaping antelope, and take it slowly, especially towards evening.

Petrol stations

A variety of petrol (gas) stations are situated on both main and country roads. Most of them are open 24 hours a day, although some keep shorter hours. However, distances between towns (and therefore between petrol stations) are considerable in some parts of the country, so it is advisable to fill up your tank before it starts giving warning signals.