Photo: Roberto Huczek / Unsplash
Practical info for South Africa
Emergencies, embassy, entry requirements, money: the essentials before you go, with the official source and the date each piece of information was checked.
Embassy and entry requirements shown for travellers from: United Kingdom.
Emergency numbers
- Single emergency numberfrom a mobile112
- Police10111
- Policefrom a mobile10112
- Medical emergencies112
- Medical emergencies10177
- Fire brigade112
- Fire brigade10177
- Medical emergenciesin Johannesburg, according to France Diplomatie, 29/09/20261943
- Single emergency numberin Western Cape, according to France Diplomatie, 29/09/2026107
Source: France Diplomatie, GOV.UK, French embassy, Portal das Comunidades Portuguesas, Ministerstwo Spraw Zagranicznych RP · verified on 26/10/2026
Embassy and consulates
- British High Commission, PretoriaEmbassy
- Address
- 255 Hill StreetArcadia, Pretoria, Gauteng, 0002, South Africa
- Consular emergency line
- To call us in an emergency or send us an online enquiry use our contact form: https://www.contact.service.csd.fcdo.gov.uk/posts/south-africa/british-high-commission-pretoria
- British Consulate General Cape TownConsulate
- Address
- 15th Floor, Norton Rose House, 8 Riebeek StreetForeshore, Cape Town, Western Cape, 8000, South Africa
- Consular emergency line
- To call us in an emergency or send us an online enquiry use our contact form: https://www.contact.service.csd.fcdo.gov.uk/posts/south-africa/british-consulate-general-cape-town
Consular emergency numbers (emergencies only): FCDO, London (24 hours): +44 20 7008 5000.
Entry requirements
The rules depend on your passport: check them here before you book, for every traveller, children included.
Official page: GOV.UK (FCDO), updated 08/07/2026 ›
Source: GOV.UK · verified on 26/10/2026
Safety and travel advice
The FCDO does not currently advise against travel to any part of this country.
Source: GOV.UK · verified on 26/10/2026
Currency and payments
Currency: Rand (ZAR).
ECB reference rate on 26/10/2026: €1 = 18.6046 ZAR.
Source: SIX Group (ISO 4217), European Central Bank, EU Publications Office · verified on 26/10/2026
Time difference
Local time: UTC+02:00, +2 h compared with London (calculated on 26/10/2026).
The clocks change in London on 28/03/2027: the difference may change that day.
Source: IANA (time zones) · verified on 26/10/2026
Driving
Traffic drives on the left.
Driving licence, according to GOV.UK (FCDO): “You can use a UK photocard driving licence to drive in South Africa for up 12 months. If you still have a paper driving licence, get the 1968 version of the international driving permit (IDP) before you travel, or update to a photocard licence.”
Source: France Diplomatie, GOV.UK · verified on 26/10/2026
Mobile networks
Networks listed by the eSIMs we checked: Cell C (Sirocco, Airalo); MTN (Sirocco, Airalo); Vodacom (Sirocco, Airalo); RSA CellC (Airalo); Telkom (Sirocco); Telkom/8.ta (Sirocco).
eSIM prices for South Africa
7 days, 5 GB · prices checked on 26/10/2026
3 brands compared, not an exhaustive listWhy this ranking?
Ranked by price: for each brand, the cheapest plan that covers 7 days and 5 GB.
Not an exhaustive comparison: 3 brands out of the dozens that sell eSIMs. The list of brands compared is in our Methodology.
eSIMeter is published by Mocom SAS, which sells Sirocco: the site is funded by those sales. No other brand pays us.
Frequently asked questions
What are the emergency numbers in South Africa?
Single emergency number: 112 (from a mobile) ; Police: 10111 ; Police: 10112 (from a mobile) ; Medical emergencies: 112 ; Medical emergencies: 10177 ; Fire brigade: 112 ; Fire brigade: 10177 ; Medical emergencies: 1943 (in Johannesburg, according to France Diplomatie, 29/09/2026) ; Single emergency number: 107 (in Western Cape, according to France Diplomatie, 29/09/2026)
How do I contact the embassy or consulate in South Africa?
British High Commission, Pretoria, 255 Hill StreetArcadia, Pretoria, Gauteng, 0002, South Africa ; British Consulate General Cape Town, 15th Floor, Norton Rose House, 8 Riebeek StreetForeshore, Cape Town, Western Cape, 8000, South Africa. Consular emergency numbers (emergencies only): FCDO, London (24 hours): +44 20 7008 5000.
What are the entry requirements for South Africa?
The rules depend on your passport: check them here before you book, for every traveller, children included. Official page: GOV.UK (FCDO), updated 08/07/2026.
What is the travel advice for South Africa?
The FCDO does not currently advise against travel to any part of this country.
What currency is used in South Africa?
Currency: Rand (ZAR). ECB reference rate on 26/10/2026: €1 = 18.6046 ZAR.
What is the time difference in South Africa?
Local time: UTC+02:00, +2 h compared with London (calculated on 26/10/2026). The clocks change in London on 28/03/2027: the difference may change that day.
What should I know about driving in South Africa?
Traffic drives on the left. Driving licence, according to GOV.UK (FCDO): “You can use a UK photocard driving licence to drive in South Africa for up 12 months. If you still have a paper driving licence, get the 1968 version of the international driving permit (IDP) before you travel, or update to a photocard licence.”
Which mobile networks operate in South Africa?
Networks listed by the eSIMs we checked: Cell C (Sirocco, Airalo); MTN (Sirocco, Airalo); Vodacom (Sirocco, Airalo); RSA CellC (Airalo); Telkom (Sirocco); Telkom/8.ta (Sirocco).