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CRIME
Crime, like anywhere
else in the world, can be a problem, but you really need not do much
more than
take all the usual sensible precautions. Know where you're going before
you set
off, particularly at night, watch your possessions, don't walk alone in
dodgy
areas, lock your doors at night. Much like anywhere else. And, like
anywhere
else in the world, there are some areas of major cities which are more
dodgy
than others. It is easy to avoid these and still have a good time. When walking through
areas that are considered risky, avoid wearing visible jewellery or
carrying
cameras and bags over your shoulder. Keep cellphones (mobile phones)
and
wallets tucked away where no one can see them. Check beforehand that
the areas
you plan to visit are safe by asking hotel staff or police. It is not
advisable
to use local commuter and metro trains as attacks on foreigners have
occurred. Other sensible advice
is not to hitchhike or accept or carry items for strangers. Our airport
security
is quite strict so, to avoid delays in checking in, remove all sharp
objects
(even nail files and hairclips) from your hand luggage. Carjackings Those who choose to
drive private cars, either borrowed or hired, should be aware that car
hijackings do occur, although precautions can be taken to avoid this.
Drivers
should always be on the alert when they come to a halt at traffic
lights or
stop streets, as well as when they are arriving at or leaving premises.
Doors
should be locked at all times, and while the temptation is to keep
windows open
in sunny weather, they should be kept closed. Plan your travel route
beforehand. Make sure that you do not leave valuables in clear view of
people
on the side of the road. Articles such as cellular phones and handbags
left on
seats are favoured targets of smash'n'grab thieves. When parking at night
choose well-lit or security-patrolled parking areas. Street security
guards
will usually ask whether they can watch over your car and in return
should be
paid a small fee anything from two
rand upwards. ATMs and con artists Watch out for con
artists. A favoured target is the automated teller machine (ATM). Under
no
circumstances allow a stranger to assist you in your transactions.
Should your
card become stuck in the ATM, enter your PIN three times whereupon the
machine
will retain your card. You can then approach the bank to release it, or
call
the helpline number that can usually be found at ATMs for assistance. Beware, too, of
confidence tricksters who try and persuade you to invest in their
schemes,
requiring you to disclose confidential banking details. Stay out of jail! And, while on the
subject of crime, do bear in mind that committing a criminal offence in
any
foreign country is always more of a problem than doing so at home.
You're
probably not planning to, but there are a few actions which could land
you in
one of our not-too-luxurious jails. These include smuggling, bilking,
and
trading in, or using, recreational drugs
with the exception of tobacco and alcohol. Poaching is
probably far from
your mind but, just in case you're tempted to "harvest" a rhino horn
as a souvenir, remember our game scouts are armed. Lost passports Should you lose your
passport, report the loss as soon as possible to your country's embassy
or
consulate, and to the local police. RED TAPE
What documentation will
I need to visit South Africa If you re considering
working or studying in South Africa, or immigrating to the country,
see: What can I bring into
South Africa
You can also bring in,
duty-free, the following:
The
alcohol and
tobacco allowances only apply to people over 18. Taking rands out of
South Africa
Will I have to pay tax
on goods I buy in South Africa
COMMUNICATION
We have a
well-developed communications infrastructure, with extensive landline
phone
networks and three mobile phone service providers with far-reaching
coverage. You can rent mobile
phones known here as cellphones from the airport on arrival. You should
find an Internet caf頩n even the
smallest towns, and the postal
service works, offering the usual letter and parcel services as well as
securemail, freight and courier services. South Africa ranks 23rd
in telecommunications development and 17th in Internet use in the
world. The
network is almost fully digital, allowing for caller line
identification,
electronic call answering and per second billing. Landline services are
operated by public utility Telkom, and a second national operator is
expected
to open up shop this year. Public telephones are either coin- or
card-operated.
Phone cards can be purchased at certain stores, post offices and
airports. Phoning into South
Africa If you re dialling a
number in South Africa, it must be preceded by:
So, for
example,
to phone South African Airways call
centre from abroad, you d dial +27 11 921 6262 (Johannesburg s area
code is
011 phoning from abroad, you leave
out
the zero). If it were a mobile number, you might dial +27 82 921 6262
(082 is
the code for one of the main mobile networks
phoning from abroad, you leave out the zero). Area codes of some of
South Africa s major cities are:
The three main mobile
networks codes are 082 (Vodacom), 083
(MTN) and 084 (Cell C). What s the time in
South Africa Use Telkom s online time
difference calculator
to work it out. (Select your country/state, and note the time
difference: if it
s + 09:00, for example, then subtract nine hours to get the time in
South
Africa; if it's 01:00, then add an
hour.) Phoning around South
Africa If you re in South
Africa and phoning a landline in another city or town, the number must
be
preceded by the area code (including the first zero) for that city or
town. If you re in the area
yourself, don t use the area code
unless you re phoning from a mobile phone; these always
require the area
code before a landline number. If, on the other hand,
you re phoning to a mobile number
regardless of where you are in South Africa
you never use an area code, only the appropriate mobile
network
code. 08 numbers Many businesses and
organisations have special landline numbers beginning with an 08 code 0800, 0860, 0861, and so on. (But not
082,
083 or 084, which belong to the mobile networks.) These are, in effect,
national numbers area codes are
dispensed with, and callers dial the same number regardless of where
they are.
Note that these lines can only be accessed from within South Africa.
Phone directories Consult Telkom s print
directories for the numbers of landline subscribers The
Phone Book for residential subscribers nationwide, and The
Yellow Pages for businesses, services and products nationwide. Alternatively, dial in
to Telkom s telephonic directories (useful especially for unlisted or
changed
numbers):
You can also consult
Telkom s searchable online directories:
Phoning out of South
Africa To make an
international
call from South Africa, dial 09 followed by the country code of the
country you
wish to call, followed by the relevant area code (if there is one),
followed by
the relevant phone number. Telkom s Phone Book lists all country codes
in its
International Dialling Code List. International calls are
cheaper after 8pm and before 8am from Monday to Friday, and between 8pm
on
Friday and 8am on Monday. For an even cheaper
option, try the Home Direct service. This allows you to call an
operator in your
home country free of charge, either to place a call on your phone home
account, if you have one, or to arrange a reverse-charge
call. Telkom s
Phone Book lists all Home Direct numbers in its International Dialling
Code
List. CURRENCY
Rands and cents
How far will my
dollar/pound go in South Africa
For a pound you can buy
about four daily newspapers, one take-away hamburger, three cans of
Coke, two
beers, two cappuccinos or half a pound of cheese. Twenty pounds will
get you
bed and breakfast in a lovely guesthouse or hotel, four nights in a
backpackers
dorm, or a bus ticket for a ride of a few hundred kilometres. A dollar will get you
about two daily newspapers, a Big Mac, two cans of Coke, or half an
hour's
internet surfing. For 20 dollars, you can have a smart three-course
meal in a
good restaurant, two CDs or a night in a comfortable guesthouse.
Banking made easy
Major national banks
have branches as well as automated teller machines (ATMs) in most large
towns.
International banks have branches in the major cities. Thomas Cook
(represented
by Rennies Travel) and American Express foreign exchange offices are
available
in the major cities. Credit cards and cash
South Africans have
special fuel credit cards, known as garage or petrol cards, which can
be used
only at filling stations. You can, however, pay road tolls with master
or visa
cards. Useful numbers &
web sites
Value Added Tax
Health tips for travellers
Nothing can spoil a
holiday more than feeling off-colour, and nothing can dull the pleasure
of your
holiday memories more than getting ill far from home. There are a
number of
health issues that you should be aware of, particularly if you're from
the
northern hemisphere. However, while there
are risks anywhere, South Africa has a relatively salubrious climate
and our
levels of water treatment, hygiene and such make it a pretty safe
destination.
Inoculations
Hepatitis B
inoculations are recommended for children up to the age of 12 who have
not
completed the series of injections as infants. Booster doses for
tetanus and
measles can also be administered. Medical facilities
The sun
Can I drink the water
Drinking water straight
from rivers and streams could put you at risk of waterborne diseases especially downstream of human
settlements.
The water in mountain streams, however, is usually pure and wonderful.
In the
Cape, particularly, the water contains humic acid, which stains it the
colour
of diluted Coca-Cola this is
absolutely harmless, and the water is wonderful. You may also find this
colouring in tap water in some areas. It's fine
it just looks a bit weird in the bath. Do I need to take
malaria tablets
Whether you take oral
prophylaxis or not, always use mosquito repellent, wear long pants,
closed
shoes and light long-sleeved shirts at night, and sleep under a
mosquito net in
endemic areas (the anopheles mosquito, which carries malaria, operates
almost
exclusively after dark). It is advisable to avoid malarial areas if you
are
pregnant.
HIV/Aids
Other health issues
Don't leave home without ... There are two ways of
organising a holiday. The first is to decide on the spur of the moment
to head
off, and do just that. It's a valid option, but you will probably have
to
maintain that frame of mind or you might start getting irritated at the
things
you forgot to organise and pack. The more usual way is
to plan ahead a bit, thus ensuring that you won't have any unpleasant
surprises. Check your passport isn't about to expire, check whether
you'll need
visas, organise travellers' cheques well in advance, organise travel
insurance
and medical insurance. Check your flight details and don't forget to
confirm
them including onward connections
and
returns. Don't forget to order special meals on flights, or children's
meals,
if necessary. What to pack Pack a while ahead.
Most of the time you'll be most comfortable in light, summer-weight
clothes but
do pack a warm jacket, socks, good shoes and a rain jacket. Pack
sunscreen lots of it and a hat and sunglasses.
Make sure you have at least one cool
shirt with a collar for sun protection. Stock up on insect repellent
and, if
you'll be in a malaria area, ensure you have a cool, long-sleeved shirt
and
cool long pants for evenings. Bring good walking shoes. Always pack a bandanna
or cotton scarf and a sarong, kanga, pareo, kikoi
whatever you want to call it. These two garments are
probably
the most useful and versatile items in the world. If you're spending
time
watching game, you should try to wear reasonably neutral colours but,
really,
you don't have to look like an extra on the set of Out of Africa.
You
don't need formal clothes, but you will need something pretty smart for
exclusive hotels and the Blue Train. Drugs/medication If you are dependent on
any drugs or medication, as we
say bring a supply and a spare
prescription. (We call our drugstores "pharmacies".) Important documents Make two copies of all
your important documents, like passports. Take one with you, in a
different bag
to the original, and leave one at home with a responsible, easily
reachable
person. Try to memorise all your important numbers - passport numbers,
credit
card numbers, etc. If you lose your bag, this could be an enormous
help. Can I use my hairdryer Electricity is
generally 220/230 volts, 15 amps, and is supplied through either 15-amp
three-prong or 5-amp two-prong plugs, in both cases with round pins. If
you're
bringing anything electrical, bring an adapter
or you could buy one here. Generally, the 110V video
chargers
work safely on the 220V supply. Television is on the PAL system. Spectacles, contact
lenses Bring spare spectacles,
and/or a copy of your prescription. If you wear contact lenses,
consider using
disposables for a short holiday, especially if you're planning to river
raft,
dive or such. Also bring spectacles, as the dry dusty environment of
some game
farms may irritate your eyes. If you've forgotten
anything don't panic. This is not
the
back of beyond, and you can buy whatever you need
probably at a good price. And pack a camera you'll want to save your wonderful
memories. You can buy film anywhere, and camera batteries in any city. Consular services
Where to go for
consular services If you're abroad All permanent South
African missions can be contacted by telephone, fax or e-mail. Check
the full
alphabetical list by country in the 'SA offices abroad' box on the
right. (In
countries where South Africa does not have resident representatives,
consular
services are offered through honorary consuls or through consular
sharing
agreements with missions in nearby countries.) Also see: If you're in South
Africa Postal Address Physical
Address The Department's
Operations Room runs 24 hours a day, seven days a week:
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Country profile: South Africa
Diversity is a
key feature of South Africa, where 11 languages are recognised as
official, where community leaders include rabbis and chieftains, rugby
players and returned exiles, where traditional healers ply their trade
around the corner from stockbrokers and where housing ranges from mud
huts to palatial homes with swimming pools.
The diverse communities, however, have not had much representation for long. Until 1994 South Africa was ruled by a white minority which considered itself superior, and which was so determined to hang onto power that it took activists most of last century before they succeeded in their fight to get rid of apartheid and extend democracy to the rest of the population. The white governments had grand social engineering schemes which separated the races and involved the forced resettlement of hundreds of thousands of people. They poisoned and bombed opponents and encouraged trouble in neighbouring countries. The apartheid government eventually negotiated itself out of power, and the new leadership encouraged reconciliation. But the cost of the years of conflict will be paid for a long time yet, not least in terms of lawlessness, social disruption and lost education. South Africa faces major problems, but having held three successful national elections as well as local polls since the end of white rule, a democratic culture appears to be taking hold, allowing people at least some say in the search for solutions.
President: Thabo Mbeki Thabo Mbeki was elected by parliament to a second five-year term in April 2004 following the landslide general election victory of his ruling ANC. Mr Mbeki took over as president when Nelson Mandela stepped down in mid-1999, but he is considered to have in fact ruled the country almost since the ANC became South Africa's first democratically elected government in April 1994. He was born in 1942 into one of the leading families of black politics and has been close to the heart of the struggle against apartheid all his life. His father, Govan, was a leading thinker in the South African Communist Party. Mr Mbeki played a central role both in planning the armed insurrection that caused the first cracks in the edifice of white rule and in the talks that led to its end. He has been criticised for questioning the link between HIV and Aids and for failing to condemn the land invasions in Zimbabwe. South Africa is the continent's major media player, and its many broadcasters and publications reflect the diversity of the population as a whole. Well-established state-run and commercial TV networks broadcast nationally, and hundreds of thousands of viewers subscribe to pay-TV services operated by major cable and satellite company Multichoice. Deregulation in 1996 led to a proliferation of radio stations. Listeners in Johannesburg alone can choose from among some 40 radio services, from the national broadcasts of the state-owned South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) to community stations targeting local neighbourhoods or ethnic groups. The constitution provides for freedom of the press, and this is generally respected in practice. Laws, regulation and political control of media content are considered to be moderate and there is little evidence of repressive measures against journalists. Newspapers and magazines publish reports and comment critical of the government and the state-owned SABC is far more independent now than during the apartheid era. The press Television Radio News agency |
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Resource Observation System (EROS) Data Center. African Studies Center - African Studies Center - African Studies Center at the University of Pennsylvania - Editor: Ali B. Dinar - African Studies Center: South Africa Page - African Studies Center: South Africa Page - Editor: Ali B. Dinar - African Studies - History and Cultures - African Studies - History and Cultures - Africa Online - Africa Online - An excellent website that offers a great deal of information including real time stock market information on most African exchanges. Basic Facts about South Africa - Basic Facts about South Africa - known as The Rainbow Country due to the unique diversity within its culture... CIA World Factbook 2002 - CIA World Factbook 2002 - Check out important statistics and usefull facts on the African country of your choice. Customs Information - South Africa - Customs Information - South Africa - The information is based on publication from the consulates. Embassies of South Africa - Embassies of South Africa - For a complete listing of all the world's embassies and consulates. Events Worldwide - Events Worldwide - Maps of South Africa - Maps of South Africa - A large number of differing South Africa maps including city maps. People's History and the South African Struggle - People's History and the South African Struggle - South Africa: Geography, Maps and Information - South Africa: Geography, Maps and Information - South Africa Regional Offices - South Africa Regional Offices - The History of Apartheid in South Africa - The History of Apartheid in South Africa - The Universal Currency Converter - The Universal Currency Converter - Yahoo Regional Guide to South Africa - Yahoo Regional Guide to South Africa - Yahoo has the best directory on the internet. It is the best resource on the internet for beginning most searches. World History Archives - World History Archives - Worldwide Refugee Information - Worldwide Refugee Information - Wunderground - Wunderground - |