🦁 South Africa

Official government travel advice

Advice changes quickly. Check it before you travel and again before you leave.

Costs

Prices here are about 42% of US prices (World Bank, 2025). This compares a country's overall prices, not the cost of a trip.

Practical information

Entry

The rule depends on the passport, and sources disagree about whether some holders may enter South Africa without a visa on a short tourist visit or must obtain an electronic authorisation beforehand. Before booking, confirm the current position with the nearest South African embassy or the Department of Home Affairs, since airlines may deny boarding when papers are incorrect. Arrivals from a risk country need a yellow fever certificate, and only those. Travellers also need proof of accommodation and a return ticket, plus a passport with enough blank pages that stays valid for longer than the trip lasts; the safe choice is 6 months.

Department of Home Affairs OfficialOfficial visa and entry rules.
South African Tourism OfficialOfficial tourism site.

Safety and culture - take note

Visitors face crime as the main risk. Avoid quiet areas and walking alone at night; keep phones, cameras and jewellery out of view. Rather than walking or hailing taxis, use hotel transport or ride-hailing apps. Lock your car doors, keep valuables hidden from view and store them in hotel safes. In townships and city centres, follow your guide's advice. While on safari, never leave the vehicle or approach wildlife, and note that some game areas lie in a malaria zone, for example in the northeast near Kruger, so ask a doctor about prevention. Load-shedding, meaning power cuts, happens. Driving is on the left. In restaurants, leave a tip of about 10-15%. South Africa has great diversity and takes pride in it, so treat race and history respectfully. Cape Town, Durban and Johannesburg make halal food easy to find. Cape Town's cable car up Table Mountain is shut down by strong wind, so allow some flexibility.

Emergency

112 from a mobile phone. Police 10111. Ambulance 10177.

Good to know

Exchange, cards and cash machines

The currency is the rand, says Canadian advice, and money can be exchanged at major banks and exchange counters with a passport and extra ID. Card and ATM fraud occur, and it advises declining offers of help at a machine. It also warns of forced cash machine withdrawals in express kidnappings, and of power cuts that can disrupt banks and machines. UK advice says to change large sums only in banks or secure malls.

Source: Government of Canada travel advice: South Africa (checked 4 Nov 2026)
Source: UK FCDO travel advice: South Africa, safety and security (checked 4 Nov 2026)

Local laws and customs

ID, cannabis and ivory

UK advice says officials can ask for ID at any time, so carry a copy of your passport photo page and your visa page. Personal consumption of cannabis is considered legal, but possessing, using or smuggling any other illegal drug is prohibited, including in airport transit, with severe penalties. Trading ivory or rhino horn is banned. UK advice says same-sex sexual activity is legal. Canadian advice strongly recommends an international driving permit.

Source: UK FCDO travel advice: South Africa, safety and security (checked 4 Nov 2026)
Source: Government of Canada travel advice: South Africa (checked 4 Nov 2026)

Taxis and scams

Taxis and e-hailing apps

In major cities, scammers go after people who use e-hailing taxi apps, UK travel advice says, and passengers should be wary of unregulated drivers who pose as Uber or other app drivers, especially at airports. Book through the app, wait somewhere safe instead of on the street, and check both the vehicle registration and the driver's ID before you get in. Minibus taxis operate with informal pick-up and drop-off habits, and riding them brings a higher chance of theft, violence and unreliable service.

Source: UK FCDO travel advice: South Africa, safety and security (checked 4 Nov 2026)

Uber and trusted ride apps

Uber works in most South African cities and towns once the app is downloaded and your details are entered, says the national tourism board, which advises noting who the driver is and the car's registration number. Canadian advice is to pick a trusted ridesharing app, check the licence plate and who is driving before getting in, and to stay away from taxi stands when being picked up or dropped off, as violence has occurred between taxi associations and ridesharing drivers.

Source: South African Tourism: using public transport (checked 4 Nov 2026)
Source: Government of Canada travel advice: South Africa (checked 4 Nov 2026)

Scams, ATMs and spiked drinks

Card skimming and confidence scams are among the dangers in UK travel advice, which also warns of fraudsters using embassy or government details, so confirm their authenticity. Criminals may pretend to be officials, in which case ask to see ID and move to a public place. Crime is common around ATMs and money exchanges, so hide your PIN and be wary of strangers offering help. Drink spiking has led to robbery and assault, so be careful with strangers who offer free drinks or rides.

Source: UK FCDO travel advice: South Africa, safety and security (checked 4 Nov 2026)

Who can help

local government

South African Police Service (Crime Stop line)

Helps with: Anonymous crime tip-off line. For a police emergency dial 10111, or 112 from a mobile.

Who qualifies: Anyone in South Africa, including visitors, who needs to report a crime.

Phone: 08600 10111

Source · checked 2026-11-04

local government

National Department of Tourism call centre

Helps with: South Africa's national tourism department. The government help-line directory lists its tourism call centre for visitor and tourism enquiries.

Who qualifies: Anyone travelling in South Africa or planning a trip there.

Phone: 0860 868 747

Official website

Source · checked 2026-11-04

ngo

South African Red Cross Society

Helps with: South Africa's national Red Cross society. It lists a free, confidential service to reconnect people with missing relatives, plus disaster response and first aid training.

Who qualifies: People in South Africa who need its family-tracing, disaster relief or first aid training services.

Phone: +27 10 022 4197

Email: [email protected]

Address: 5 Ryder Road, Randburg, Johannesburg

Official website

Source · checked 2026-11-04

un agency

International Organization for Migration (IOM) South Africa

Helps with: The UN migration agency, present in South Africa since 1995. It works on migration management, crisis response and partnerships; its office is in Pretoria.

Who qualifies: Migrants and governments working on migration. It is not a help service for ordinary tourists.

Phone: +27 12 342 2789

Email: [email protected]

Address: Building 4 Walker Creek Office Park, 25 Nicolson Street, Bailey's Muckleneuk, Pretoria 0181

Official website

Source · checked 2026-11-04

embassy

Foreign embassies and consulates in South Africa (official list)

Helps with: For a lost passport or serious trouble, contact your own country's embassy or high commission. The foreign ministry's page lists each mission, with addresses, phones and emails.

Who qualifies: Citizens of each country, through their own embassy, high commission or consulate.

Official website

Source · checked 2026-11-04

local government

National Disaster Management Centre

Helps with: South Africa's national disaster management centre, based in Centurion. Its contact page gives a main office number and email, and links to a disaster contact list.

Who qualifies: Anyone needing to contact the national disaster management authority. No public hotline is shown on its page.

Phone: 012 065 0969

Email: [email protected]

Address: Riverside Office Park Letaba Building, 2nd Floor, 1303 Heuwel Avenue, Centurion, 0157

Official website

Source · checked 2026-11-04

local government

City of Johannesburg Emergency Connect

Helps with: The City of Johannesburg's emergency line, listed for ambulance, fire, metro police and disaster management. The city page also lists 10111 for police emergencies nationwide.

Who qualifies: Anyone in Johannesburg, residents and visitors alike.

Phone: 011 375 5911

Official website

Source · checked 2026-11-04

local government