Country info for backpacking in South Africa

The Protea is the national flower of South Africa Informal settlement near Cape Town. If you want to travel in southern Africa then South Africa is a good place to start. While you can fly into any country in southern Africa, most flights will route through South Africa anyway. South Africa is also a good place to get used to travelling in the region (though some would argue that Namibia is better for that). Of course South Africa is not only a jumping off point, it is itself a superb destination rich in culture, fauna & flora and history. Outsiders' views of South Africa are coloured by the same stereotypes as the rest of Africa. Contrary to popular belief, South Africa is not devastatingly poor with an unstable government that is rapidly going to pot. Although the rural part of South Africa remains among the poorest and the least developed parts of the world and poverty in the townships can be appalling, progress is being made. The process of recovering from apartheid, which lasted almost 46 years, is quite slow. South Africa boasts a well-developed infrastructure and has all the modern amenities and technologies. The government is stable, although corruption is common. The government and the primary political parties all have a high level of respect for democratic institutions and human rights.

History

The tip of Africa has been home to the Khoisan (collective name for Hottentot(Koi) and Bushmen(San)) people for thousands of years. Their rock art can still be found in many places throughout South Africa. Bantu tribes started expanding into Southern Africa around 2500 years ago and by around 500 AD the different cultural groups as we know them today had been established in the area. The first permanent European settlement was built after the Dutch East India Company reached the Cape of Good Hope in April 1652. In the late 1700's the Boers (the settling farmers) slowly started expanding into the interior. In 1795 Britain took control of the Cape and in 1820 a large group of British Settlers arrived in the region. In 1835 large numbers of Boers started out on the Groot Trek into the interior after becoming dissatisfied with the British rule. In the interior they established their own republics after a number of bloody conflicts with the local population. Two wars for control over the region were fought between the Boers and the British in 1880 and 1899. The Union of South Africa was formed in 1910, consolidating the various Boer republics and British colonies. From this, the Republic of South Africa was formed in 1961. Non-Europeans were largely excluded in all these political changes and even with the creation of the Union were not given the right to vote. From 1948 additional apartheid laws were introduced to erode the right of the black population further. In 1992, 68% of the voting white population voted in a referendum to have the apartheid system abolished. This was quickly followed by a new constitution in 1993 and the first fully democratic election in 1994.

Place names

Many region, city, street and building names in South Africa have been changed after the end of apartheid and some of them are still being changed today. These changes can sometimes lead to confusion as many of the new names are not yet well known. This travel guide will use the official new names, but also mention the previous names where possible.

Climate

Climate Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec High(°C) 30 30 30 27 25 24 23 26 29 29 32 30 Low(°C) 23 23 21 17 12 8 8 11 16 18 21 22 Precipitation (cm) 16.6 10 3.9 3.5 0.9 0.3 1.6 1.6 2.4 4.9 11.4 11.2 The climate in South Africa ranges from desert and semi-desert in the north west of the country to sub-tropical on the eastern coastline. The rainy season for most of the country is in the summer, except in the Western Cape where the rains come in the winter. Rainfall in the Eastern Cape is distributed evenly throughout the year. Winter temperatures hover around zero, summers can be very hot, in excess of 35 Celsius in some places. The South African Weather Service provide up to date weather information, forecasts and radar imaging.

Public Holidays

The public holidays in South Africa are:

• January 1. New Years' Day

• March 21. Human Rights Day

• Easter weekend. ("Good Friday", "Easter Saturday", "Easter Sunday" and "Easter Monday"): a four day long weekend in March or April set according to the Western Christian dates.

• April 27. Freedom Day

• May 1. Workers Day

• June 16. Youth Day

• August 9. Woman's Day

• September 24. Heritage Day

• December 16. Day of Reconciliation, (see Bloodriver)

• December 25. Christmas Day

• December 26. Day of Goodwill

If a public holiday falls on a Sunday, then the Monday following will be a holiday School holidays occur early December to middle January, early in April, middle June to middle July and late September. Most South Africans go on leave during these times and accommodation will be harder to find.

Tourism Offices

South African Tourism operates a number of offices in other countries. You might wish to contact the office in your country for any additional information or assistance

• Australia, Level 1, 117 York Street, Sydney, ☎ +61 2 9261-5000 (info.au@southafrica.net, fax: +61 2 9261-2000).

• France, 61 Rue La Boetie, 75008 Paris, ☎ +33 1 456-10197 (info.fr@southafrica.net, fax: +33 1 456-10196).

• Germany, Friedensstrasse 6-10, Frankfurt, ☎ +49 69 929-1290 (info.de@southafrica.net, fax: +49 69 28-0950).

• Italy, Via XX Settembre 24, 3rd Floor, Milano, ☎ +39 02 4391-1765 (info.it@southafrica.net, fax: +39 02 4391-1158).

• Japan, Akasaka Lions Building, 1-1-2 Moto Akasaka, Minato-Ku, Tokyo, ☎ +81 33 478-7601 (info@southafricantourism.or.jp, fax: +81 33 478-7605).

• Netherlands, Jozef Israëlskade 48 A, Amsterdam, ☎ +31 20 471-3181 (info.nl@southafrica.net, fax: +31 20 662-9761).

• UK, No. 5 & 6 Alt Grove, Wimbledon, London, ☎ +44 20 8971-9350 (info.uk@southafrica.net, fax: +44 20 8944-6705).

• USA, 500 Fifth Avenue, 20th Floor, Suite 2040, New York, ☎ +1 212 730-2929 (info.us@southafrica.net, fax: +1 212 764-1980).

South Africa has a high rate of violent crime (the world's highest for rape, and second-highest for murder), which calls for extra precautions. Do not accept offers from friendly strangers. Do not wear jewellery or expensive watches. Do not use iPods/mp3 players. Do not wear a tummy bag with all your valuables. Distribute your valuables in inside pockets and other pockets. Do not carry large sums of money. Do not walk by night in deserted places. Don't make it obvious you are a tourist - conceal your camera and binoculars. Do not leave your valuables in plain sight when driving in your car, as "smash and grab" attacks do sometimes occur at intersections, and keep your car doors locked, and windows closed. Know where to go so that you don't have to reveal you're lost or need a map -- simply all the obvious "I am a tourist" signs. Visiting the townships is possible, but don't do it alone unless you really know where you're going. Some townships are safe while others can be extremely dangerous. It's best to go with an experienced guide. Some tour companies offer guided visits to the townships, and this is perfectly safe. South Africa has very few earthquakes, cyclones, tornadoes, floods, terrorist incidents or contagious diseases (with the notable exception of HIV). Please also note that taking an evening stroll, or walking to venues after dark can be very risky! It simply is NOT part of the culture there, as it is in Europe, North America or Australia. It is best to take a taxi (a meter cab - not a minibus taxi) or private vehicle for an "evening out". The same applies to picking up hitchhikers or offering assistance at broken-down car scenes.

Important telephone numbers

Road signs will remind about emergency numbers

• The National Tourism Information and Safety Line, ☎ +27 (0)83 123-2345. Operated by South African Tourism

From a fixed line

• 107 - Emergency
• 10111 - Police [54]
• 10177 - Ambulance
• 082911 - Netcare911 and The National Sea Rescue Institute

From a mobile phone

• 112 - All Emergencies
• 082911 - Netcare911 and The National Sea Rescue Institute (You only need to dial 911 from Vodacom mobile phones)

Wildlife

One of the main reasons travelers visit South Africa is to experience the outdoors and see the wide range of wildlife. When driving in a wildlife reserve, always keep to the speed limits and stay inside your car at all times. On game drives or walks, always follow the instructions of your guide. Ensure that you wear socks and boots whenever you are walking in the bush; do not wear open sandals. A good pair of boots can stop snake and insect bites and avoid any possible cuts that may lead to infections. In many areas you may encounter wildlife while driving on public roads, monkeys and baboons are especially common. Do not get out of the vehicle to take photos or otherwise try to interact with the animals. These are wild animals and their actions can be unpredictable. Sometimes you might find yourself in the open with wild animals (often happens with baboons at Cape Point). Keep your distance and always ensure that the animals are only to one side of you, do not walk between two groups or individuals. A female baboon may get rather upset if you separate her from her child. Always check with locals before swimming in a river or lake as there may be crocodiles or hippos. Most major beaches in KwaZulu-Natal have shark nets installed. If you intend to swim anywhere other that the main beaches, check with a local first. Note that shark nets may be removed for a couple of days during the annual sardine run (normally along the KwaZulu-Natal coast between early May and late July). This is done to avoid excessive shark and other marine life fatalities. Notices are posted on beaches during these times.

Emergency and Medical Assistance

There are a number of independent emergency assist companies in South Africa

• Netcare 911, 49 New Road, Midrand, ☎ +27 (0)11 254-1927, [55]. Some travel agents offer Netcare911 cover as an option, but you can also deal with them via Travel Insurance (see below) or find out if your existing cover has an association with them.

• Travel Insurance, ☎ +27 (0)11 780-3300. Contracted to Netcare and offers comprehensive EMS cover for the inbound traveler to South Africa.

• ER24, Manor 1, Cambridge Manor Office Park, corner Witkoppen and Stonehaven, Paulshof, Sandton, ☎ +27 (0)84 124, [56]. A large and well represented emergency assist company incorporating the Medi-Clinic chain of hospitals.

Hospitals

It is best to avoid public hospitals where possible. Private hospitals (such as the Netcare Group) are of world class standard.

Water

Municipal tap water is safe to drink throughout the country. In the Western Cape mountain water is safe, even if it has been stained brown due to vegetation. A strong risk of bilharzia exists for still-standing water.

Sunburn

Many activities in South Africa are outdoors, see the sunburn and sun protection travel topic for tips on how to protect yourself. there is about 15% of water in S. Africa

HIV and AIDS

South Africa has one of the largest HIV infection rates world-wide. 5.4 million people out of a population of 48 million are HIV-positive (South African Medical Research Council [57]). The HIV infection rate in the total population older than 2 years varies from around 2% in the Western Cape to over 17% in KwaZulu-Natal (Avert [58]), and all together 18.8% of South Africans over 15 years of age are HIV-Positive (UNICEF [59]). One in four females and one in five males aged 20 to 40 is estimated to be infected (Avert [60]). Only about 10% of the world's population lives in Sub-Sahara Africa, but the same population includes 70% of the world's HIV infected individuals (CDC [61]). For your own safety, DO NOT HAVE UNPROTECTED SEX.

Malaria

The north-eastern areas of the country (including the Kruger National Park and St. Lucia and surrounds) are seasonal malaria zones, from about November to May. The peak danger time is just after the wet season from March to May. Consult a physician regarding appropriate precautions, depending on the time of year you will be travelling. The most important defences against malaria are:

• using a DEET-based mosquito repellent
• covering your skin with long-sleeved clothing, especially around dusk; and
• using mosquito nets while sleeping.

Tabbard and Peacefull Sleep are commonly used mosquito repellents and can be bought almost anywhere. Also read the Malaria and Mosquitoes travel topics.

Smoking

Except for pubs, smoking is banned in all enclosed public spaces, these include airports, shopping malls and theaters. Most restaurants do have smoking sections, either ventilated indoor areas or outdoor open areas.