Driving in South Africa
With many rural attractions, and not everywhere in the country well covered by public transport, driving is a quite popular way for getting around South Africa.
Understand
All measurements use the metric system; distances on road signs are in kilometres (1.6 km =1 mi) and fuel is sold by the litre (3.8 litres=1 U.S. gallon).
Speed limits are usually clearly indicated. Generally, speed limits on freeways are 120 km/h, those on major roads outside built-up areas are 100 km/h, those on major roads within built-up areas are 80 km/h and those on normal city/town roads are 60 km/h. In some areas, the posted speed limits may change suddenly and unexpectedly.
The roads within South Africa, connecting most major cities, and between its immediate neighbors are very good. There are many national and regional roads connecting the cities and larger centres, including the N1 running from Cape Town through Johannesburg and Pretoria up to Harare, Zimbabwe, the N2 running from Cape Town to Durban, which passes through the world-famous Garden Route near Knysna, and the N3 between Durban and Johannesburg.
Some portions of the national roads are limited access, dual-carriage freeways (the N3 between Johannesburg and Durban is freeway almost all the way) and some sections are also toll roads with emergency telephones every couple of kilometers. Toll roads generally have two or more lanes in each direction.
The large fuel companies have rest stops every 200-300 km along these highways where you can refuel, dine at a restaurant, buy takeaways, do some shopping or just stretch your legs. Restrooms at these facilities are well-maintained and clean. Most (but not all) of these rest stops also have ATMs.
In many rural areas, you will find unpaved "dirt" roads. Most of these are perfectly suitable for a normal car, although a reduced speed might often be advisable. Extra caution is required when driving on these roads, especially when encountering other traffic - it is not uncommon for windscreens and lights to be broken by flying stones.
The N1 between Gauteng and Cape Town and the N3 between Gauteng and KwaZulu Natal can become very busy at the start and end of Gauteng school holidays, due to many people from Gauteng spending their holidays at the coast. If you are planning on using these two highways, it is wise to try and avoid the two days after schools break up and the two days before they return. School holiday calendars for South Africa can be found here.
The N3 normally has a Highway Customer Care line during busy periods, ph: 0800 203 950, it can be used to request assistance for breakdowns, accidents or general route information. Current toll fees, road and traffic condition can also be found on the N3 website.
Get in
Renting or buying a car
To acquire a car in South Africa, there are basically three options: you can hire a car, buy one or use the so-called buy-back option. Hiring a car is fairly easy and bookings can be made online and in all major cities, although you can get better rates by calling some of the smaller operators. Buying a car takes a bit more work (Roadworthy licence, police clearance certificate, registering the car, insurance or a new set of number plates), but there is a lively used car market in South Africa and most dealers will happily undertake the handling out of all the paper work for a set fee charged on top of all other legal requirements. The third option is a combination of both, as you buy a car with a guarantee that the rental company will buy-back your car at the end of the contract.
Most cars in South Africa have manual gearboxes and the selection of second-hand automatic cars may be limited.
Renting a car in South Africa can range anywhere from R200 to upwards of R2,500 per day depending on the car group, season of the year, location and availability. The major rental agencies are: Avis, Hertz, Budget Car Hire, Europcar, Tempest Car Hire, Thrifty Car Rental and Dollar Rent A Car. The car rental agencies maintain branches around South Africa including smaller towns and game reserves and national parks.
Most rental fleets in South Africa largely have manual transmissions, while vehicles with automatic transmissions are limited and tend to be much more expensive. Renting a vehicle with complete loss damage waiver (as is available in the United States) is expensive and hard to find; most agencies will provide only reduced waiver ceilings or waivers for certain types of damage such as to the glass and tyres. If you plan to drive on dirt roads in South Africa, check with the rental agency about (1) whether that is authorised for the vehicle you intend to rent and (2) do your own research into whether the vehicle(s) offered are adequate for expected driving conditions. On the other hand, if you decide to purchase a used vehicle, do so from a reputable dealer and do not skip having comprehensive or at least third party/fire/theft insurance cover. Additionally, most reputable insurers will need prior notification if you intend crossing borders, when, for how long and to what countries, as that fact may incur a change of conditions in the original insurance cover or an additional extraordinary charge. In that case a better option even if more expensive, is to choose insurance companies that also have business/offices in neighbouring states. Countries like Mozambique and Eswatini (Swaziland), will charge a small but compulsory road tax fee upon entry. You'll need to keep such receipts with other vehicle papers to avoid problems with authorities from those countries.
Border crossings
Should you be entering from one of the other countries in Southern Africa you might want to do so by car. South Africa operates a number of land border posts between itself and immediately neighbouring countries. The more commonly used ones are:
Botswana border
- Skilpadsnek (On the N4, 54 km (34 mi) from Zeerust), ☏ +27 18 366-1469. 06:00-22:00.
Lesotho border
- Maseru Bridge (15 km (9 mi) from Ladybrand on the N8 towards Maseru), ☏ +27 51 924-4004. Open 24 hours.
- Ficksburg Bridge (Just outside Ficksburg), ☏ +27 51 933-2760. Open 24 hours.
- Sani Pass (In the KwaZulu-Natal Drakensberg park), ☏ +27 51 430-3664. 08:00-16:00. This border crossing is via a mountain pass and only 4x4 vehicles are permitted to use it.
Mozambique border
- Lebombo (On the N4 between Mbombela and Maputo), ☏ +27 13 790-7203. 06:00-22:00.
- Kosi Bay (R22 between Hluhluwe and Ponta do Ouro), ☏ +27 35 592-0251. 08:00-16:00.
Namibia border
- Nakop (132 km (82 mi) from Upington on the N10 towards Ariamsvlei), ☏ +27 54 571-0008. Open 24 hours.
- Vioolsdrift (On the N7 N of Springbok), ☏ +27 27 761-8760. Open 24 hours.
Eswatini border
- Oshoek (120 km (75 mi) from Ermelo on the N17 towards Mbabane), ☏ +27 17 882-0138. 07:00-22:00.
- Golela (178 km (110 mi) from Richards Bay7 on the N2 towards Pongola, then 8 km to Golela.), ☏ +27 34 435 1165. 07:00-22:00.
Zimbabwe border
- Beit Bridge (On N1 approximately 16 km (10 mi) N of Messina), ☏ +27 15 530-0070. Open 24 hours.
Open times are often extended during South African holidays. For a full list of entry ports or any additional information see the South African Border Information Service [dead link] or contact them on +27 086 026-7337.
Drive
Traffic rules
Road traffic in South Africa (and its neighbouring countries) drives on the left.
Make sure you familiarise yourself with and understand South African road signs. South Africa used to use an unusual system of road signage which combined American typefaces with English and German design elements. This was problematic as American typefaces were not designed to accommodate the long place names typical of the Afrikaans language. Since 1994, South Africa has been implementing a system of road signs almost identical to Germany's system, with suitable modifications for local conditions (German, like Afrikaans, also has long place names). However, many of the older signs are still in use.
A special kind of junction is the "four way or three way stop" where the car that stops first has right of way. The same system will apply at intersections with traffic lights completely out of order or flashing the red or amber/yellow lights. The vast majority of drivers will abide by this rule.
You will not encounter many large roundabouts but in many areas, instead of a stop or yield sign, authorities opt for a mini roundabout, take special care since the attitude of some South African drivers is that roundabouts do not constitute a traffic management roadway structure. Also, a number of drivers do not use their indicators in a safe and predictable fashion.
Due to speeding in urban areas, traffic calming ridges across the road have for some now been proliferating throughout residential suburbs, near schools, hospitals, police stations, official buildings and so on. Many of these ridges are not standardised, some being too shallow and others too high, however the biggest problem is the lack of sufficient warning about the placement of these measures. As a norm, a sign board should announce the presence of these traffic calming measures and easily visible white paint chevron patterns should be painted on these structures, however, in many areas such warnings are lacking and responsible entities neglect to consistently maintain it when paint wears off, making it hard to notice timeously specially at night. So beware, because if you aren't careful, your vehicle may end up with a damaged suspension or tyre rims or both.
A noticeable number of South Africans tend to ignore speed limits. They are prone to selfish or aggressive driving behavior, such as tailgating and tooting their horns. On multi-lane roadways, the principle of keep-left, pass right is often not adhered to. On two-lane roadways, cars often pass slower vehicles in the centre of the roadway despite oncoming traffic. Cars are expected to merge into the emergency lane as much as possible to permit passing down the centre, even in heavy traffic. When approaching traffic light intersections (colloquially known as "robots"), be very careful even if it's green for you, as some drivers do not stop at red lights or try to beat the red light by accelerating on seeing amber/yellow. Also, traffic light intersection encroachment can be a problem, with some drivers advancing forward far beyond the white line, obstructing the view of neighbouring drivers, or minibuses appearing from the left side out of nowhere and cutting you off and either jumping the red light or remaining still, blocking everyone's movement when the green light shows, to let out or take in passengers. The best thing to do is remain calm and don't let it get to you.
Left (or right) turns on red at traffic lights are illegal. You will, however, find traffic lights and "four way stops" that have an accompanying yield sign explicitly permitting a left-turn. Also, many intersections in urban centres, now have staggered traffic light signals with arrows showing which direction is supposed to advance, remain waiting or stop. Beware that some drivers still don't get it. For example; a green right hand arrow lights up for you to turn right but the front oncoming driver will move to go straight because he's watching the side lights and assumes if it's red for them, must be green for him! Perhaps in time, authorities will introduce timer indicators at "robots" to let drivers know when their turn to move is coming.
The wearing of seat belts is compulsory. The front seat occupants of a car are required to wear seat belts while travelling, and for your own safety, it is recommended that those in the rear seats do so as well. If you are caught without obeying this rule, you will be subjected to a fine.
The use of hand-held mobile phones whilst in control of a vehicle is illegal. If you need to speak on your cell phone, use either a vehicle phone attachment or a hands-free kit. Or even better (and safer), pull off the road and stop. Only pull off the road at safe places, e.g. a petrol station. Pulling over and stopping along roads can be dangerous. The majority of petrol stations are open 24 hours a day.
Overtaking
Some of the main roads have only one lane in each direction with a wide hard shoulder (often marked by a yellow line), especially where they are far from urban centres. Pedestrians, cyclists and donkey carts often use such a hard shoulder. When driving on such a road, after passing a truck or other slow-moving vehicle that has moved onto the hard shoulder (often marked by a yellow line) to let you pass, it is customary to flash your hazard lights once. This is considered a thank you and you will most likely receive a my pleasure response in the form of the slow vehicle flashing its headlights once. It is illegal and dangerous to drive on the hard shoulder - although many people do. Some long course trucking companies strictly forbid their drivers from moving their vehicles to the left side emergency lane to allow faster vehicles a quick and safe overtaking manoeuvre, in such cases the rear of the truck explicitly shows a sign saying so. However, on long single lane highways, the majority of heavy vehicle drivers are very considerate towards faster light vehicle drivers by not only moving to the left as much as the road width safely allows it, but also by reason of the higher road view afforded sitting higher up, showing you with their indicators when it is safe to do so, for example; on a road without sufficiently wide emergency side lanes, if you drive up to the rear of a truck, the road appears clear and show you want to overtake, the truck driver may put on the left side indicators and also wave his right hand negatively to warn you, danger, do not overtake me now! On the other hand, if he shows the right hand side indicators and his hand waving you on, it means, go now, it's safe. Acknowledge such kindness by flashing your hazards once or waving your hand as a thank you.
Headlights
Whilst it is not yet compulsory, more and more drivers are adopting the practice of driving with their headlights on at all times. This greatly increases their visibility to other road users. Also common to see these days, are ill trained or inconsiderate drivers keeping the front and rear fog lights switched on in nightime or daylight without any reason to do so. That is illegal but law enforcement is sketchy. Driving at night with the high beams on, is only done as long as the strong lights do not interfere with the visibility of drivers from oncoming or ahead vehicles. Sometimes while driving at night on quiet roads, oncoming drivers may forget to lower their high beams, in these cases it's ok for you to flick your own high beams briefly to remind them.
Police
Law enforcement (speed and other violations) is usually done by portable or stationary, radar or laser cameras. Local police forces, especially in rural areas, direct a lot of their efforts in to fining motorists (so to raise revenue rather than to improve road safety). If you see an oncoming car flashing his headlights at you then he or she is probably warning you of an upcoming speed camera he has just passed. Non-camera portable radar and laser systems are also used and you may be pulled over for speeding (or other violations) and given a written fine. Fines can be sent to the registered address of the vehicle you are driving, but paying on-the-spot fines is also common. If so, the policeman will usually hold your licence whilst you go to the local police station to pay the fine; you get a receipt, drive back to where you were stopped, hand the receipt over to the policeman and get your licence back - this can take a good hour or more, which can be more of a nuisance than the R400 fine. Alternatively, you can sign an admission of guilt and be given a certain period to settle the fine. If you do not, when you are leaving the country, the central data system may pick up your payment default and penalise you for not settling in time.
In general, the police are pretty honest and respond to politeness and deference to their authority. When a traffic police officer stops you, they may ask for some fairly ludicrous piece of paperwork (a letter from the Ministry or the car's road worthiness certificate) and say that you are in lots of trouble if you don't have it; be firm, cool and friendly and state that you understand that all you need is a driver's licence, etc. In general, the police want an easy life and can't be bothered to argue for ages if they think you aren't going to offer a "tip". In case you are in fact guilty of any traffic violation, do not argue; it is best to admit you momentarily lost concentration, apologise and promise to drive more carefully from now on, then plea for the fine's lowest tariff to be applied.
South Africa does not yet have a merits system and does not share traffic violation information with other countries.
Licence requirements
If your driving licence is in any of South Africa's 11 official languages (e.g. English) and it contains a photo and your signature integrated into the licence document, then it is legally acceptable as a valid driving licence in South Africa as long as it is presented together with the passport. However, some car rental and insurance companies may still insist that you provide an International Driver's Permit.
It is generally best practice to acquire an International Driver's Permit in your country of origin, prior to starting your journey, regardless of whether your licence is legally acceptable or not.
In SA you are allowed to drive up to 90 days with a EU, American or any other country signatory to the International Road Ordinance Convention, before needing to change for a SA DL.
Police may ask for a bribe (between R200 to R600) if you produce a foreign driving licence (see also Stay safe section in the South Africa article). Don't pay it, inform them you are aware of the regulations and ask for their name and ID number and report them. If they threaten to take you the station, say it's fine as you have plenty of time (even if not) and would like to see the station commander.
Fuel
Filling stations are full service with unleaded petrol, lead replacement petrol and diesel available. Pump attendants will offer to wash your windscreen and check, tyre pressure, battery distilled water levels, engine oil and radiator water in addition to just filling up the car. Due to the very low basic salaries these attendants earn, it is usual to tip the attendant approximately R5 or R10 depending on how much extra service was provided besides the filling up of petrol - if you don't have change filling up R195, for example, and let the attendant keep the change, it is a courteous idea and very much appreciated. Most filling stations are open 24 hours a day and have amenities such as a convenience store, pay phones and clean toilets.
South African filling stations usually accept major credit or debit cards like Visa and MasterCard ,though some smaller filling stations may only accept cash.
Driving at Altitude
Much of the interior of South Africa is at an altitude of 1000 metres above sea level (or more). For example, O.R. Tambo [Johannesburg] International Airport, at an altitude of 1694 m, is a little higher than Denver International Airport (1656 m). When vehicles with internal combustion engines are driven at that altitude, they lack the power that they would normally exhibit at sea-level.
If you are planning to visit the interior and you normally live at a lower altitude, it might be worth-while choosing a higher powered vehicle than you would normally drive. Furthermore, at altitude, you can use petrol with a lower octane rating (which is also cheaper) than you would use at the coast without any loss of performance. In general, you can drop your octane rating by one unit for every 300 metres that you are above sea level.
Parking
In South Africa, vehicles can only park in streets if there are signs to indicate where and when you can do so, or the lack of any signage indicates the absence of any parking restrictions. To park in the street against the direction of traffic is not allowed. In most towns and city CBDs, street parking is metered. If individual lollypop parking meters are absent, the parking space most likely will be numbered and an electronic parking meter device placed nearby, upon paying, one needs to specify the parking bay number. Also, some parking meters devices may be the type that dispenses a ticket that needs to be placed on a visible part of the dashboard inside the vehicle. The availability of parking throughout the country is in most cases easy to identify. With the high unemployment rates, informal car guards are a common feature throughout but more evident around shopping centres, business and commercial areas. These guards usually wear a bright colour vest (yellow, orange, red or green) and live off tips, also, they may direct a driver to an open bay and help to guide the driver into the parking spot in a busy place, the practice is to tip only after one is about to depart. On more upmarket shopping centres or business with controlled access and metered pay parking, management employs full time guards to patrol the parking lots, in those instances, no tipping is expected.
Stay safe
South Africa has a high crime rate. Your first line of defence is to lock your car doors when you are driving.
South Africa has a high rate of road accidents. You should exercise extra caution when driving at all times, especially at night in urban areas. Watch out for unsafe drivers (minibus taxis), poor lighting, cyclists (many of whom seem not to know about the "drive on the left" rule) and pedestrians (especially at night). South African pedestrians in general tend to be rather aggressive, ignore traffic signals and deliberately jay walk; you must be alert for pedestrians who will step into oncoming traffic anywhere and expect you to stop or swerve for them.
You will also encounter a very large number of people walking along the freeways or running across them simply because that is the fastest route on foot to where they want to go and they cannot afford a car, taxi, or minibus to take them there. Look out for South Africa's notorious taxi and minibus drivers, who will sometimes cut you off and come to sudden stop and even stop on freeways to pick up or drop off fares.
When driving outside of the major cities, you will often encounter animals, wild and domestic, in or near the roadway. The locals tend to herd their cattle and goats near the road. If you see an animal on or by the road, slow down, as they are unpredictable. Do not stop to feed wild animals!
Within Cape Town and surrounding areas, some local drivers have an irritating habit of overtaking someone traveling at or about the speed limit and then gradually begin to settle down to some 30 to 40 km/h lower than before in front of you and keep repeating this nonsense several times until both cars part ways at some intersection. The best thing to do traffic conditions allowing it, may be to drive for a while at slightly over the speed limit (3 to 4%), as that may see the end of it without running the risk of being fined for speeding.
Should you find yourself waiting at a red traffic light late at night in an area where you do not feel safe, you could (illegally) cross over the red light after first carefully checking that there is no other traffic. If you receive a fine due to a camera on the traffic light, you can have it waived by writing an affidavit to the traffic department or court explaining that due to security reasons, you crossed safely and on purpose. Such mitigation factors will be considered by judges. The fact remains that, for whatever reason, you have broken the law. Do not make a habit of this.
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When stopped at a traffic light at night, always leave enough room between your car and the car in front of you so you can get around them. It is a common hijacking manoeuvre used by thieves to box your car in. This is especially prevalent in the suburbs of Johannesburg and even more so if you are driving a car with an "out-of-province" numberplate. All Gautang Province number plates end with "GP", which one comedian has said stands for "Gangster's Paradise".
So far as possible, and especially when driving in urban areas, try not to have any belongings visible inside the car - keep them out of sight in the glove box, or in the boot. The same applies, but even more so, when parking your car. It is also considered safe practice to drive in urban areas with the car windows closed and the doors locked. These simple precautions will make things less attractive for potential thieves.
As you would do in any other country, always be alert when driving. The safest way is to drive defensively and assume that the other driver is about to do something stupid, dangerous or illegal.
If you plan to do extensive road touring throughout the country or visit out of the beaten track areas, it's advisable to acquire a 10L fuel can equipped with a flexible pouring spout and to keep one or two 5L containers of drinkable water. You may never need it, but at least in an emergency in the middle of nowhere, 10L of fuel will give you approximately a 90 km range, enough to reach a farm house or small town. Proper plastic or metal fuel cans can be bought at automotive spares shops like Midas or hypermarkets.
Automobile association
The South African Automobile Association or the AA is the national drivers support organisation. The AA provides IDLs (international driver's licences), full road emergency assistance, insurance, traveller logistics with information ranging from best places to stay and visit to where to find garages or vehicle repair workshops, maps and GPS navigation coordinates, comprehensive second hand vehicle inspection and technical reports. Temporary membership may be a good idea for those wishing to tour Southern Africa by car or camper, as a non member will face substantial costs when using any of their services, whilst becoming a member, affords many automatic benefits included in the membership.