Experiencing South Africa

Culture

It may be argued that there is no "single" culture in South Africa because of its ethnic diversity. Today, the diversity in foods from many cultures is enjoyed by all and especially marketed to tourists who wish to sample the large variety of South African cuisine. In addition to food, music and dance feature prominently.

South African cuisine is heavily meat-based and has spawned the distinctively South African social gathering known as a braai, or barbecue. South Africa has also developed into a major wine producer, with some of the best vineyards lying in valleys around Stellenbosch, Franschoek, Paarl and Barrydale.

There is great diversity in music from South Africa. Many black musicians who sang in Afrikaans or English during apartheid have since begun to sing in traditional African languages, and have developed a unique style called Kwaito. Of note is Brenda Fassie, who launched to fame with her song "Weekend Special", which was sung in English. More famous traditional musicians include Ladysmith Black Mambazo, while the Soweto String Quartet performs classic music with an African flavour. White and Coloured South African singers are historically influenced by European musical styles including such western metal bands such as Seether (formerly Saron Gas). South Africa has produced world-famous jazz musicians, notably Hugh Masekela, Jonas Gwangwa, Abdullah Ibrahim, Miriam Makeba, Jonathan Butler, Chris McGregor, and Sathima Bea Benjamin. Afrikaans music covers multiple genres, such as the contemporary Steve Hofmeyr and the punk rock band Fokofpolisiekar. Crossover artists such as Johnny Clegg and his bands Juluka and Savuka have enjoyed various success underground, publicly, and abroad.

The country's black majority still has a substantial number of rural inhabitants who lead largely impoverished lives. It is among these people, however, that cultural traditions survive most strongly; as blacks have become increasingly urbanised and westernised, aspects of traditional culture have declined. Urban blacks usually speak English or Afrikaans in addition to their native tongue. There are smaller but still significant groups of speakers of Khoisan languages which are not included in the eleven official languages, but are one of the eight other officially recognised languages. There are small groups of speakers of endangered languages, most of which are from the Khoi-San family, that receive no official status; however, some groups within South Africa are attempting to promote their use and revival.

The middle class lifestyle, predominantly of the white minority but with growing numbers of Black, Coloured and Indian people, is similar in many respects to that of people found in Western Europe, North America and Australasia. Members of the middle class often study and work abroad for greater exposure to the world's markets.

Asians, predominantly of Indian origin, preserve their own cultural heritage, languages and religious beliefs, being either Christian, Hindu or Sunni Muslim and speaking English, with Indian languages like Hindi, Telugu, Tamil or Gujarati being spoken less frequently. Most Indians live lifestyles similar to that of whites. The first Indians arrived on the famous Truro ship as indentured labourers in Natal to work the Sugar Cane Fields. There is a much smaller Chinese community in South Africa, although its numbers have increased due to immigration from Republic of China (Taiwan).

South Africa can be said to have a real "eating out" culture. While there are some restaurants that specialize in traditional South African dishes or modern interpretations thereof, restaurants featuring other cuisines such as Moroccan, Chinese, West African, Congolese and Japanese can be found in all of the major cities and many of the larger towns. In addition, there are also a large number of home-grown chain restaurants, such as Spur and Dulce Cafe.

There is also a proliferation of fast food restaurants in South Africa. While there are some international players such as McDonalds and Kentucky Fried Chicken active in the country, they face stiff competition from local chains such as Nando's and Steers. Many of the restaurant chains originating from South-Africa have also expanded successfully outside the borders of the country.

The main sports in South Africa are soccer (football), rugby union, cricket and boxing. Other sports with significant support are swimming, golf and netball. basketball, surfing and skateboarding are popular amongst the youth.

Famous Boxing personalities include Baby Jake Jacob Matlala, "the rose of Soweto" Dingaan Thobela, Gerrie Coetzee and Brian Mitchell. Soccer players who have excelled in international clubs include Lucas Radebe of Leeds United and Quinton Fortune, formerly of Manchester United. South Africa produced Formula 1 motor racing's 1979 world champion Jody Scheckter. Sarel van der Merwe won many national titles during the 70's 80's and 1990's.

South Africa hosted and won the 1995 Rugby World Cup at their first attempt and again won the 2007 Rugby World Cup in France beating reigning champions England in the final. It followed the 1995 Rugby World Cup final by hosting and winning the 1996 African Cup of Nations football tournament. It also hosted the 2003 Cricket World Cup. South Africa will be the host nation for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, which will be the first time the tournament is held in Africa.

Business Customs

Business customs in South Africa are generally similar to those in the United States and Western Europe. South African business people tend to dress conservatively, particularly in the banking sector. However, “smart-casual” clothing has become increasingly popular with executives in the ICT and tourism industries. Terminology used in business invitations etc, are:

• Black Tie (dark suit and tie or tuxedo or formal evening dress)
• Business (jacket and tie or a business dress)
• Smart Casual (casual clothing with or without tie, but no jeans and no sneakers)
• Casual (includes jeans but no sport shorts)

Business cards are usually simple, including only the basics such as company logo, name, business title, address, telephone number, fax number, e-mail, and web-address. South Africans are also very punctual, and South African businesspeople make every effort to be on time for appointments. Appointments should be made in advance of a business visit.

Travel Advisory

For the latest Consular Information Sheet and travel advisory on South Africa, please click on the following link: http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1008.html general information on international travel, please visit the main website at: http://travel.state.gov.

Visa Requirements

U.S. citizens traveling to South Africa require a valid passport. A visa is not required for regular passport holders on bona fide holiday or business visits for periods of up to 90 days or in transit. Visas are required, however, for extended stays, employment, study, and for diplomatic and official passport holders. Evidence of a yellow fever vaccination is necessary if arriving from an infected area. Information on South African visa requirements can be obtained prior to departure from the United States by checking with the South African Embassy in Washington, D.C. or the South African Consulates in New York, Chicago, and Beverly Hills. For information on visa requirements for other countries, contact the Embassy of the country you intend to visit, or a travel agent, or an U.S. Consular Officer.

IMPORTANT NOTE: All travelers to South Africa should make sure that their passports contain at least two blank pages for stamps, otherwise they can be turned away and refused entry by South African immigration officials. U.S. companies that require travel of foreign businesspersons to the United States should be advised that security options are handled via an interagency process. Visa applicants should go to the following links.

State Department Visa Website: http://travel.state.gov/visa/index.html States Visas: http://www.unitedstatesvisas.gov/
United
Consular Services for American Citizens: http://pretoria.usembassy.gov/wwwhacs1.html

Telecommunications

South Africa has the largest and most developed telecommunications network (including fixed line, wireless, satellite and cellular technology) in the African continent. Public switched telecommunication services are provided by Telkom South Africa. Cellular services are provided by three licensed cellular operators: Vodacom, MTN (Mobile Telephone Network) and Cell C. South Africa runs on the GSM cellular system. Vodacom launched the country's first (3G) network. South African telecommunication costs, including ADSL, remain among the highest in the world. Efforts are underway by the government and regulators to increase competition and reduce costs.

A second national operator, Neotel, was awarded a license in late 2005. Neotel expects to start offering domestic voice and data services to business early in January 2007, and to launch Internet services for consumers in the second quarter of 2007. Neotel is the first company to take on former fixed line monopoly player Telkom, and plans to invest approximately R11 billion ($1.6 billion) over the next decade in an effort to gain market share. Neotel's own network would initially only cover the main cities of Johannesburg, Pretoria, Durban and Cape Town.

Transportation

Travel to South Africa consists of arrival in the country by international airlines to Johannesburg’s OR Tambo International or Cape Town International Airports. South Africa boasts one of the most modern and extensive transport infrastructures on the African continent in terms of road, railway systems and seaports. Eighty percent of South Africans depend on public transport (two thirds travel by minibus taxi and the remaining one third by railway or by bus). Still, public transportation is, in most instances, not suitable for U.S. tourists or travelers, with the exception of private taxi companies that operate at a relatively high cost to passengers. It is highly recommended that travelers to South Africa consider pre-arranging and making use of extensive car hire facilities. South Africans drive on the left-hand side of the road and most major cities in South Africa have rather complicated one-way systems leading in and out of major areas.

Language

The African (Black) and Asian populations speak a variety of languages and many also use English and Afrikaans. The population of European-descent predominantly speak Afrikaans and English as their first language. Printed advertising directed at the non-European descended population is mostly in English; radio advertising is broadcast in nine African languages, and television advertising is conducted in five languages. African language advertising and broadcasting are expected to escalate to reach more Black consumers. South Africa has 11 official languages. Based on the most recent data available, the respective percentages of the population speaking each of them are: Zulu (22.4%), Xhosa (17.5%), Afrikaans (15.1%), Pedi (9.8%), English (9.1%), Tswana (7.2%), Sotho (6.9%), Tsonga (4.2%), Swazi (2.6%), Venda (1.7%), and Ndebele (1.5%). Languages used by the Asian population include Tamil (2%), Hindi (2%), Gujerati (2%), and Urdu.

Health

South African tap water is of the highest standards and can normally be used as is, however, if a traveler is not acclimatized to it or has a sensitive digestive system, it should be avoided. This warning covers all other applications of water such as ice and water for mouth rinsing after brushing teeth. Bottled water and canned drinks are readily available, flavored bottled water also proves very popular with travelers visiting South Africa.

South Africa has world-class medical services and all major cities have modern wellequipped hospitals and ambulance services to assist all travelers in emergency situations. Travelers should familiarize themselves with emergency telephone numbers and the locations of nearest hospitals on arrival in the country. South Africa has several provinces where there is a threat of contracting malaria. Appropriate prophylactics taken well in advance of visiting these areas should limit the risk of falling ill. Self-protection actions should include use of mosquito repellant (all day), wearing of light long sleeved shirts and pants as well as socks and shoes from dawn and at night. Sleeping under a mosquito net or in a mosquito-proof room should also be considered. High-risk malaria areas follow: parts of Mphumalanga Lowveld, Limpopo and Kwazulu-Natal provinces. Medium risk malaria areas include: Kozi Bay, Sodwana Bay, Mkuze Game reserve and St. Lucia Lake area.

It is very important for travelers to realize that they may still contract malaria despite all precautionary measures, and if any flu-like symptoms such as headaches, fever, muscular and joint pains, sweating, shivering and attacks of nausea or diarrhea occur after at any time within six months after a visit to one of these high-risk areas, a physician should be consulted immediately. South Africa also has endemic HIV/AIDS and travelers should ensure that they are well aware of the associated risks and risk behavior.

Business Hours & Holidays

Throughout the year, Standard Time in South Africa is two hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time and seven hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time. Clocks are not advanced in the summer. Generally, business hours are weekdays from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Most offices observe a five-day week, but shops are generally open from 8:30 am to 1:00 p.m. on Saturdays. Banks are open weekdays from 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., and Saturdays from 8:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.

Temporary Entry of Materials & Personal Belongings

Travelers must declare all goods in their possession with the exception of personal clothing, essential toilet articles and used sporting equipment. In order to be free from declaration, these goods must be for the passenger's personal use and not intended as gifts or to be sold, exchanged, or traded. All articles, used or unused, carried by the visitor as presents or parcels for other persons, must be declared. There are no restrictions on the amount of Dollars that may be taken into South Africa. U.S. Dollars cannot be used in South Africa and must be converted into South African Rand by authorized foreign exchange dealers, hotels, commercial banks, and certain travel agencies. It is illegal to convey foreign currency to anyone else and U.S. dollars may not be used in commercial or other private transactions.

With a valid carnet, a visitor may enter South Africa with his/her automobile for a period not exceeding 12 months. An import duty will be charged on entry and rebated on departure. If a visitor wishes to sell his/her vehicle during his/her stay or upon departure, he/she must first obtain an import permit and pay the relevant duty.