South Africa - a Survival Guide

Emergency Telephone Nos:

• Police Flying Squad:  10111 all areas
• Ambulances:  10177 all areas
• Emergency Services:  107 all areas

Pretoria Hospitals and Clinics
Pretoria Academic  (012) 354 1000
Wilgers Hospital  (012) 807 0019

Durban Hospitals and Clinics
St Augustines  (031) 268 5000

Cape Town Hospitals and Clinics
City Park Hospital  (021) 423 4838 or 0801 222222
Groote Schuur  (021) 404 9111
Red Cross Children’s Hospital  (021) 658 5111
Tygerberg  (021) 938 4911
Private Ambulance
Western Cape Paramedic Service (021) 551 6823

Travel Guide Poison Information
All areas   0800 33 3444
Cape Town Poison Centres
Red Cross Children’s Hospital  (021) 6895227
Tygerberg Poison Information Centre  (021) 931 6129
Johannesburg Anti-Poison Centre  (011) 642 2417 or (011) 488 3108

Mountain Rescue
Cape Town  (021) 948 9900 or 107 or any police station
All areas  107 or any police station

Sea Rescue
Cape Town NSRI  (021) 449 2805
Durban NSRI  (031) 337 2200 or 083 276 2766
Port Elizabeth NSRI  (041) 507 3911
East London NSRI  (043) 700 2100/42
 

Innoculations and Health:

Travellers from the West don’t require regulatory inoculations for entry into South Africa. If you are travelling from a country where yellow fever is endemic, such as Kenya, Tanzania, or tropical South America then a relevant vaccination certificate is required.

A yellow fever inoculation only becomes valid 10 days after the shot so be sure to make arrangements a few weeks in advance.
A hepatitis B vaccine is only crucial for those involved in health care work.

Malaria

South Africa is mostly malaria free. Read our article containing essential malaria information if you’re planning a safari vacation or visiting the northern and north eastern areas of Mpumalanga, Limpopo, northern KwaZulu-Natal and the borders of the Northwest and Northern Province.  Read more

Sun

Don’t ruin your holiday with an overdose of the sun's rays. Even in Cape Town the ultraviolet can be fierce and you can burn easily on an overcast day. The sunlight in the southern hemisphere is much more intense and transmits more ultraviolet than in the north. Fair skinned people should be particularly careful and take precautions. Limit exposure time, use a high protection sunscreen, don a broad-brimmed hat and wear good sunglasses that absorb more than 95 percent UVR and UVB.

Be particularly careful with children, especially on the beach and near water. Cover them up with UV resistant full swimsuits or clothing, hats and apply SPF 30 sunscreen frequently.

Drinking water

Safe drinking water on tap is generally available in all tourist areas throughout South Africa although it is chlorinated. A wide range of bottled still and sparkling water can be purchased from most stores. Be careful of drinking water from rivers in populated areas. Some parts of KwaZulu-Natal, the Wild Coast and poor rural areas have occasional outbreaks of cholera and drinking bottled water or using purification tablets is essential.

HIV/AIDS

There is a high prevalence of HIV throughout South Africa and the universal precautions for safe sex apply; use a condom or abstain. Medical treatment in South Africa presents no special risk and only overland travellers going up Africa may want to take along a needle and a transfusion kit.

Bilharzia

Bilharzia, or schistosomiasis, is a parasitic disease carried in sub-Saharan Africa fresh waterways with the exception of mountainous areas. The parasites tunnel through the skin and work their way to the bladder or intestines where they lay eggs. Avoid swimming or canoeing in bilharzia infested rivers and dams. If avoidance isn’t an option then have a test once you return from your travels. Symptoms may be mild and if you do contract it, it is easily treated. Blood in urine or stools indicate advanced Bilharzia symptoms.

Tick-bite fever

Tick-bite fever can occasionally be contracted but is no cause for alarm. Symptoms such as fever, headaches and swollen glands start a week after being bitten and last for a few days. Applying an insect repellent if you are walking through tick-infested areas can prevent ticks from attaching themselves to you.

Venomous snakes

South Africa does have a number of venomous snakes although most bites are not fatal and consider yourself fortunate if you do see a snake. If you do get bitten, don’t panic and get to a clinic or hospital as soon as possible. Don't cut the wound or use a tourniquet. Being able to identify the snake from memory will be helpful for treatment.

Rabies

Rabies occurs throughout southern Africa. Avoid domestic and wild animals that act strangely and get to a clinic immediately if you are bitten.

Hospitals

South African state hospitals are quite well equipped but you will probably have to wait a long time before treatment. Private hospitals and clinics measure up to western standards and offer more personal attention although costs are considerably higher, which shouldn’t be a problem if you have comprehensive medical insurance.

Medical insurance

Before departing take out comprehensive travel and medical insurance that includes medical evacuation cover. Make sure your policy covers all the activities you intend to embark on. If you plan to engage in extreme sports or adventure activities you will probably be required to take out an extra premium.
Useful Health Links for Travellers

Travel health Online has an extensive database of travel medicine providers and necessary vaccinations... www.tripprep.com

International Society for Travel Medicine www.istm.org
 

Languages and Cultures of South Africa

English only notches fifth as a home language although it dominates throughout South Africa as the language of commerce, politics and the media. It is extensively spoken and generally understood throughout the country so there's no need to rush out and purchase phrase books for the other ten languages. South African English is not quite the Queen’s English, as is Australian English. It is spoken with a variety of pronunciations and has a vast vocabulary with a multitude of characterful Afrikaans and African words. English is spoken at home by 8.2% of South Africans, most of whom live in the Western Cape, Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal.

Afrikaans is a Dutch dialect that has German, French and English influences spiced up with a few Muslim and indigenous African modifications. Initially the language of Afrikaners, the white descendants of Dutch settlers, it is now the prevalent tongue of coloured people living in the Western and Northern Cape. Most Afrikaners live in Gauteng and the Free State. Widely spoken in all the regions of South Africa and Namibia, it is also the preferred language of the media in the Free State.

The other nine South African official languages are all indigenous African languages from the four major ethnic groups, namely Nguni, Sotho, Shangaan-Tsonga and Venda. Most of South Africa's indigenous clans share a common ancestry but as groups split away and formed factions variations of the common languages developed.

Zulu, Xhosa, siSwati and Ndebele are the languages belonging to the Nguni ethnic group and have adopted numerous clicks from the Khoisan languages. Zulu is the mother tongue of 23.8% of South Africa's population, followed by Xhosa at 17.6%. The Nguni languages all have similarities in syntax and grammar.

The Sotho ethnic group comprises Southern Sotho which also uses clicks along with the diverse Northern Sotho and Tswana dialects. Southern Sotho is the mother tongue of 7.9% of South Africans, Tswana 8.2% and Northern Sotho 9.4% of South Africa's population.  The remaining 11.6% of the population speak either Tsonga, Venda, siSwati or Ndebele at home.

South Africa's Asian population are mostly Indian in origin and English-speaking although many also speak Tamil or Hindi. South Africa has the largest Indian community outside of India, a population of over one million descended from migrant labourers. These contractors came to work in the sugar cane fields of KwaZulu-Natal during the sugar cane boom of 1851 and settled there after fulfilling their 5 year contracts.

Deepavali, the Festival of Lights, is their most important Hindu festival, usually falling around late October and November. On Deepavali morning oil lamps are lit for the Goddess of Light, symbolizing the triumph of light over darkness and good over evil.

There are a considerable number of Chinese South Africans who are English-speaking and retain their languages of origin. Most are descendants of migrant labourers who came to work in the Johannesburg gold mines in the late 19th century. The cosmopolitan cities of Cape Town, Durban and Johannesburg have a large number of German, Portuguese, Italian and French speaking communities.

A vibrant dialect known as tsotsi taal is largely spoken by men in urban areas with new words and expressions added regularly. This dynamic fusion of Afrikaans, English and various African languages evolved to make communication a lot simpler among the different language groups.