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General
Information
I
n f o r m a t i o n :
Cape Town Tourism
{+27 (0) 21 - 4264260} at the The Pinnacle, Corner Castle
& Burg Streets, Cape Town. Western
Cape Tourism Board {+27 (0) 21 - 4265639/47} at the The
Pinnacle, Corner Castle & Burg Streets, Cape Town.
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Accommodation
- Cape Town provides travellers with every kind of accommodation
from 5 star hotels to backpackers hostels. The top end of
the bracket compares favourably with international standards.
Should travellers need assistance in booking accommodation,
they should contact Cape
Town Tourism {+27 (0) 21 - 4264260}, Western
Cape Tourism Board {+27 (0) 21 - 4265639/47}, Tobi
Hout Bay {+27 (0) 21 - 7901194} or Cape
Info SA
{+27 (0) 21 - 4391264}.
Airports - Cape Town's International Airport has international
and domestic sections and is approximately 17km from the city
centre and 24km from Stellenbosch. In addition to a VAT refund
office, it has an Information Desk and an accommodation hot
line. Flight information may be obtained by telephoning 021
- 9340407.
Banks are located throughout the city & suburbs
and are open from Mon to Fri 09h00 - 15h30, Sat 08h30 - 11h00.
Commercial banking services are available at Cape Town International
Airport to coincide with international arrivals and departures.
Camping - South Africans are avid campers. You will
find many campsites all over the country which are mostly
full during school holidays. Most campsites have the basic
amenities and some have caravans and huts which are rented
out.
Car Hire - There is stiff competition among the international
and local car rental companies which means that there are
always specials available. To rent a car you will need a current
South African, overseas or international driver's license.
It is possible to pick up a car in one city and return it
in another.
Climate - The seasons are "upside down" from
those in the northern hemisphere. Winter runs from June to
August and the sun shines on Christmas Day. Cape Town has
a mediterranean climate with four seasons. In the interior
it becomes very hot in summer and during winter snow falls
on the highest mountain peaks. Here are two charts displaying
weather patterns for Cape Town for the year:
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Clothing
- in summer, Cape Town is informal. Businessmen wear suits
and ties except on hot days when they discard their jackets.
In less formal circumstances shorts and tee-shirts are the
order of the day for both sexes. Most restaurants require
smart casual attire and some prefer jacket and tie. Being
a winter rainfall area, Cape Town is wet from May to August.
Complaints - South Africa has no special agency that
deals with complaints. Try Captour (+27 (0) 21 - 4185214)
or the Western Cape Tourism Board (+27 (0) 21 - 4183716) as
many hotels and shops are members of these tourism bodies.
Credit Cards - most international cards are accepted
- petrol cannot be purchased on a credit card. Some banks
issue a special 'petro' or 'garage' card for this purpose.
Crime - Do not walk alone after dark in unpopulated
streets or draw attention to money or jewellery. A tourist
police assistance unit is located in Tulbagh Square (021 -
4182852/3) which is open 7 days a week from 11 am until 11
pm (Sunday 9am - 9pm). The main charge office in Cape Town
is open 24 hours (021 - 4678000). The emergency police number
is 10111.
Currency - One Rand (R) = 100 cents (c). Notes issued
R200, R100, R50, R20, R10; coins R5, R2, R1, 50c 20c, 10c,
5c, 2c, & 1c. Currency exchange rates are available at
banks and published daily in the press, or telephone Rennies
Bureau de Change 021 - 641086.
Customs - All visitors need valid passports to enter
South Africa. Travel agencies and South African consulates
can provide visa application forms. The completed form, together
with your passport and an identity photo must be filed with
the consulate.
Electricity - 220/230 volts AC at 50 cycles per second.
Three pronged plugs are universal, so take an adapter. Most
hotel rooms have 110 volt outlets for electric shavers and
small appliances.
Embassies & Consulates - Most consulates are situated
in Johannesburg but many countries have consulates and embassies
in Cape Town. Consult the yellow pages directory under consulates
& embassies or look in the telephone book under country's
name.
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| Emergency
Services Cape Town:
Ambulance:
10177
Fire Brigade: 4615555
Flying Squad: 10111
Mountain Rescue: 10111
Police: 4678000
Police (Tourist Assistance Unit): 4182852
Sea Rescue: 4053500
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Etiquette
- South Africa has an informal atmosphere and people usually
introduce themselves by their first name, even in business
relationships. In spite of the relaxed atmosphere, punctuality
is the order of the day and visitors are expected to follow
the rules.
International Exchange Rates
Hours of Trading - Most shops Mon to Fri 08h30 - 17h00
(Sat 13h00). Most liquor stores close at 18h00. Supermarkets
generally close at 18h00 (times vary according to the seasons)
and some are open Saturday until 17h00 and Sunday to 14h00.
There is late night shopping at the Victoria Wharf (Waterfront)
seven days a week.
Information: Cape
Town Tourism: Tourism Gateway Information Centre,
Adderley Street, Cape Town; Tel: +27 (0) 21 - 4264260, Fax:
4264266. Western
Cape Tourism Board: Tourism Gateway Information
Centre, Adderley Street, Cape Town; Tel: +27 (0) 21 - 4265639/47,
Fax: +27 (0) 21 - 4265640.
Languages - There are now 11 official languages - the
most common in the Cape are English, Afrikaans and Xhosa.
The others are: Ndebele, Northern Sotho, Southern Sotho, Swati,
Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, and Zulu.
Laundry - Hotels are very efficient in handling your
laundry quickly. There are coin-operated laundromats throughout
the Peninsula where you may also have your laundry and ironing
done for you.
Libraries - Visitors may register as temporary members
at any Cape Town City Library branch (see telephone directory
listed under Municipality of Cape Town).
Lost Property - Check the 'lost and found' section
in the classified section of the daily newspapers. Report
your loss at the local police station and leave a contact
telephone number and address.
Maps are included in this guide. Others may be purchased
at most book shops.
Medical Care - Standards of hygiene are high throughout
Cape Town and the towns of the Western Cape. South Africa
has excellent medical services with highly trained doctors
and fully equipped hospitals. Your hotel can call a doctor
or you can get a list of approved doctors from your embassy.
Doctors are listed in the telephone directory under "Medical",
Hospitals under "H". Hospitalisation is generally
arranged through a medical practitioner but in the event of
an emergency visitors may telephone or go directly to the
casualty department of any general hospital. Ambulances
may be called by telephoning 10177. Outpatient treatment
may be obtained at hospitals for a nominal fee. Visitors are
advised to take out medical insurance for the duration of
their trip. Visitors may drink tap water anywhere unless a
notice specifically warns otherwise. The sun in South Africa
is much stronger than in Europe and it is essential for visitors
to use a good sun screen for protection. Skin cancer has become
a serious concern in sun worshipping Cape Town. Poisonous
snakes and spiders might be encountered in many places. Bluebottle
stings are quite common in summer.
Newspapers - Morning: Cape Times and Business Day (English),
Die Burger (Afrikaans) - Afternoon: The Argus (English) -
Sunday: Sunday Argus (English), Sunday Times (English), Rapport
(Afrikaans).
Photography - there is much to focus on in the Cape. The
light is bright and film or transparency with an iso rating
of 100/21 is recommended.
Post Offices are open Mon - Fri 08h00 - 16h30 &
Sat 08h00 - 12h00. Mail may be addressed to you Post Restante.
The main post office in Cape Town has special counters for
this purpose. Postage stamps are widely available (e.g. at
some cafes and branches of the Central News Agency - CNA).
Public Holidays - January 1 - New Years Day,
March 21 - Human Rights Day, Good Friday, Family
Day (Easter Monday), April 27 - Freedom Day, May
1 - Worker's Day, June 16 - Youth Day, August
9 - National Woman's Day, September 24 - Heritage
Day, December 16 - Day of Reconciliation, December
25 - Christmas Day, December 26 - Day of Goodwill.
Religion - Most South Africans are Christians. The
largest denominations are Anglican (Church of England), Roman
Catholic and Dutch Reformed. There are also large Jewish and
Muslim communities living in the Western Cape. To find the
place of worship of your choice, consult your hotel, information
bureaux and the weekend press for details.
Standard Time is two hours in advance of Greenwich Mean
Time, one hour in advance of central European winter time
and seven hours in advance of United States eastern standard
time throughout the year.
Taxis - there are no roving taxis in Cape Town. They
are either hired at taxi-ranks or summoned by telephone 021
- 4344444. Rikkis (tuk-tuks) are three wheeled vehicles that
carry up to six passengers and may be hailed or called on
021 - 234888.
Telegrams may be telephoned through (1028) or sent
from any post office. Telephones are fully automatic with
direct dialling throughout the world. Some public phones accept
cards. Outlets selling such cards will display a sticker to
this effect.
Tipping is expected in South Africa. A guideline for
visitors is the following: Porters R2 per item, taxis 10%,
waiters & waitresses in restaurants 10%.
Traveller's Cheques - most international traveller's
cheques are accepted, provided they are in an acceptable currency
and may be cashed at most banks. Many hotels and shops also
provide this service.
Vat / Tax Refunds - VAT of 14% is levied on nearly all
goods and services. Foreign tourists may claim back VAT paid
on items that will be taken out of the country. Original tax
invoices, foreign passport, plus all the items on which a
refund is claimed, must be presented at the VAT refund administration
office or an appointed RSA customs and excise official on
departure, and the total VAT on these items will be refunded.
Visitors will be requested to fill out a VAT Refund Control
Sheet (VAT 255). Where a visitor does not export all the goods
specified on a particular tax invoice, only the value of the
goods and the tax paid on such goods exported must be declared
on this form.
Weather - for the Weather Bureau forecast telephone
021 - 40881 (taped message), or 021 - 9340450/8, or consult
the daily press. Cape
Town Weather Watch.
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Published
by Nelson's Guides • PO Box 432 Constantia 7848,
Cape Town, South Africa
Advertising Sales: Tel: +27 (0) 21-794-7273, Fax: +27
(0) 21-794-7271
E-mail: info@cape-town.net
Copyright © Nelson's Guides cc 1996 - 2004 |
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