All Cape Accommodation - South Africa Travel Guide
Travel & Accommodation Guide to South Africa
 
Search this website
Browse by Region in South Africa: 
Cape Overberg  -  Cape Point Route  -  Central & Great Karoo  -  Eastern Cape  -  Free State/Karoo Garden Route  -  Gauteng  -
Klein Karoo/R62  -  Kwazulu-Natal  -  Limpopo Province  -  Mpumalanga ProvinceNorthern Cape Province -
North West Province  -  Sun City/Pilanesberg uKahlamba Drakensberg  -  Western Cape  -  Wildcoast
Safari & Game Lodges:
Addo Elephant Park Elephant Coast Game Lodges  -  Hluhluwe Game Lodges  -  Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park
Kruger National Park - Limpopo Province  -  Pilanesberg National Park - North West Province
Browse by  Option:
Car Hire South Africa Wide  -  Tours  -  Contact Us  -  Property Owners - Join Us -
Site Map  -  South Africa Blog  -  South Africa Photo Gallery  - South Africa Travel Guide  -  Home Page
Home
Return to travel guide
Booking.com

South Africa - a Survival Guide

Time Zones
Airports Guide
Currency & Banks
Emergency Telephone Nos.
Innocations & Health
Languages and Cultures
Malaria
Media, Radio & TV
Personal Safety
Public & School Holidays
Visas
What to Pack

Malaria:

South Africa is mostly free from malaria however the wildlife rich areas in the northern and north eastern areas of Mpumalanga, Limpopo, the Kruger National Park, northern KwaZulu-Natal and Swaziland are malarial.

The biggest risk of contracting malaria in these subtropical areas is during the hot rainy season (November to April) when mosquitoes proliferate.

The most common and dangerous form of malaria in this area is contracted through bites from the Plasmodium falciparum mosquito, and can be fatal. Malaria symptoms can develop after a week or as long as six months after exposure. Indications of malaria can be deceptively mild and flu-like. If you become feverish or have flu-like symptoms up to three months after leaving a malarial area don’t delay in getting medical attention, even if you have taken prophylaxis.

The best prevention is to avoid getting bitten. Cover up with long sleeves and pants and remain indoors at night. Sleep under a mosquito net sprayed with insect repellent, use an insect repellent liberally on yourself containing DEET (di-ethyl toluamide), burn mosquito coils and take anti-malarial tablets. Consult your doctor on the best choice of drugs for you.

If you intend scuba diving in northern KwaZulu Natal or other coastal malarial areas then avoid certain malarial drugs like Larium that contain mefloquine as the combined effects with nitrogen can be hazardous. Inform your doctor that you intend scuba diving so that suitable prophylaxis can be prescribed.

The SAA Netcare Travel Clinics suggest doxycycline, mefloquine or atovaquone-proguanil as being the best anti-malarial pills and require a doctor’s prescription.

Pregnant women, very young children and immune-compromised people should ideally avoid malarial areas. Please speak to your doctor and view the Medical Research Council of South Africa website for more detail - link below.

USEFUL LINKS

SAA Netcare Travel Clinics

Travel Clinic Durban ICC:
Tel: +27 31 3601122, Fax: +27 31 3601121, Email: travelc@icc.co.za
 

Media

Newspapers in South Africa

A typical South African scene is the newspapermen selling daily papers to commuters at traffic light intersections. Most regional newspapers are published daily in English or Afrikaans along with national weeklies:

    * Mail & Guardian
    * Sunday Independent
    * Sunday Times

Local newspapers are great to find out about entertainment and events. Cape Town’s local newspapers are the Cape Times & the Argus. Durban produces the Daily News and Natal Mercury. Johannesburg brings out the Star and the Sowetan.

International newspapers and publications are available at upmarket hotels and can be bought at certain newsagents.

Magazines In South Africa

South Africa has a numerous and rapidly growing assortment of local and international magazines covering travel, sport, wildlife, outdoor, health, fashion, food and photographic interests.

Radio in South Africa

Radio in South Africa is thriving thanks to deregulation of the airwaves. The popularity and effectiveness of radio as a means of communicating can also be attributed to widespread illiteracy and poverty. A growing number of dynamic new stations are sprouting to satisfy the demand for this medium.

A national radio station for each of the eleven official languages is run by the SABC (South African Broadcasting Corporation).

Most of South Africa's popular radio stations are now available online, so you can log on to all the local music, news and talk worldwide and tune in for live streaming radio.

* SAfm - English language station that has excellent morning and evening news. John Perlman's After Eight Debate is always worthwhile listening to. Renowned South Africans are brought into the studio to discuss interesting news events.

* MuthaFM - Funky underground radio station founded by legendary Cape Town dance DJ’s and has achieved something of a cult status. Michael Martin aka Indidginus Indidginus can be heard playing a set from time to time... It’s currently streaming live with vibrant new house, break beat, drum 'n bass, trance, soul, funk, raga, electro, trip hop and lounge!

* 5FM - Trendy nationwide youth-oriented pop station.

* MetroFM - The largest national commercial station in South Africa, aimed at black urban adults, it features current international music like hip-hop, R&B, kwaito and more.

* Yfm - South Africa’s most popular youth station, the funky voice of Kwaito and the 'Y Generation'. Their self-imposed 50 percent local music quota promises more local tunes than any other radio station in the country.

* 567 Cape Talk - Cape Town's first talk radio station, sister to 702 Talk Radio. Tune in to all the news, views, sport, weather, traffic and chit-chat you need in Cape Town.

* 702 Talk Radio - Johannesburg's top news and information station, offering lots of heated phone-in debate.

* BBC World Service - Foreign Broadcasters can be tuned in on shortwave. Tune into the Africa Service on BBC World Service for some great programmes.

Television in South Africa

* The SABC (South African Broadcasting Corporation) has a tricky task juggling the eleven official South African languages between three channels. SABC 1, 2 & 3 air a motley assortment of news, soaps, local dramas, game shows and documentaries along with a few foreign imports.

* The private channel E-TV airs mostly imports.

* Mnet also airs imports with the addition of sports, news and specialist channels, provided in most hotels.

* Multichoice is the digital satellite TV service (DStv) offering a wide range of international channels.
 

Personal Safety:

Crime continues to be a contentious issue in South Africa but media reports often tend to be overblown. Most tourists who visit South Africa depart after their vacation without any unpleasant occurences. Certain areas witness violent crime as a daily occurrence but this tends to be in places like downtown Johannesburg and certain townships which are the poorer areas.

Tourist venues are pretty safe, especially in places like the Waterfront and central Cape Town which have privately funded police and 24 hour surveillance cameras. The South African authorities have made it a high priority to protect tourists and have deployed special ‘tourism police’ in the cities and large towns.

As far as your personal safety is concerned, don’t be paranoid, let commonsense prevail and take care as one would in most cities around the world.

Avoid deserted places, wearing expensive jewellery, slinging camera and video equipment over your shoulder, carrying lots of cash and leaving valuables in vehicles.

Most safari lodges, hotels, guesthouses and B&Bs have safe facilities for valuables in rooms or with reception.
 


Top

Home page
Return to travel guide
 

Copyright © Daisy Web Promotions
Latest update: October 16, 2016