Practical Information

Here is some practical information about Cape Town and what to expect during your stay.

• Population

  2,984,100

  

• Time Zone

  GMT +2 (same as Paris, Rome and Prague)

  

• Languages

  English

  Zulu

  Xhosa

  Afrikaans

  Tswana

  Sotho, Southern

  Swati

  South Ndebele

  

• Climate

  Total Annual Rainfall

  515mm (20ins)

  Average Summer Temperatures in December to February

  15 -27?C (60 – 80?F)

  Average Winter Months of June to August

  20?C (45 - 70?F)

  

• What to Pack

  Spring and Autumn

  Light Jackets and Cardigans

  Summer

  Shorts, T-shirts, sun block

  Winter

  Warm clothes including a thick coat or jacket

  Umbrella

• Electricity

  220/230V 50HzHz

  Electric Plug Details

  South African/Indian-style plug with two circular metal pins above a large circular grounding pin

  

• Religion

  Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Jewish and traditional religions

  

• Money

  Currency

  Rand (R)

  Banks

  Banks are located throughout the city and suburbs. Commercial banking services are available at Cape Town International Airport to coincide with international arrivals and departures.

  Foreigners can open bank accounts, however you will need to take the following documents with you - bank report (from your bank in your country), passport, letter of confirmation from EC Cape Town and your student card.

  When closing your account you may only take out money equivalent to the amount you brought into the country, therefore you should retain your slips when making bank deposits in your account.

  Opening Hours

  • 9.00am – 3.30pm from Monday to Friday
  • 8.30am – 11am on Saturday

  Credit cards are accepted virtually everywhere, they can be used either in ATMs or over the counter.

  Most international cards are accepted; however, petrol cannot be purchased on a credit card.

  Mastercard, Visa, American Express and Diners Club are accepted in most shops, restaurants and hotels in Brighton, although they're less useful in rural areas, and some smaller shops may accept cash only.

  Some banks issue a special 'petrol' or 'garage' card for this purpose.

  

• Cost of Living

  Cost of Living p>Food and Drink

  Milk, 1 litre – R5.80; €0.66

  100% juice, 1 litre - R8; €0.91

  Soup x 400g - R8.50; €0.66

  Spaghetti, 500g - R4-R9; €0.45-€1.02

  Sliced cheese, 200g - R13; €1.48

  Toast bread, approx. 20 slices - R5.30; €0.60

  Rolls, 4 pieces - R4.50; €0.51

  Fruit yoghurt, 250ml - R5; €0.56

  Ice cream, 2 litres - R20-R35; €2.27-€3.98

  Sparkling water, 1.5 litres - R8; €0.91

  Still water, 2 litres - R8; €0.91

  Apples, 1kg - R7.50; €0.85

  Potatoes, 1kg - R12; €1.36

  Oranges, 1kg - R3; €0.34

  p>Other indicators

  Pint of beer in a pub - R9; €1.02

  Meal for two in a restaurant - R120-R200; €13-€22

  Big Mac Meal- R17; €1.93

  Can of Coke - R5; €0.57

  Bus ticket (single journey) - R6; €0.68

  Cinema ticket - R35; €3.99

  Theatre ticket from - R80; €9.12

  Newspaper - R3.70; €0.42

  Packet of 20 cigarettes - R16; €1.82

  Hair cut (men’s) from - R50; €5.69

  Hair cut (women’s) from - R120; €13

  One week’s food shopping R300; €34.13 per person

  Mobile phone from - R375; €42.67

  International stamp - R4; €0.45

  Toilet paper (9 rolls) - R22; €2.50

  These are average Cape Town prices and are intended as an indicator only. Prices may vary across the region. Based on exchange rate of Rand 100 = (Euro) €11.36

  

• Transport

  Mini Busses - R5-R20

  For more information and advice on what to do on arrival, visit the arrivals page.

  

• Visas

  See our section on visas

  

• Shop Hours

  From Monday to Saturday - 8.30am – 5 pm (However, most shops are open until 8pm on Thursday)(However, most shops are open until 8pm on Thursday)

  Sunday -8.30am - 1pm

  Supermarkets generally close at 6pm(times vary according to season).

  Shops are normally closed on Sundays and Public Holidays).

  There is late night shopping at the Victoria Wharf (Waterfront) seven days a week.

  

• Health

  There are two health systems in South Africa - the Public Health Care which is unlikely to serve foreigners due to financial constraints, and the Private Health Care System which is excellent in providing world-class service; however, it is expensive and health insurance is advised. There are many private hospitals in Cape Town, but one can find the Chris Barnard Memorial Hospital across the street from the school

• Water

  As a rule, tap water in South Africa is safe to drink as it is treated and is free of harmful microorganisms. In hotels, restaurants and nightspots, the standards of hygiene and food preparation is excellent.

  

• Vaccinations

  Visitors who are entering South Africa from a yellow fever zone must have a valid international yellow fever inoculation certificate. Only infants under the age of one year are exempt.

  Immunisation against cholera and small pox are not required and no other vaccinations are required when visiting South Africa, although your doctor may recommend other inoculations as a precautionary measure

  

• Telephones and Mobile Phones

  Country Dialing Code

  +27

  Useful Numbers

  • Ambulance: 10177
  • Fire (Residential & Mountain): 535 1100
  • Flying Squad – Police:10111
  • Mountain Rescue:948 9900
  • Sea Rescue – NSRI: 449 3500
  • Tourist Assistance:418 2852

  Telephones and Telephone Cards

  Public phones are widely available. Public phones are painted either bright blue or green. The blue public phones take coins while the green public phones work with phone cards.

  You can purchase these at a variety of shops and at post offices – most public phones advertise the closest sale point.

  Phone cards are available in denominations from R 10,00 to R 200,00.

  Calls cost 80c per 3 minutes for a local call and you can make national and international calls with the cards as well. For international enquiries dial 0903.

  Mobile Phones

  South Africa is GSM compatible. If your phone is compatible, you may want to speak to your network operator about international roaming.

  Hire a cell-phone at the airport or other centres.

  It is relatively inexpensive to purchase a local Sim card. Some international cell-phones will work here if you purchase a local Sim Card.

  The South African networks cover the whole country and provide excellent service – enabling you to call or exchange text messages at any time.

  

• Public Holidays

  Please note that EC does not offer tuition on public holidays should one fall during your booked course dates. There are twelve public holidays in Cape Town.

  Public holidays observed in Cape Town are:

  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

  Christmas Closing Dates 2008: The last day of school is 19 December 2008. Centres re-open on 5 January 2009.

  

• Safety

  Safety measures are in full-force and police patrol the city vigilantly in an effort to ensure safety for locals and tourists alike.

  Surveillance cameras monitor activities in the central business district, and security guards watch over major shopping centres.

  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.

  DO

  • keep all your personal belongings with you at all times, particularly in public places such as bars, restaurants and public tranport

  Don't

  • take passports, flight tickets and large sums of money with you when you go out, especially in the evening.
  • leave such items unattended.