South Africa Essential Information Guide

South Africa General Information

South Africa Time Zone: GMT + 2

South Africa Currency: Rand (ZAR; symbol R) = 100 cents. Notes are in denominations of R200, 100, 50, 20 and 10. Coins are in denominations of R5, 2 and 1, and 50, 20, 10 and 5 cents.
Approximate exchange rate: US$ 1 = R10, Euro 1 = R12, £1 = R15.5

South Africa Official Languages: The official languages are Afrikaans, English, isiNdebele, isiXhosa, isiZulu, Sepedi, Sesotho, Setswana, Siswati, Tshivenda and Xitsonga. English is spoken in all areas of South Africa.

South Africa Power Supply: Electricity 220/240 volts AC; 50Hz.
Three-pin round plugs are in use.

Religion in South Africa: Most inhabitants profess Christianity of some form and belong to Catholic, Anglican, other protestant denominations, Afrikaner Dutch Reformed churches or African independent churches. There are also significant Hindu, Muslim and Jewish communities, and traditional beliefs are still practiced widely, sometimes in conjunction with Christianity.

International Dialling code for South Africa: + 27

South Africa Weather & Climate

Kruger is a year-round destination in a vast and diverse area and wildlife is the major attraction.

South Africa's climate is generally sunny and pleasant. Winters are usually mild and summers pleasantly warm. In Kruger National Park the weather is generally a lot warmer than the rest of South Africa.

The tropic of Capricorn crosses the north end of Kruger park putting Kruger into a tropical weather region. Summers ( October to March) can get very warm in the Kruger while winter rarely gets cold during the day with evenings and nights getting chilly at worst.

The year can be roughly split into two seasons for Kruger National Park.

The Wet Season - which is the warmer months of November to March.
The grass can be long in some areas after the rains and everything is lush and green, and the birding is excellent. November and December are the calving months. The animals and birds are in good condition with ample supply of water and food.

The Dry Season – Which is the warm days but cooler nights of April to October. It is easier to spot game as the vegetation is less dense, grass is shorter and water is restricted to rivers and waterholes, where the wildlife congregates.

The optimum safari season is May to August and the hot months of September and October. The climate is comfortable in the dry winter months of May, June, July and August. Daytime temperatures are mild and the nights get a little cool.

Visas and Entry Requirements for South Africa

Unabridged Birth Certificate for children under 18

From 1 June 2015, the Department of Home Affairs in South Africa will require all passengers under 18 to travel with an Unabridged Birth Certificate.

What is it?
A new immigration law is coming into effect on 1 June 2015.
Under the new law, all minors under the age of 18 years will be required to produce, in addition to their passport, an Unabridged Birth Certificate (showing the particulars of both parents) when exiting and entering South African ports of entry.

Why is it happening?
This is being done to curb human trafficking. According to the Department of Home Affairs, 30 000 minors are trafficked through South African borders every year. 50% of these minors are under the age of 14.
When the new immigration regulation comes into effect on 1 June, it will be the responsibility of passengers to ensure their children have the correct documentation or risk being denied boarding. The new law will be enforced by airlines and immigration officials across the board (land, sea and air). Although airlines and travel agents are doing everything to keep passengers informed, ultimately it will be passengers’ responsibility to know what is required of them.

In all cases an Unabridged Birth Certificate will be required for minors departing and arriving in South Africa ... they will not be allowed to travel without it. In cases where the Unabridged Birth Certificate is in a language other than English, it must be accompanied by a sworn translation issued by a competent authority in the country concerned.

Children travelling with only one parent
When a child travels with only one parent, additional documents should include an affidavit in which the absent parent gives consent for the child to travel, a court order granting full parental responsibilities or legal guardianship of the child, or the death certificate of the absent parent. The affidavit should be no more than 3 months old from date of travel.

Children travelling without either parent
In the case of a child travelling with a person other than a parent, the Unabridged Birth Certificate must be supplemented by affidavits from the parents or legal guardians confirming that the child may travel with that person, copies of the ID documents or passports of the parents or legal guardian, and the contact details of the parents or legal guardian.

Similarly, a child travelling as an unaccompanied minor would have to produce not only the Unabridged Birth Certificate, but also proof of consent from both parents or legal guardians and contact details, plus documentation relating to the person receiving the child in South Africa. The latter documentation should include a letter stating the person’s contact details and residential address, contact details where the child will be residing, plus a copy of his or her ID document, passport or residence permit.

Application process for Unabridged Birth Certificates
· Apply at your nearest Home Affairs office where your Biometric information will be verified.
· Take your ID book along, as well as your child's ID number.
· All documents submitted must be originals or certified copies.
· The Unabridged Birth Certificate costs R75.
· It can take up to 8 weeks to acquire an Unabridged Birth Certificate from the date of application.

Since last year, Unabridged Birth Certificates have been issued automatically for newborns. If your infant was born after 14 March 2013, you should be in possession of a UBC.

Certified copies of documents are usually valid for 6 months only.

Don't delay applying for Unabridged Birth Certificates as the time frame for obtaining the documentation varies greatly, from a few weeks to several months. Minors travelling in school groups or with their grandparents are not exempt from the requirement.

Who is exempt?
· The new law does not apply to children travelling domestically (E.g. Between Johannesburg and Cape Town).
· Minor passengers on a 'Cruise to Nowhere'. For example a cruise that departs Durban Harbour and returns to Durban Harbour, or a cruise that goes from Durban Harbour to Cape Town Harbour.

Important contacts:
Department of Home Affairs toll free hotline: 0800 60 11 90

Quick guide to the new requirements
• When leaving South Africa with children, parents or guardians must be able to
produce unabridged birth certificates reflecting the details of both parents, as
well as a valid passport for each child.

• This requirement applies even when both parents are travelling with their
children.

• It applies to foreigners and South Africans alike.

• If children are travelling with a guardian, this adult is required to produce
affidavits from both parents giving permission for the children to travel. They
will also need copies of the passports of the parents, as well as the contact
details of the parents.

• If children are travelling with only one parent, they must produce an
unabridged birth certificate as well as:

• a court order granting full parental responsibilities and rights or legal
guardianship in respect of the child, if he or she is the parent or legal
guardian of the child;

• an affidavit from the other parent granting permission for the child to
leave the country;

• a court order granting full parental responsibilities and rights or legal
guardianship in respect of the child; and

• if applicable, the death certificate of the other parent registered on the
birth certificate.

• When a child is travelling as an unaccompanied minor, he or she must be able
to produce:

• proof of consent (a letter or affidavit) from both his or her parents or
legal guardians to travel in or out of the country; and

• a letter from the person who will receive the child in South Africa,
including that person's full contact details and a copy of their passport
or ID book. The letter must also include details about where the child
will be staying, and full contact details of both parents or legal
guardians

Read more: http://www.southafrica.info/travel/documents/travel-children-110614.htm#ixzz3BUfFV4cZ

Passport valid for at least 30 days after the intended date of departure are required by all nationals visiting South Africa. Passport must have at least two blank pages for entry stamp which cannot include the 'endorsement' page at the back.

Tourists and visitors who also require a visa must have a passport with two blank facing pages, one for the visa and one for their entry stamp. Anyone attempting to enter South Africa without the required pages may be returned to their country of origin.

Most nationals visiting South Africa for business and tourist purposes will be granted a visa on arrival at the airport for stays of up to 90 days,

EXCEPT:

Nationals of Cyprus, Hungary, Poland and Slovak Republic who may stay for up to 30 days, and nationals of Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania and Slovenia who do require a visa obtained in advance. Transit passengers continuing their journey by the same or first connecting aircraft provided holding onward or return documentation and not leaving the airport will not require a visa, although advance notice of overnight stay will still be required.

Kruger / South African Cuisine

A thriving agricultural sector yields excellent meat, fruit and wines and the long coastline produces very fresh and cheap seafood. South Africans like to eat out so there is an excellent and diverse range of restaurants. This is especially so in cities, where all international cuisines are represented. Fruity and sweet Cape Malay cuisine can be found in Cape Town, while the Indian influence in Durban provides some authentic Asian food on the KwaZulu-Natal coast, and Mozambique peri peri spicy chicken and prawns are popular all over the country.

Braais (barbeques) are hugely popular and every campsite, self-catering accommodation and picnic spot has a braai pit. Meat is a well-loved staple in South Africa, although vegetarians are offered at least a couple of dishes in even small-town eateries.

National specialties

• Sosaties (a type of kebab).
• Bobotie (a curried mince dish, of which waterbolmmetjiebredie, made with a local water plant, is particularly good).
• Potjiekos (a casserole cooked for hours in an iron pot, usually outside).
• Bredies (meat, tomato and vegetable casseroles).
• Biltong (seasoned dried meat).

National drinks

• Umqombothi, a home-brewed sorghum beer.
• Excellent local red and white wines (including chardonnay), sherries and brandies.
• Rooibos, a red-leafed tea grown in the Western Cape.
• Amarula Cream, a sweet creamy liqueur made from the fruit of the Marula tree.

Legal drinking age: 18

Tipping: Normally 10 to 15% if service is not included. It is customary to tip waiters. By law, hotel rates do not include a service charge.

South Africa History, Culture & People

South Africa has a population of approximately 19 million people.

Handshaking is the usual form of greeting. Normal courtesies should be shown when visiting someone's home. Casual wear is widely acceptable. Smoking is prohibited in public buildings and on public transport, and restaurants have enclosed or outdoor smoking sections.

South Africa is a republic that gained Independence from the United Kingdom in 1910. The Republic of South Africa lies at the southern end of the African continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the east and the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and is bordered to the north by Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Swaziland and totally encloses Lesotho.

South Africa has three major geographical regions, namely plateau, mountains and the coastal belt. The high plateau has sharp escarpments which rise above the plains, or veld. Despite two major river systems, the Limpopo and the Orange, most of the plateau lacks surface water.

Along the coastline are sandy beaches and rocky coves, and the vegetation is shrub-like. The mountainous regions that run along the coastline from the Cape of Good Hope to the Limpopo Valley in the northeast of the country are split into the Drakensberg, Nuweveldberg and Stormberg ranges.

Following the 1994 elections, South Africa was organised into nine regions. These comprise;

• the Western Cape with its provincial and national capital of Cape Town,
• the Eastern Cape with its provincial capital of Bisho,
• the Northern Cape with its provincial capital of Kimberley,
• KwaZulu-Natal with its provincial capital of Pietermaritzburg,
• the Free State with its provincial capital of Bloemfontein,
• the North West Province with its provincial capital of Mmabatho,
• Limpopo (formerly called the Northern Province) with its provincial capital of Polokwane (formerly called Pietersburg),
• Mpumalanga with its provincial capital of Nelspruit, and
• Gauteng with its provincial capital of Johannesburg.