Information for International Delegates
South Africa is known as a friendly and accessible country, even more so after after having hosted the FIFA World Cup of soccer in 2010. You will find easy access to excellent communication technology, medical care and other services, yet be able to enjoy a unique cultural diversity and natural beauty. Please refer to information on this website for more information about:
Read below for general useful information for international visitors regarding South Africa:
Visas are required from certain countries and are issued by the South African missions abroad. Visitors should check with their local travel agencies whether they will need a visa (in additions to their country passport) to enter South Africa. For certain countries there may be additional requirements, which may include medical evaluations.
While the Conference Organisers could assist with a letter of invitation once you are registered for the conference and/or an abstract for presentation has been accepted, it remains your own responsibility to find out and ensure that you comply with all the requirements before entering the country.
Please note that all delegates are responsible for their own travel insurance, medical insurance and other personal insurance (see also Health below). The Conference Organisers do not take any responsibility or arrangements in this regard. All delegates are also responsible for own insurance against any damage or losses that may be incurred in the case of cancellation of the conference due to force majeur, or other unforeseen reasons that may deem it necessary for the Conference Organisers to cancel the meeting.
Conditions in South Africa have been increasingly stable and safe since the end of apartheid in 1994. This has been demonstrated also during the hosting of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Crime may be a problem in some areas, as anywhere else in the world. It is therefore recommended that you take reasonable and responsible safety measures (simple common sense), taking also the following into account:
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The South African authorities give high priority to protecting tourists. Tourism police are deployed in several of the large towns.
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Keep valuables out of sight in busy public areas such as international airports, bus and railway stations. Do not carry large sums of money in cash with you. Keep photocopies of your passport in a different location than the originals. Keep your baggage with you at all times. In open-air and pavement restaurants especially, avoid hanging your handbag over the back of your chair (stay aware of where it is at all times, place under the table. Handbags should be zipped (zip with flap-over best). Tuck wallets, keys, passports, travel documents away anywhere you go.
- Keep car windows closed and doors locked when driving around. Under no circumstances pick up a hitchhiker.
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For your convenience and safety, consider carrying a mobile/cellular phone with you (own or rental).
- As a general rule, it is consider unsafe to walk around in isolated places after dark.
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Do not give personal or financial account information details to unknown parties. There are international fraud rings operating in South Africa, as there are in other parts of the world, who may target visitors, foreign businessmen and charities.
Mini
directory: Emergency and useful numbers (dialled locally)
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Health Matters while Travelling in South Africa
South Africa offers top class health care expertise and facilities. Please take note of the following:
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South Africa and the sub-Saharan region of Africa have a high prevalence of HIV/AIDS.
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Malaria is prevalent in parts of Mpumalanga, Limpopo province and KwaZulu-Natal (particularly the Wetlands area around St Lucia). Before travelling to these areas, including Kruger Park, you should seek medical advice on suitable anti-malarial medication and take precautions to minimise the risk ot mosquito bites (e.g. repellent & appropriate clothing).
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There are periodic outbreaks of cholera in the poor communities of rural South Africa, especially in Northern KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, and Limpopo provinces. Cholera is a highly contagious disease. You are advised to maintain a high level of personal hygiene and drink only bottled water if travelling in these areas.
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Measles outbreaks have occured from time to time in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng provinces.
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Hospital treatment in large cities provides excellent medical care, but can be expensive. Public medical facilities, particularly in rural areas, may be basic or poor. In remote areas, air evacuation is sometimes the only option for medical emergencies.
We strongly recommend that you obtain comprehensive travel and medical insurance before travelling, including cover for medical evacuation. You should check any exclusions, and that your policy covers you for the activities you want to undertake, especially extreme adventure sports or wildlife activities. Remember that failure to declare a medical condition could render a policy invalid.
South Africa has outstanding expertise, network, access, and support for an established and stable information and communication technology infrastructure. This includes widely available Internet, mobile, and wireless connections.
Dialing
Codes
The international dialing code for South Africa is +27 followed by the
local regional codes.
Telehones
landlines
Telephones are fully automatic with direct dialing to most parts of
the world. Calls from hotels generally carry a surcharge. Public pay
phones are found at post offices, hotels, shopping malls and cafés
(corner shops). Pay phones accept coins as well as telephone cards (green
public phones use phone cards in denominations of R10 to R200), which
may be bought at hotels, post offices and supermarkets.
Voltage
The main voltage in South Africa is 200/230 volts AC at 50 cycles per
second. US-appliances may need a transformer. Three pronged plugs are
universal and an adapter may be required. Most hotels have 110-volt
outlets for electric
shavers and small appliances.
The Highveld (Conference region) is said to offer one of the world’s best climates: summer days are warm and wind-free (relatively) and winter days are crisp and clear. Gauteng’s summer-rainfall area has hot summers and mild winters with frost. Hail is common during the summer thunderstorms. Snowfalls rarely occur.
South Africa contains many regions with vastly different climates. You may find valuable information on the region you are about to visit from your local travel agent. The following are general remarks on weather expectations in South Africa in general:
- During the warmer months (October to March) temperatures are usually warm. Rain showers can be expected from time to time. Short sleeves plus a light jacket may be sufficient for most regions.
- During the colder months (April to August) temperatures are usually cold at night (frost is common), but cold to cool (seldom warm) during the day time. However, since most buildings do not have central heating, visitors may experience winters as severely cold and warm clothing (with wind shielding for outside) is therefore generally recommended for evenings and early mornings. Especially the regions closer to Cape Town are known for rainy, windy winters, but elsewhere in the country winters are usually characterised by less rain than summers.
The South African time zone is two hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time
(GMT +02:00). It applies to the whole of South Africa (no time zone differences)
and is also known as Central African Time (CAT). Please note that South
Africa has not adopted a daylight time saving system in summer and the
time reference remains unchanged all year
round.
The official language of the congress is English.
South Africa has 11 official languages. However, English is one of the official languages of South Africa, also being the official language of administration, and widely spoken as first, second or third language. Foreign visitors should be able to find easy access to assistance in English in all tourist areas and most other areas. Most public directions, instructions and other postings are in English.
The currency in South Africa is the Rand (ZAR, prefix R), which can be further divided into 100 cent (postfix c; 100c = R1). Bank notes are issued in the denominations of R200, R100, R50, R20 and R10. Coins are available in R5, R2, R1, 50c, 20c, 10c, 5c, 2c and 1c. Credit card facilities and automatic banking machines (ATMs) are widely available. Items in most shops display prices that include value added tax (VAT - 14%).
Currency Control
Travelers must obtain a necessary permit from the SA Reserve Bank (PO
Box 427, Pretoria 0001, Tel (012) 313-3197, Fax (012) 313-3871) should
they have more than R500 in cash in their possession on leaving the country.
For more information or advice contact Customs & Excise at Johannesburg
(011) 832-3341 or Pretoria (012) 314-9911.
Foreign Exchange
Traveler’s cheques and foreign currency notes of all major currencies
can be exchanged at any commercial bank and Foreign Exchange Bureaus found
at most tourist points, while most hotels also offer exchange facilities
for guests. Fluctuations in foreign exchange markets are reflected in
new rates daily and you may follow it with your preferred currency convertor, or you may look at:
- XE Universal Currency convertor (currencies in alphabetical order):
- [British Pond (GBP - £) to Rand (R)]
- [Chinese Yuan Renminbi (CNY - 元) to Rand(R)]
- [Euro (Eur - €) to Rand (R)]
- [Indian Rupee (INR - ₹) to Rand (R)]
- [Japanese Yen (JPY - ¥) to Rand (R)]
- [US Dollar (USD - $) to Rand(R)]
Please note! WCP organisers cannot guarantee the accuracy of the convertor provided for your convenience above. You need to verify the exchange rate with your local bank. The final exchange rate paid will be that charged by the bank at the time of payment.
Travel by airoplane and luxurious tourist bus is of very good quality. Other public transport is not considered of high standard, unless recomended by your trusted travel agent. Rental cars are widely available at larger cities and airports, and is an advisable mode of travel. Road standards vary in different parts of tyhe country. While conditions are usualoly very good near cities and on national roads, conditions in remote areas may be poor and potholes may be encountered. It is strongly recommended that you drive cautiously at all times and adhere to speed limits. You are advised to avoid unfamiliar rural areas at night.
- Many public car parking areas have parking guards. It is typical to allow guards to watch your vehicle while you are doing business, and then to tip the guard R2 to R5 on return.
- It is common practice to tip waiters at restaurants a 10% fee (calculated from the total bill amount) for good service.
- Driving in South Africa is on the left-hand side of the road. Traffic lights are referred to as "robots" in South Africa and roundabouts as "circles".
- Drug taking and smuggling is an offence. The punishments can be severe.
- South Africa is well reknowned for its exceptional progressive protection of Human Rights in its new Constitution. Freedom of speech, religion and political association is well respected. Homosexuality is permitted and South Africa has introduced legislation which bans any discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.
- Smoking in public buildings (including airports, shopping malls, restaurants and hotels) is strictly prohibited by South African law and widely enforced. In general the public is also protective and outspoken in favour of this law. Some buildings and most restaurants have designated, isolated smoking areas with separate venting, while smoking outside buildings is usually permitted where it does not offend public presence.
