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ZA

South Africa travel essentials: advice, plugs, emergency numbers

Before you visit South Africa: travel advice level, plug type C/D, 230V, emergency 112, currency ZAR.

📷 Pretoria · Petrus Potgieter, Petrus at en.wikipedia · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons

Travel advice (UK FCDO)

No advice against travel Updated 2026-11-05

Latest change (original, English)
Updated information about fraud and scams, and taxis and ride-hailing apps (‘Safety and security’ page).

↗ Read the full official advice

⚠️ This is the UK government’s assessment. Rules for your passport (visa, entry) can be different — check your own government’s official travel advice too.

CapitalPretoria
CurrencyZAR
LanguagesZulu, Xhosa, Afrikaans, Venda
Calling code+27
Emergency numbers112
Plug typesType C, Type D
Voltage230 V
Driving sideLeft
Population62M
Type CType D

📅 Public holidays💱 Exchange rates

📷 Photos

SkyPixels · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
Media Club · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Commons
Nithin bolar k · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Commons
A3alb · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Commons
Chris7cn (talk) · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Commons
Adrian Frith · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Commons
Anagoria · CC BY 3.0 · Commons
Crown Studios The original uploader was Perijove at Swahili Wikipedia. · Public domain · Commons

About this data

Safety levels and entry notes are based on the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) travel advice published on GOV.UK under the Open Government Licence, checked every day. Capitals, languages, currencies, time zones and photos come from Wikidata and Wikimedia Commons.

Advice is written for British travellers; your own government’s advice, visa rules and insurance terms may differ. Always check your foreign ministry and the destination’s embassy before you travel.

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