The city of Johannesburg is the heartbeat of South Africa. It is situated in the smallest yet wealthiest province called Gauteng (Place of Gold) in the heart of the Highveld. It is the economic and cultural centre of the country. Johannesburg is home to many large mining houses and many individual millionaires. Johannesburg has few claims to beauty, but its appeal lies in its equable climate and its vibrancy and zest for life.
Johannesburg owes its origins and much of its wealth to gold mining. In 1886, an Australian prospector literally stumbled on the Witwatersrand reef and once news broke out, fortune-seekers arrived in their hundreds. Very soon the small town had developed into a thriving city.
Soweto (SOuth WEst TOwn), is the largest urban residential area in the country. It is home to a diverse and cosmopolitan sector of the population of an estimated million people. Soweto celebrated it's 100th birthday in 2004. Spend a morning visiting Soweto or going down a gold mine or visit the cultural villages to learn more about our colourful nation.
South Africa / Gauteng Province / Johannesburg
Forum Homini
The Forum Homini, situated just 40 minutes from central Johannesburg and Pretoria, is a five star boutique hotel and is an experience of inestimable value. It is located in a private game reserve, The Cradle of Humankind, one of the world's most famous UNESCO World Heritage sites. The Cradle of Humankind Site comprises of a strip of a dozen dolomitic limestone caves containing the fossillised remains of ancient forms of animals, plants and most importantly, hominids. The dolomite in which the caves formed, started out as coral reefs growing in a warm shallow sea about 2.3 billion years ago.
Forum Homini is an architectural masterpiece set in a solemn and poetic landscape. Sweeping views of the valley abound from luxury suites with roofs covered in African veld. This unique subterranean design creates a real life cave–experience, while sheer expanses of glass ensure natural light and warmth.
Rooms: There are 12 luxury suites, one sumptuous honeymoon and one regal presidential suite
In the Rooms:
Air Conditioning (Both hot and cold)
X
Private Patio
.
Balcony or Patio
.
Room Safe
X
Braai Facilities
.
Room Service (24hr)
X
DVD/CD Player
X
Satellite Television
X
Electric Blankets
.
Television
.
Fireplace
X
Tea and Coffee making Facilities
.X
Fans
.
Twin Beds available
.
Hairdryer
X
WiFi
.
International Direct Dialing
X
Bath en suite
X
Internet Access
X
Bathrobes and Slippers
X
King-size Beds
X
Double Vanity
X
Kitchen Full
.
Heated Towel Rail
.
Kitchen Partial
.
Separate bath and shower
.
Laundry Service
Separate Toilet
.
Lounge Area
X
Toiletries provided
.
Mini-bar
X
Underfloor Heating Bathroom
X
The "cave chic" interiors combine ceiling lights sculpted in the shape of stalactites, backlit mirrors, sensual carpets and arty ottomans, the stenciled imprints of ancient hands done by artist
Paul du Toit as well as custom made gas fireplaces designed to make the fire look as if it's encased by glass.
The honeymoon suite is beautifully appointed to allow for further privacy. It is larger and even more luxurious than the deluxe suites. It includes a spa bath for two, views and private dining
The presidential suite has all the 'wild' features of the deluxe units but is double in size. It has an en-suite room, double fireplaces, private meeting/dining for six, private lounge and own plunge pool
Facilities:
Beautiful pool looking out over the small lake; variety of birdlife; beautiful 600 hectare game reserve with eland, gemsbok, hippo, wildebeest and zebra; artists gallery at reception with high quality original art pieces and jewellery; tailor-made guest activities and services; fine dining for connoisseur's in Roots restaurant with universal cuisine that constantly evolves; special wine selection and cellar; in-suite spa treatments; knapping (ancient stone tool making) available for guests to try out and learn; sundowners at the swimming pool.
In the vicinity:
There are 13 active archeological sites within a 10km range of the hotel. Guided visits by archeologists are by prior arrangement.
Sterkfontein caves where Mrs. Ples and Little Foot were found - state of the art Interpretation Centre at Mogales Gate(8 min)
Regrettably this property does not cater for any children under the age of 12. The facilities are not child safe as there are many glass features, electric fencing to keep game from coming too close and there are easily accessible dams all around the area, which could be unsafe for children.
Restaurant:
“Roots takes Top Ten Eat Out Award for 2008” with top chef Philippe Wagenfuhrer
Our culinary philosophy centers around pure, clear flavours that are decisive and refined. The African, Asian heritage so evident in our cooking is combined together with traditional French roots, creating soulful dishes that exude passion in every bite.
The Roots experience is all about sharing exquisite food and wine in the company of good friends. Amazing African hospitality will narrow the distance and time between our international and South African clientele. Our service is in complete harmony with the cuisine. In both there is a clarity, wholesomeness and balance.
Well designed menus are changed daily and include six-course dinner and four-course lunch gourmet menus also known as a "menu degustation". Interactive cooking classes are becoming most popular at Roots with Philippe waving his magical talent and assisting guests create recipes of spectacular proportions.
Credit cards accepted: All major credit cards are accepted
Michelangelo Hotel
Member of “Leading Hotels of the World”
The Michelanglelo Hotel, situated on Nelson Mandela Square, is the perfect complement to Sandton’s exclusive central business district. Nelson Mandela Square, a perfect place to combine business with pleasure, is host to many vibey restaurants and linked to the exclusive Sandton shopping centre. With its signature Renaissance architecture, elegance and service excellence, The Michelangelo Hotel creates a lasting impression from the moment you arrive.
Rooms:
218 Deluxe and Superior rooms, as well as 22 Premier and Executive suites have all been tastefully decorated to reflect the elegant Renaissance-style that has been carried throughout the rest of the hotel. There are 121 non-smoking rooms. Two Presidential Suites each have a private dining room and lounge as well as 24-hour butler service.
In the Rooms:
Air Conditioning (Both hot and cold)
X
Private Patio
.
Balcony or Patio (82 of the rooms)
X
Room Safe
X
Braai Facilities
.
Room Service (24hr)
X
DVD/CD Player
.
Satellite Television (Partial)
X
Electric Blankets
.
Television
X
Fireplace
.
Tea and Coffee making Facilities
X
Fans
.
Twin Beds available
X
Hairdryer
X
WiFi (Only in Public areas)
X
International Direct Dialing
X
Bathroom en suite
X
Internet Access
X
Bathrobes and Slippers
X
King-size Beds (Premier and Executive Suites)
X
Double Vanity (Only in Suites)
X
Kitchen Full
.
Heated Towel Rail
.
Kitchen Partial
.
Separate bath and shower
X
Laundry Service (Same Day)
X
Separate Toilet
X
Lounge Area
X
Toiletries provided
X.
Mini-bar
X
Underfloor Heating Bathroom
.
Facilities: Intermezzo tourist lounge with shower and changing facilities (for early arrivals/late departures); Express checkout; Dry cleaning; Valet service; Car rental and VIP limousine service on the premises; Indoor heated swimming pool; Underground parking with a security guard and security gate; Doctor and dentist on call; Executive Lifestyle Fitness Centre with a heated and covered pool, grassed sun deck and steam bath.
In the vicinity:
The Health Hydro at the Renaissance Spa at Michelangelo Towers is close by.
In the nearby Nelson Mandela and Sandton City shopping centres: hairdresser, banks/forex, travel agent, beauty salon, bookshops, chemist etc.
Art Galleries; Botanical Gardens; Diamond cutting works; Mine Museums and Historical Monuments.
Children:
Children of all ages are welcome. Maximum one child under 12 can be accommodated free of charge on a bed only basis if sharing with two adults. Children occupying their own rooms will pay the full adult rate.
Babysitting is available if required.
Restaurants:
Piccolo Mondo Restaurant is renowned for its comtemporary cuisine and offers a blend of local and international flavours and style. Infused with the essence of the Italian Renaissance era, it is elegant yet relaxed and therefore ideal for any occasion.
Liberty Life Theatre on the square.
Lounge menu offers breakfasts, light lunches and high tea.
Credit Cards: All major credit cards accepted
South Africa / Gauteng Province / Johannesburg
Cradle of Humankind
Fifty kilometres west of the city, among nondescript koppies, scattered shrubs and trees, is a 47 000 hectare valley known as the Cradle of Humankind. Three million years of human activity have taken place in and around these caves, including man's earliest-known mastery of fire, and forty percent of all the world's human ancestor fossils have been found here.
The biggest and best-known of the caves is Sterkfontein, where over 500 hominid fossils and over 9 000 stone tools have been found. It was at Sterkfontein that two major finds were made, that have changed modern paleontology:
• The Australopithecus africanus Mrs Ples (now believed to be a Mister Ples), dating back 2.5-million years, and found by Robert Broom in 1947.
• Little Foot, an almost complete ape-man skeleton 3.3-million years old, found by Ronald Clarke and Phillip Tobias in 1995 (the bones had lain in a box since the late 1970s, when they were excavated).
Some believe that Little Foot is the most significant hominid find since Raymond Dart's discovery of the skull of the Taung child, a juvenile Australopithecus africanus, discovered in 1924 near a town called Taung in the far north of the North West Province.
The area was declared a World Heritage Site in 1999. Although it is on privately owned land, any finds belong to the world, and the area is strictly controlled and protected.
Soweto Tour
SOWETO is a city of contrasts: luxurious mansions across the road from tin shanties, green fields and streams around the corner from piles of garbage, BMWs with a single passenger parked at traffic lights alongside battered mini taxies jam-packed with passengers, and a friendliness and cheerfulness that disguises a high unemployment rate.
Soweto, an acronym for South Western Township, was begun in 1904 and from the 1950s, became the government's dumping ground for unwanted black settlements in white suburbs. Soweto is huge, stretching across a vast area 20 kilometres south west of the city. Its people speak nine of the country's 11 languages.
The tour passes the Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital, the largest hospital in Africa with 4300 beds. It is the biggest training hospital in the country. 2 500 nurses are trained there every year, helping 530 doctors.
You will visit the local “pharmacy” selling roots, murky bottles, and bundles of twigs that resemble birds' nests. These scented bundles are burned to ward away spirits. The traditional healer still plays a big part in the lives of many Sowetans.
You will see the huge contrasts between the middle class brick houses and the huge tin shanti towns of Mandela Village where houses are built on top of one another, with thin alleyways between them, often covered in pools of water, and chemical toilets at the end of each block, each catering for dozens of people. Communal taps cater for an equal number of people. Then on to Orlando West, where the mansions of Winnie Madikizela-Mandela and Desmond Tutu provide a stark contrast with the surrounds
Nelson Mandela’s old home has now been turned into a museum containing memorabilia from the short time he lived their before he was arrested. Mandela now lives several kilometres north of the city centre, in the suburb of Houghton.
You will visit Orlando West High School, from which students marched down the other side of the hill and met with an army of policemen, in 1976. Halfway down the hill Hector Pieterson was shot and fell, on 16 June, and the spot is now commemorated with a stark stone memorial to the 12-year-old boy.
You will stop at a local shebeen and visit the Regina Mundi Catholic Church where many banned political meetings were held during the years of the apartheid government.
Lesedi Cultural Village
Lesedi Cultural Village is a multi-cultural village set amongst the pristine bushveld and rocky hills less than an hour’s drive north of Johannesburg. Situated at Lesedi African Lodge are five traditional homesteads – the Zulus with their fighting sticks and cosy beehive huts, the Xhosa with their perfectly thatched rondawels and distinctive white blankets, the rhythmic drums and whistles of the Pedi tribe, the conical straw hats and thick, coloured blankets of the Basotho and the colourful homes of the Ndebele.
Lesedi gives you the opportunity to participate for an evening in the mystical cultures and traditions of the people of Africa while you share a wonderful meal together. Steeped in tribal folklore and ancestral traditions, our culture is the light of our nation.
Lion Park
The Lion Park, near Lanseria Airport, is home to over 80 lions including the rare white lions and many other carnivores such as cheetah, wild dog, brown and spotted hyena and black backed jackal. It also has a wide variety of antelope which roam freely in the antelope area. Guest have the opportunity to see these animals close up and to interact with some of them. There is a giraffe feeding platform that puts you at eye level with the tame resident giraffe and a lion cub interaction which allows guests to touch the cubs and take photographs.
South Africa ranks as one of the top birding destinations in the world with approximately 850 recorded species. Birding facilities are well developed throughout the nation.
The central grasslands around the Wakkerstroom (where Mpumalanga, the Free State and KwaZulu Natal meet) are a key area for birders with specials including Rudd's and Botha's larks, yellow breasted and African rock pitpits, bush blackcap, blue and white-bellied korhaans, Stanley's bustard, the blue grey-crowned and wattled cranes, southern bald ibis and white-winged flufftail.
The tropical north-eastern part of KwaZulu Natal features the Woodward's (green) barbet, known only from the Ngoye forest, the palmnut vulture, the African broadbill, Neergard's sunbird, Rudd's apalis, Delegorgue's pigeon, the Knysna and Livingstone turacos and the southern banded snake eagle.
In the low-lying bush area running from Kruger National Park (east) to the Drakensberg escarpment (west) are large populations of birds typical of African game reserves including raptors (martial eagle, tawny eagle, brown snake eagle, African hawk eagle, Wahlberg's eagle, steppe eagle and the lesser spotted eagle), saddlebilled stork, southern ground hornbill, ostrich and kori bustard. Along the western edge of the lowveld lies the escarpment, which includes the taita falcon, the bat hawk and the cape parrot.
From Cape Town in the Western Cape, pelagic trips are taken to see albatrosses, shearwaters, petrels and storm petrels. Sightings are good all year but best in winter. Endemic in the province include fybnbos specials such as the orange-breasted sunbird, the Cape sugarbird, the Cape siskin, the protea seedeater and the hottentot buttonquail. The West Coast National Park, which includes the Langebaan Lagoon, attracts huge numbers of waders from their Artic breeding ground during the southern summer and is particularly important for the curlew sandpiper. Close to Cape Town, the Cape of Good Hope offers the hottentot buttonquail and a variety of seabirds, while the nearby Boulders Beach National Park at Simonstown has an accessible and thriving African penguin colony.
2. Cape Town and Winelands
The icon of South Africa, Table Mountain stands in the centre of Cape Town and offers a host of hiking trails. A cable car whisks visitors to the top where fantastic panoramic views can be enjoyed.
Dubbed the "African Riveria" the Cape Town beach culture is one of the country's main tourism draws. Popular sandy stretches include Camps Bay and Clifton Beach.
Called the "Cape of Good Hope" and the "Cape of Storms" Cape Point was first rounded by Portuguese explorer Bartholomeu Diaz in 1488. On his way to India, Vasco de Gama followed soon after, in 1497. Wild and windswept, today's Point is part of the Cape Peninsula National Park that features ostrich, antelope and a stunning array of indigenous flora.
Adventure sports are the lifeblood of the region's backpacking industry and there is no shortage of adrenaline-producing activity on offer. Most popular are shark cage diving, abseiling, kloofing, mountain biking, paragliding, microlighting, sea kayaking, surfing and rock climbing.
Cape Town's European feel extends to both nightlife and shopping and the V+A Waterfront features both, which might explain why it is the most highly trafficked tourist destination in Africa. Other popular nightlife destinations are Long Street in the centre of town and Camps Bay (in the summer) and de Waterkant in Green Point.
The Cape wine tradition dates back 350 years and today's labels are garnering increasing global attention and admiration. Vineyards and wineries throughout the region are open for tours and tastings and the most popular guided route takes visitors through the picturesque towns of Franschoek, Paarl, Somerset West and Stellenbosch
3. Game viewing
Game Viewing in South Africa is a booming business and there are ample opportunities across the country to enjoy the Big Five (elephant, lion, rhino, leopard and buffalo) and more than 200 other species. The country's most famous Big Five areas include the massive Kruger National Park and surrounding private reserves (Sabi Sands, Timbavati, Thornybush etc), the Hluhluwe Umfolozi Park in KwaZulu Natal and Pilanesberg in the North West province.
Big Five game parks in the Eastern Cape are in a malaria free zone.
The best time for game viewing is in September and October, before the summer rains
South African game lodges regularly win International awards for being the best and most romantic destinations in the world
4. Hiking
Single and multi-day trails exist throughout the country across a variety of landscapes. Popular treks include safari walks, mountain hikes and wilderness trails. A great source for exploring more than 100 of these is the Footprint Hiking Club (website www.footprint.co.za).
Late winter and early summer are the best times for hiking as at the height of summer it can be hot over most of the country. In the Drakensberg, summer thunderstorms are dangerous, while there is a good chance of snow in the winter. In the Cape, the winters are wet, so hiking can be a bit hardcore.
The 43 km Otter trail along the Tsitsikamma coast in the Eastern Cape is the most popular hike in the country. Taking five days to complete, the route leads hikers through lush forests, rugged shorelines, the mountain streams and waterfalls. It is strenuous with lots of ups and downs, but the distances aren't too great. Those wanting a more relaxing trek might prefer the Dolphin Trail which covers similar terrain to the Otter Trail, even joining up with it in places, but instead of hiking huts visitors stay in fully catered guest houses and have their packs transported to the next overnight spot by vehicle. Both trails require advance booking with SA National Parks.
The Amatola Trail in the Eastern Cape takes hikers on a tour through breathtaking mountain scenery, indigenous forests, waterfalls and moutain pools. It starts close to King Williamstown and ends at Hogsback and takes five days to complete. Advance booking is required (Department of Water Affairs and Forestry +27 (0) 43 642 2571).
The 44 kms guided St. Lucia Wilderness trail covers a range of habitats including dune forests, seascapes, lakes and pans. Watch out for the hippo and crocodile. Booking should be made through Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife (Tel: +27 (0) 33 845 1000, www.kznwildlife.com).
For an even wilder experience, visitors can hike for days in the Cedarberg, near Cape Town, or in the Drakensberg in KwaZulu-Natal, without seeing a hut or a route marker. These are designated wilderness areas and all that is needed is a map and a permit. Nights are spent sleeping under the stars or in convenient caves.
5. Culture
South Africa has an active history spanning more than one hundred thousand years. Highlights include prehistoric rock art and fossil sites, evidence of great civilizations, colonial architecture, battlefields, cultural strongholds and civil right proving grounds.
The earliest named inhabitants of the regions were the hunter-gatherer "San" and the pastoral "Khoekhoe" . Together the two groups are known as "Khoisan" and evidence of their long tenure can be found at rock art sites around the country, particularly in the Cedarberg and Drakensberg mountain ranges.
The colonial area began in 1652 when the Dutch East India Company dispatched Jan van Riebeeck and 90 men to present day Cape Town. Their mission was to develop and manage a vegetable garden to supply ships traveling between Europe and the East. Much evidence of these early settlers, including the Company garden, still exists today.
Having hosted a significant number of bloody conflicts including the Zulu, Voortrekker-Zulu, Anglo-Zulu and Anglo-Boer wars, KwaZulu Natal is a must for battlefield enthusiasts. Towns of particular interst are Charlestown, Dundee, Glencoe, Ladysmith, Newcastle, Rorke's Drift, Utrecht, Volksrust and Vryheid.
Apartheid and the countering struggle for democracy shaped modern day South Africa and excellent windows in the troubled times include the Apartheid Museum in Johannesburg, Robben Island in Cape Town, the Nelson Mandela National Museum in Umtata (Mthatha Eastern Cape) and a host of smaller museums and exhibits across the country
6. World Heritage Sites
South Africa is home to seven of the world's official heritage sites, as determined by UNESCO's World Heritage committee.
Robben Island in the Western Cape is most famous as the place where Nelson Mandela, the first democratically elected president of South Africa, was imprisoned for 18 of his 27 years in jail. The island has become the symbol of the triumph of democracy and freedom over oppression.
The Greater St Lucia Wetland Park in KwaZulu-Natal has one of the largest estuary systems in Africa and the continent's southern most coral reefs. In granting it World Heritage status in 1999 the World Heritage Committee noted the park's "exceptional biodiversity including some 521 bird species."
The Cradle of Humankind in Gauteng and the North West has one of the world's richest concentration of hominid fossils, evidence of human evolution over the last 3,5 million years. In granting the Cradle World Heritage status for its cultural significance, the World Heritage Committee note that the sites "throw light on the earliest ancestors of humankind. They constitute a vast reserve of scientific information, the potential of which is enormous."
The uKhlhlamba Drakensberg park in KwaZulu-Natal has outstanding natural beauty, Africa's highest mountain range south of Kilimanjaro, and the largest and most concentrated series of rock art paintings in Africa, making it a World Heritage site of both natural and cultural significance.
Mapungubwe in Limpopo was South Africa's first kingdom, and developed into the subcontinent's largest realm, lasting 400 years before it was abandoned in the 14th century. Its highly sophisticated people traded gold and ivory with China, India and Egypt.
The Cape Floral region is a stretch of land and sea spanning 90,0000 square kilometers in the Eastern and Western Cape. The area takes up 0.04% of the world's land area yet contains an astonishing 3% of its plant species. This makes it one of the richest areas for plants in the world and one of the globe's 18 biodiversity hot spots. The rich diversity of the Cape Floral Region contributes to South Africa having the third-highest level of biodiversity in the world.
In the Free State and North West Provinces, the Vredefort Dome is an enormous meteorite impact crater dating back two billion years. The world has about 130 crater structures of possible impact origin. The Vredfort Dome is among the top three and is the oldest and largest clearly visible meteorite impact site in the world.
CAPITAL: The legislative capital is Cape Town and the administrative capital is Pretoria
CLIMATE: South Afria has two seasons, summer and winter.
Summer runs November to April and is generally hot and sunny. With the exception of the Western Cape, the country receives the majority of its annual rainfall during this season and it's usually in the form of strong afternoon thundershowers . On the interior (around Johannesburg) the altitude keeps the average summer temperatures below 30° C. Other areas of the country, particularly the Karoo and around Kruger, experience notably higher temperature of 40°.
Winter runs May to October and, with the exception of the Western Cape, is generally crisp and sunny during the day and cold at night. The Western Cape gets most of its rain during this season and the high mountain of the Cape and the Drakensburg (in KwaZulu Natal) usually get snow.
COMMUNICATIONS:
The international country code for South Africa is +27. The major cellular carriers are Vodacom (www.vodacom.co.za) which operate on GSM900 and WCDMA 2100; MTN (which operates on GSM 900 ad WCDMA 2100; and CellC (www.cellc.co.za) which operates on GSM 1800. Vodacom and MTN support Blackberry
Cellular phones are available for hire at most major airports.
Internet cafes are available in all major cities and many smaller towns.
Internet services provider include MWeb (www.mweb.co.za). In Cape Town and Johannesburg there are occasional wireless hotspots.
ELECTRICITY:
220V. Plug types are the round three pin and round two pin.
LANGUAGE:
South Africa has 11 official languages but English predominates and is spoken in almost every corner of the country.
OFFICIAL HOLIDAYS:
New Year's Day - 1st January
Human Rights Day - 21st March
Good Friday ·
Family Day - Monday after Good Friday
Freedom Day - 27th April
Worker's Day - 1st May
Youth Day - 16th June
Women's Day - 9th August
Heritage Day - 24th September
Day of Reconcilliation - 16th December
Christmas Day - 25th December
Day of Goodwill Day - after Christmas Day
TIME:
2 hours ahead of GMT. South Africa does not observe daylight savings time changes.
ENTERING AND GETTING AROUND:
Arrival by Air: South Africa's primary port of entire for most international travelers is Oliver Tambo International Airport in Gauteng. +27(0)11-921-6262. It is serviced by
South African Airways
British Airways
Air France
Cathay Pacific
Egypt Air
KLM
Lufthansa
Air Mauritius
Emirates
Iberia
El Al
Singapore Airlines
Virgin Atlantic and many others
The main airport for Cape Town is Cape Town International +27(0) 21-921-6262
It is serviced by
South African Airways
British Airways
Air Namibia
KLM
Lufthansa
Singapore Airlines
Virgin Atlantic
The main airport for Durban is Durban International +27(0)31-451-6758
CUSTOMS
South African customs passenger allowances entitle visitors to bring new or used goods fo up to ZAR 3000 in valvue into the country without paying any duty. For additional goods, new or used, of up to ZAR12,000 in value visitors are charged a flat rate of 20% duty. Therafter normal customs duties apply.
Duty Free allowance of
200 cigarettes or 20 cigars or 250 gms tobacco.
two liters of wine and one litre of spirit.
50 ml of perfume and 250 ml of eau de toilette.
Alcohol and tobacco allowances only apply to people over 18. All currency must be declared on entering the country.
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
A valid passport is required to enter South Africa. The date of expiry should be at least six months after the visitor intends to end his/her stay in the country
Passports must have at least two blank visa pages for the purpose of endorsement. The blank pages needed for endorsement purposes excludes pages in a passport reserved for observations and amendments. There have been several high profile cases of visitors being deported for not observing this requirement.
INTERNAL TRAVEL
South Africa has 728 airports, 146 of which have paved runways. The national carrier South African Airways offers scheduled flights between Johannesburg, Cape Town
HEALTH
African Tick Bite Fever :
Tick bites are commong in South Africa and travellers are advised to wear protective clothing
Cholera / Dysentery
Endemic to several provinces and especially prevalent during the rainy season. Drinking water should be filtered and boiled or bought in brand bottles with unbroken seals. Food purchased from local street vendors may not meet adequate hygiene standards.
HIV/AIDS
Infection rate amongst the adult population is estimated at 21.5%.
Immunization
Immunization is recommended against hepatitis A, polio, tetanus and typhoid. Yellow fever, small pox and cholera inoculations are only necessary if visiting or passing through an infected area.
Insurance
Insurance is very strongly recommended as ability to pay must usually be demonstrated before treatment is given. Travellers should confirm that their existing policy meets their needs (including medical evacuation) prior to departure.
Malaria
According to the World Health Organisation "Malaria risk is primarily due to P.falciparum and exists thoughout the year in the low altitude area of the Mpumalanga Province (including Kruger National Park), Northern Province and north-eastern KwaZulu Natal as far south as the Tugela River. Risk is highest from October to May. Resistance to chloroquinine and sufladoxine-pyrimethamine is reported"
Schistomsomiasis/Bilharzia
Endemic in the north and east. Travellers are advised to avoid shallow, stagnant water. For more information on Schistomsomiasis visit the WHO website (www. who.int/wormcontrol/en or the CDC at www.cdc.gov/ncidad/dpd/parasites/schistosomiasis/der/ault.htm.).
Hospitals and Clinics
South Africa has and excellent health care infrastructure and in many disciplines it is ranked amongst the best in the world. Private medical facilities in cities and larger towns are world-class, but clinics and hospitals in rural area offer far more basic service. In very remote areas evacuation may be required.
MONEY
ATM's
Available in all towns at shopping malls, airports and most large filling stations
Credit Cards
Visa, Mastercard, American Express and Diners Club cards are widely accepted by most vendors. However some smaller vendors might only accept Visa and Mastercard, so visitors are advised not to rely exclusively on American Express and Diners. Travellers intending to pay major expenses (i.e accommodation, car hire etc) should confirm with their choses supplier in advance. Cash advances on credit cards are available at banks. Note credit cards can NOT be used to purchase fuel at filling stations.
Currency
The official currency is the Rand (ZAR) which has smaller units (coins) called cents. (R1.00=100 cents). Banknotes are available in denominations of R10, R20, R50, R100, R200. Coins are available in denominations of R1, R2, and R5 and cents at 50c, 20c, 10c and 5c
Currency Controls
There are no restrictions on the importation of foreign currency into South Africa, but any currency should be declared on arrival. Foreigners may import up to a maximum of R5,000 of South African rands into South Africa.. The export of currency is limited to R160,000 South African Rands
Foreign Exchange
Money can be changed at banks and government-authorised bureaux de change. Bureaux de change can be found in the cities and larger towns, at large shopping malls and at international airports.
Travellers Cheques
Travellers cheques can be changed at banks and bureaux de change and are often accepted by accommodation establishments and tourism vendors. That being said, visitors who intend settling major expenses using traveller's cheques are advised to check with their supplier in advance.
SAFETY
According to the UK Foreign and Commonswealth Office (www.fco.gov.uk)
"South Africa is actively addressing the issue of crime. It does have a high level of crime but in most cases occur in the townships and isolated areas away from the normal tourist destinations. Consult a reliable rour guide if you are visitng a township. The risk to visitors traveling to the main destinations is low. If you are mugged or your car is hijacked you should remain calm, offer no resistance and hand over possessions without question.
The South African authorities give high priority to protecting tourists. Tourism police are deployed in several of the large towns
South Africa actively promotes and HIV/AIDS awareness campaign, but given the level of HIV/AIDS in he country, you should seek immediate medical advise if you are sexually assaulted or otherwise injured.
As elsewhere, thieves like to operate at international airports, bus and railways stations. Passport theft is common. You should carry photocopies of your passport with you. Keep you baggage with you at all times. Keep large amounts of money, expensive jewellery, cameras and cell phones out of sight. Do not change large sums of money in busy public areas.
For your convenience and safety, you may wish to carry a mobile cellular phone with you at all times. Most UK cell phones, with international roaming facility, work in South Africa. You should check with your UK network operator before traveling. Alternatively, cell phones can be hired on arrival at the main international airports. Do not give personal or financial account information details to unknown parties. There are international fraud rings operation in South Africa, as there are in othere parts of the world, who may target visitors, foreign businessmen and charities.
Johannesburg, like other major international cities, has specific risk areas. You should avoid Berea and Hillbrow. There is a high level of muggings around the Rotunda bus terminus in the Central Business District.
In all areas of South Africa, you should be cautious when out after dark. Streets, even in urban areas, are not brightly lit at night. Be vigilant at all times in Durban's city centre and beachfront area. Keep to the main roads and avoid driving at night when visitng Northern KwaZulu Natal and Zululand, as there have been incidents of hi-jacking and robbery, particularly on lonely secondary roads.
You should park in well-lit areas. Do not pick up strangers. Do not stop to assist (apparently) distressed motorists, as this is a technique sometimes used by hi-jackers. It is better to report the incident to the police.
Be vigilant on the approach roads to and from Kruger park where there have been cases of car hijacking. The local authorities have increased police patrols in this area. Avoid isolated beaches and picnic spots across South Africa. Walking alone anywhere, especially in remote areas, is not advised. Call the police (on 10111) (112 from cell phones)) at the first sign of a threat.
There have been attackers on hikers and tourists on Table Mountain. You should be cautious when in the quieter areas of the Park, especially in the early morning or just before the Park closes. Park authorities who are trying to address this problem recommend that visitors should walk in groups and take all the appropriate precautions.
The city of Johannesburg is the heartbeat of South Africa. It is situated in the smallest yet wealthiest province called Gauteng (Place of Gold) in the heart of the Highveld. It is the economic and cultural centre of the country. Johannesburg is home to many large mining houses and many individual millionaires. Johannesburg has few claims to beauty, but its appeal lies in its equable climate and its vibrancy and zest for life. 
