south africa

1OSS World Wide Movers - South Africa Destination Guide

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South Africa

A land of golden beaches, jagged mountains, rich safari plains and barren deserts; South Africa encompasses

all these things. The teeming wildlife is as diverse and spectacular as the scenery, with everything from elusive

leopards and plodding elephants to playful penguins.

South Africa’s cities are also enormously varied, with hustling Johannesburg at its heart, and cosmopolitan Cape Town an enclave of

European chic at the edge of the Atlantic Ocean. In between you can lose yourself for days on safari in the bush or explore quaint isolated

towns breaking up the arid Karoo wilderness. The hot and humid seaside fun of Durban with its even hotter curries is another sharp

contrast to the scattering of sedate resorts lining the pretty south coast Garden Route.

Abundant wildlife is South Africa’s major attraction, with the world-famous Kruger National Park delivering uniquely African sights, sounds,

smells and memories. At the top end of the scale are luxurious world-class lodges with private butlers and game rangers who practically

deliver the animals to your door. Travellers with more normal salaries can stay in the numerous ‘tented villages’ with tents permanently

pitched on a raised wooden platform near communal facilities.

If the landscape sounds diverse, wait until you meet the people. South Africa boasts 11 official languages, mostly drawn from its indigenous

population, while the colonialist legacy stirred Afrikaners, English and Indians into the mix. That blend has created a wonderful array of food,

music and culture that offers something for everyone.

It’s affectionately known as the Rainbow Nation, although the bright racially harmonious future it once represented has been tarnished by

yet another form of diversity – the vast and increasing economic gap between rich and poor. On the drive in from most airports the roads

are flanked by shanty towns, often with communal toilets and electricity pilfered from the overhead power lines. The legacy of Apartheid,

or racial segregation, is still hugely evident, and a visit to Johannesburg’s moving Apartheid museum and a tour of a vibrant township like

Soweto are cultural highlights.

In stark contrast, the city centres are glowingly modern with bold new architecture interspersed between colonial buildings of the past.

Cape Town has been chosen as the World Design Capital for 2014, heralding a year-long programme of design-focused events, while

iconic Table Mountain has been named one of the New Seven Wonders of Nature, despite being extremely old.

On the political and economic side, the country has lost its way since the glory days presided over by near-saint Nelson Mandela. Yet

there’s an underlying spirit of optimism and a can-do attitude that will save South Africa from sliding too far down the rainbow. The 2010

World Cup proved what the country can achieve when everybody pulls together, and left a legacy of improved transport, accommodation



and sports facilities that benefit visitors and locals alike. As for the image of crime, it’s an urban legend that a car has been invented that

shoots out flames to toast approaching hijackers but visitors should follow the usual precautions about safety. Just don’t let paranoia

sap your enjoyment. A streetwise sense of humour keeps South African hearts beating faster and instils a delightfully warped sense of

achievement from living on the edge.

South Africa Geography

South Africa is located at the southernmost region of Africa, with a long coastline that stretches more than 2,500 km (1,553 mi) and along

two oceans (the South Atlantic and the Indian). At 1,219,912 km2 (471,011 sq mi), South Africa is the 25th-largest country in the world

and is comparable in size to Colombia. Mafadi in the Drakensberg at 3,450 m (11,320 ft) is the highest peak in South Africa. Excluding the

Prince Edward Islands, the country lies between latitudes 22° and 35°S, and longitudes 16° and 33°E.

South Africa Facts South Africa FactsFull country name: South Africa

Area: 1,221,037sq. km

Population: 54,002,000

People: 79.2% Black African 8.9% Coloured 8.9% White 2.5% Indian or Asian 0.5% other

Language: Afrikaans, English, Ndebele, Northern Sotho, Sotho, Swazi, Tswana, Tsonga, Venda, Xhosa, and Zulu.

Religion: 79.8% Christian 1.5% Muslim 1.2% Hindu 0.3% Traditional African religion 0.2% Judaism 15.1% no religious affiliation 0.6% Other

Government: Constitutional parliamentary republic

President: Jacob Zuma

Vice President: Cyril Ramaphosa

Major industries: Mineral raw materials (coal, diamonds, platinum), agricultural produce, chemical products and machinery.

Major trading partners: UK, US, Germany, Italy and China

Health risks: No vaccinations are essential. However:* Kruger National Park, Mpumalanga and northern KwaZulu-Natal are low risk malaria areas during December-April. ** A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required from travellers over one year old arriving from an infected area.

Time: SAST (UTC+2)

Electricity: 220/230 volts AC, 50Hz. Plugs have three fat round pins.

County code: +27

Mobile Phone network: GSM

Weights & measures: Metric with local variations



The interior of South Africa consists of a vast, in most places, almost flat, plateau with an altitude of between 1,000 m (3,300 ft) and 2,100

m (6,900 ft), highest in the east, sloping gently downwards towards the west and north, and slightly less so to the south and south-west.

This plateau is surrounded by the Great Escarpment whose eastern, and highest stretch is known as the Drakensberg.

The south and south-western parts of the plateau (at approximately 1100–1800 m above sea level), and the adjoining plain below (at

approximately 700–800 m above sea level – see map on the right) is known as the Great Karoo, which consists of sparsely populated

scrubland. To the north the Great Karoo fades into the even drier and more arid Bushmanland, which eventually becomes the

Kalaharidesert in the very north-west of the country. The mid-eastern and highest part of the plateau is known as the Highveld. This

relatively well-watered area is home to a great proportion of the country’s commercial farmlands, and contains its largest conurbation

(Gauteng Province). To the north of Highveld, from about the 25° 30’ S line of latitude, the plateau slopes downwards into the Bushveld,

which ultimately gives way to the Limpopo lowlands or Lowveld.

South Africa has a generally temperate climate, due in part to being surrounded by the Atlantic and Indian Oceans on three sides, by

its location in the climatically milder southern hemisphere and due to the average elevation rising steadily towards the north (towards

the equator) and further inland. Due to this varied topography and oceanic influence, a great variety of climatic zones exist. The climatic

zones range from the extreme desert of the southern Namib in the farthest northwest to the lush subtropical climate in the east along the

Mozambique border and the Indian Ocean. Winters in South Africa occur between June and August.

The extreme southwest has a climate remarkably similar to that of the Mediterranean with wet winters and hot, dry summers, hosting the

famous Fynbos biome of shrubland and thicket. This area also produces much of the wine in South Africa. This region is also particularly

known for its wind, which blows intermittently almost all year. The severity of this wind made passing around the Cape of Good Hope

particularly treacherous for sailors, causing many shipwrecks. Further east on the south coast, rainfall is distributed more evenly throughout

the year, producing a green landscape. This area is popularly known as the Garden Route.

The Free State is particularly flat because it lies centrally on the high plateau. North of the Vaal River, the Highveld becomes better watered

and does not experience subtropical extremes of heat. Johannesburg, in the centre of the Highveld, is at 1,740 m (5,709 ft) and receives an

annual rainfall of 760 mm (29.9 in). Winters in this region are cold, although snow is rare.

The high Drakensberg Mountains, which form the south-eastern escarpment of the Highveld, offer limited skiing opportunities in winter. The

coldest place in South Africa is Sutherland in the western Roggeveld Mountains, where midwinter temperatures can reach as low as −15

°C (5 °F). The deep interior has the hottest temperatures: a temperature of 51.7 °C (125.06 °F) was recorded in 1948 in the Northern Cape

Kalahari near Upington but this temperature is unofficial and was not recorded with standard equipment, the official highest temperature is

48.8 °C (119.84 °F) at Vioolsdrif in January 1993

South Africa Culture

The South African black majority still has a substantial number of rural inhabitants who lead largely impoverished lives. It is among these

people that cultural traditions survive most strongly; as blacks have become increasingly urbanised and Westernised, aspects of traditional

culture have declined. Members of the middle class, who are predominantly white but whose ranks include growing numbers of black,

coloured and Indian people, have lifestyles similar in many respects to that of people found in Western Europe, North America and

Australasia.



South Africa’s biggest cities are very much westernised and hold few cultural surprises for Europeans. Handshaking is the usual form of

greeting, sometimes in a more elaborate African handshake that foreigners will pick up readily. Casual wear is widely acceptable, especially

in less formal Cape Town. Smoking is prohibited in public buildings and on public transport.

The presence of so many diverse ethnic backgrounds certainly adds some spice outside of the main business centres. Rural areas most

likely to be visited by travellers include Zulu land in KwaZulu Natal where communities are based in small traditional villages with round huts

(rondevals) and a few hustling, bustling relatively poor towns.

In Durban you’ll be entertained by beach-front Zulu dancers wearing full animal skin tribal regalia. A more modern form of culture is the

now commercialised Gum Boot dance, performed in wellingtons and mining outfits and developed in men’s only mining hostels when

entertainment was scarce.

Religion in South Africa

Around two thirds of South Africans are Christian of some form including Catholics, Anglicans, and Dutch Reformed or African independent

churches. Many Africans believe in traditional healers called sangomas, who give readings – including throwing the bones – and provide

spiritual and emotional counselling and dispense African traditional medicines or muti. There are also significant Hindu, Muslim and Jewish

communities. Johannesburg has areas that the descendants of former immigrants have made their own, including Fordsburg for the Indian

community and Chinatown in Cyrildene.

Language in South Africa

The official languages are Afrikaans, English, isiNdebele, isiXhosa, isiZulu, Sepedi, Sesotho, Setswana, Siswati, Tshivenda and Xitsonga.

Events and Public Holidays

Public HolidaysDate Holiday name Holiday type

Jan 1 New Year's Day Public Holiday

Mar 20 March equinox Season

Mar 21 Human Rights Day Public Holiday

Apr 18 Good Friday Public Holiday

Apr 19 Holy Saturday Observance

Apr 20 Easter Sunday Public Holiday

Apr 21 Family Day Public Holiday

Apr 27 Freedom Day Public Holiday



Apr 28 Freedom Day observed Public Holiday

May 1 Workers' Day Public Holiday

May 7 Public holiday Public Holiday

May 11 Mother's Day Observance

Jun 15 Father's Day Observance

Jun 16 Youth Day Public Holiday

Jun 21 June Solstice Season

Aug 9 National Women's Day Public Holiday

Sep 23 September equinox Season

Sep 24 Heritage Day Public Holiday

Dec 16 Day of Reconciliation Public Holiday

Dec 21 December Solstice Season

Dec 24 Christmas Eve Observance

Dec 25 Christmas Day Public Holiday

Dec 26 Day of Goodwill Public Holiday

Dec 31 New Year's Eve Observance

General Information

Mobile phone

Roaming agreements exist with international mobile phone companies. Coverage extends to most of the country except the very remote

areas. GPRS for data coverage is also widespread. Airport kiosks can sell you a phone or local SIM card if you show some ID.

Internet

Internet cafes are common in towns throughout the country and wireless is available at airports and in upmarket hotels. Most hotels charge

for connectivity and it’s far cheaper to find the nearest internet café.

Post

Airmail takes a minimum of two days to Europe, three days to USA and four days to Australia.

Post office hours

Generally Mon-Fri 0830-1530; Sat 0800-1100; longer in airports and shopping malls. The smaller post offices close for lunch 1300-1400.

Media

South Africa’s many broadcasters and publications reflect the diversity of the population. Freedom of the press is constitutionally protected

and many newspapers have begun to flex their muscles with stronger and more critical political analysis. That includes fighting to retain

their freedom, as a new bill that threatens to curb that right has been tabled. The main English language newspapers are The Daily Sun,

The Star, Sowetan, The Citizen and weekly Mail & Guardian. International papers are widely available in hotels and airports, and a select few

in newsagents and bookshops. One of the most well-respected and analytical news websites is The Daily Maverick (www.thedailymaverick.

co.za).



The state-run SABC and commercial E.tv networks broadcast nationally, and many viewers subscribe to pay-tv operated by Multichoice.

The proliferation of commercial and community radio stations includes Highveld, Jacaranda, 702 Talk Radio and Classic FM.

Office hours

There is no single office opening time and it varies from business to business, generally from either 0800 or 0900 to 1630 or 1700, Mon-Fri.

Economy

The South African economy dominates Sub-Saharan Africa. Agriculture is strong enough for virtual self-sufficiency in foodstuffs: livestock is

reared extensively, and large amounts of sugar, maize and cereals are produced. Wine and fruit are exported in large quantities.

The industrial sector has traditionally been based on mining as one of the world’s largest exporters of gold, platinum and diamonds. It also

has considerable deposits of coal, chromium, manganese and vanadium. The telecommunication networks have seen major improvements

in recent years as undersea cables have brought international bandwidth in larger amounts at cheaper prices.

After decades of double-digit inflation, the period from 2004 to the onset of the global financial downturn was marked by healthy growth

and inflation of under 5%. In the run up to the 2010 FIFA World Cup a construction boom benefitted the country and inflation was capped

to 5.7% in 2010. The inflation rate was recorded at 5.5% in September 2012.

Unemployment remains a major problem, with an official figure of 25.5% in the third quarter 2012, but in many rural and urban townships

it is estimated to be much higher. Other long-term problems include poverty, a high level of HIV/AIDS infection and an inadequate

infrastructure for public transport and electricity.

The country still has a legacy two-tiered economy; one rivalling developed countries and a more basic informal sector, leading to an uneven

distribution of wealth and income. South Africa is a member of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the African

Union (AU).

South Africa has three major trade show, conference and exhibition venues: Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg, Cape Town

International Convention Centre, and the International Convention Centre in Durban. Smaller venues exist in the hotels and universities of

other major towns. South African Tourism provides information for conference organisers and delegates.

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