Traveling within South Africa

Getting to and from most major cities is relatively easy. However, you should expect travel without a car to be difficult in South Africa. Most cities don’t have very obvious systems of public transport, although with the World Cup coming to S.A. in 2010 there will be a few new lines of transport.

** Airlines:
South African Airways - they may tend to be more expensive & more luxury, however they have the most flights of any carrier in the country.
Kalula - cheaper airline that flies through most cities in the country
Mango - also a cheap airline, however they tend to fly in and out of the bigger cities only

** Buses:
The buses provide a good, affordable way to get to and from the big cities to smaller, more remote towns. If you only need a way to connect to some of these smaller places and can’t find rental car companies in these towns, the buses will be your best bet. For a 10 hr bus ride from Graaff-Reinet to Cape Town, for instance, I paid about R150.
Inter Cape - probably one of the more reliable bus companies with a fairly large range of routes.
Translux - not always the most punctual, but also another bus company to consider with slightly lower rates.

** Car Rentals:
First a note: South Africans drive on the left side of the road, like in the UK. The fast lane is in the right and you pass people from the right side. Many of the roads are only 2 lanes.

If you are driving more slowly than the cars behind you, you are generally expected to hug the edge of the road to allow other cars to pass. If the lanes are too narrow for you to pull aside, motion using your right turn signal if you see that the road is clear enough for the cars behind to pull ahead. The median lines are drawn just like American roads, with dashed lines on your side to indicate pass-zones. If you pass a car that pulls aside for you, it is considered courtesy to flash your hazards at them a couple of times after you pull ahead.

The driving in SA is not always very good and you must be aware of other drivers on the road. Taxis, which are very large minibuses, tend to have rather impatient drivers and will often overtake you from the wrong side.

Most cars are manual, although it is possible to rent automatics. Manual cars do tend to be a bit cheaper and are better suited to the dirt roads in rural areas. Otherwise automatics are just as good and possibly easier to adjust to if this is your first time driving on the left.

It is generally considered a “no-no” to drive alone at night. Not so much now as a few years ago, but car jackings are quite common and happen mostly at night. I’ve heard along some parts of the N1 at night people lay out rocks in the road to make you stop and will then force you from the car. This is why it is also not considered safe to pick up any of the dozens of hitchhikers you will find along the way, though it is tempting.

Companies: Imperial/Eurocar
Dollar/Thrifty
Avis
Budget

** “Taxis”
Taxis in SA do not refer to yellow checker cabs or black rolls royce vehicles, but rather large minibuses (like church vans) that cater to the large numbers of people without cars. In a way they are like informal bus systems. You will not find an organized map with all the routes - several different companies own groups of taxis but some are also individually owned and run. Taxis can (and I stress “can”) be safe, but I would not recommend attempting to master the system without some help from someone you know locally. The cost of taxis tend to be quite cheap, but it runs on a know-how basis & are not always safe for the obvious newby. There are certain pick up and drop off locations, certain signals you need to know to hail them from the side of the road, and often you must wait for a stopped taxi to fill up entirely before the driver will begin his route.

** Cabs
I’m not yet familiar with all the cab companies in SA and its various cities, but you can hire a cab (more like a yellow checker) by calling in advance. If you need a ride to the airport, a bus, or train station OR late at night this might be your best option.

Visas from the U.S.

From the U.S. to South Africa, you should check out the consular website for SA for the most up to date information. http://www.southafrica-newyork.net/consulate/ If you have questions regarding the information on that site, certainly give the office a call but be persistent. The NY office returns calls based on the order in which they receive them so be sure to call first thing in the morning. The phones operate on an automated menu but certain departments never answer. If you’re having trouble getting through, I would try calling the wrong department and then have them transfer you to the department you need (which will most likely be the Department of Home Affairs).

If you’re an American citizen you automatically get a 90 day tourists visa upon entry. To stay longer, you should look for a Visa that matches your needs. I came to SA as a volunteer and so asked the organization I was planning to work with to sponsor me in advance. On a Volunteer’s Visa you can stay up to 2 years. For an internship I would expect there is a suitable student or intern visa as well. If you’re going to SA for profit or expecting to make any money, you will find the hurdles for getting a Visa are a bit more rigorous. It took a while to assemble all the parts of my Volunteer Visa, but from the day I mailed it to the consular offices it really did only take 10 business days. I think the key thing to getting it returned promptly is to make sure all the necessary parts and forms are included.

To give you an idea of the types of things you might need for your application:

• Passports (including travel/emergency travel documents) must have: at least one (1) unused (blank) visa page when presented to the South African Immigration Services upon arrival in South Africa.
o Note: Visa pages referred above do not include pages reserved for observations, amendments and endorsements.

• Passport valid for 30 more days after the intended return date from South Africa with at least two unused visa pages for endorsement. The unused page needed for endorsement purposes is separate from pages in a passport reserved for observations and amendments.

• Fees payable to the appropriate South African representative office
• Prescribed Form 1738
• Medical Report (BI-811)
• Radiological Report (BI-806) -- they tell you online that you need this form but really, all you need is Dr.’s stamp saying that you are not in need of Radiological Report based on their physical examination of you.
• Police Clearance Certificate from all countries where the applicant resided for 12 months or longer since 18 years -- it takes the longest to get a Police Clearance Certificate from the FBI (we’re talking months), so your best option is to go to your most recent, local county or city police offices to get a Criminal Background Check.
• A vaccination certificate, if required;
• Proof of financial means in the forms of: Bank statements; Salary advices; Undertaking (commitment) by the South African host; Bursaries (grant awarded as part of a financial assistance package); Medical coverage; Cash available, including credit cards or travelers' checks to cover expenses related to the visit; Deposit (you all need this if you’re staying extra long and without a return ticket).
• Marriage and birth certificate
• Applicants traveling by air must be in possession of round trip tickets, or proof of sufficient funds or lodge a cash deposit of equivalent value to such a ticket -- In order to even book a One-way ticket you need special permission from the consulate to allow you to do so, in which case they will most likely ask you to give them a deposit. This deposit ensures the SA government that you will not be overstaying your visa as they will have the means to send you back should you stay too long.
• Statement and/or documentation confirming the purpose and duration of visit -- This would be the sponsorship letter from the organization or company you’re going to work for.

Transportation to South Africa

As an American, I can only speak with reference to flights from the U.S. There are a few possible ways to get to South Africa though none of them are especially cheap.

The best way is to go using Airmiles. South African Airways is a Star Alliance Partner and I know you can use airmiles accumulated through other carriers, like for instance US Airways. I know through USAirways you must have at least 70,000 miles for a free ticket - and the catch there (at least currently) is that from the day you book your flights you must return within 11 months. You can also fly to SA via Delta as well.

Another possibility is to go through Orbitz, although you’ll probably find the tickets there are no cheaper than $1,500 round trip at any time of the year. Through Orbitz you may find your cheapest route is the longest route - meaning flying through London or Geneva instead of direct.

I would advise booking through a local travel agent - do a little research to find a company that works with South African Airways frequently and they’re bound to know the seasonal deals. The deals can be great, though sometimes they’re last minute when the airline is trying to fill a flight and that is not necessarily great for long-term planning.

It is usually a good idea to book far in advance. Although some of the cheaper deals may come along last minute, the flights are not frequent enough to depend on that as an option. Especially if you plan to use airmiles one must book in advance as there are only a certain number of seats allotted for free tickets per flight. Peak seasons are during the Northern Hemisphere summer - June to August - and the South African summer, December to February.

To find out more information about one-way tickets, see the section on Visas.