About South Africa

FAQs [Frequently Asked Questions]

Is the water safe to drink?
High-quality tap (faucet) water is available everywhere and is both palatable and safe to drink straight from the tap.

May I smoke in public?
Smoking is banned in all enclosed public spaces, these include airports, shopping malls and theaters. Most restaurants do have smoking sections, either ventilated indoor areas or outdoor open areas.

What's the time difference?
South Africa is two hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). To work out the time difference, use Telkom's online time difference calculator.

What medical facilities are available?
Medical facilities in cities and larger towns are world-class, but you will find that in rural areas the clinics and hospitals deal with primary health needs, and therefore do not offer the range of medical care that the large metropolitan hospitals do. Trained medical caregivers are deployed round the country, so help is never far away. More information