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GLOSSARY OF LOCAL
EXPRESSIONS:
Some
words or terms in common usage among English
speakers in South Africa today have been
'adopted' from other languages spoken in the
country, particularly Afrikaans. The following is
a list of words which may be confusing to
overseas visitors.
AFRICANA
- Technically a term which means all
things connected to Africa, but now commonly used
to refer to books, furniture, paintings and
objets d'art of special importance or interest to
Southern Africa, although not necessarily
manufactured in this region.
BAKKIE - A van or light truck
comprising a cabin and open back, often used for
the transportation of goods.
BOEREKOS - Traditional South
African farm-style or country cooking. Boer means
farmer.
BOBOTIE - A traditional Cape
dish made from minced meat & spices, covered
with a savory egg custard and baked in the oven.
BOMA - A fence or enclosure made
of wooden posts, traditionally used for herding
cattle but nowdays commonly used at safari lodges
to shelter an area where guests can sit outside.
BRAAI - A social occasion where
the focus is the cooking of meat over an open
fire or coals. The local equivalent to a
barbeque.
BRAAIVLEIS - Meat which has been
cooked on an open fire or braai.
BREDIE - A stew made of meat and
vegetables, name after the vegetable used for
example, tomatoes are used in tomatiebredie.
BROEKIE LACE - Ornamental
Victorian-style wrought iron work, often seen as
edging around verandahs or stoeps.
FOEFIE SLIDE - A cable mechanism
used to cross a piece of land or stretch of
water. Known in Australia and New Zealand as a
flying fox.
HARTEBEESHUISIE - A temporary
shelter built of wattle and daub by the
Voortrekkers/early European settlers in South
Africa.
KOEKSISTERS - A doughnut mixture
which is platted, then fried, then dipped in
syrup.
KOPPIE - A hillock, either
flat-topped or pointed.
KRUMMELPAP - Crumbly, dry-cooked
pap (see below). Eaten as a breakfast food or as
accompaniment to meat and gravy.
LAPA - Traditionally means the
courtyard enclosed by a circle of Ndebele huts,
but now used to refer to any outdoor enclosure
built of mud and bricks, rather than woods.
MELKTERT - A custard tart, which
is sometimes lightly flavoured with almond, and
sprinkled with cinamon.
MOERKOFFIE - Coffie made with
ground coffee beans, rather than instant coffee.
PAP - A type of porridge made
from ground maize meal. Traditionally it is a
staple food for many of South Africa's indigenous
peoples.
PETROL - Commonly known as
gasoline.
POTJIE - A heavy iron pot with
three legs (usually black), used for cooking over
an open fire.
POTJIEKOS - Food cooked in a
potjie, often a mixture of meat and vegetables.
RIEMPIE CHAIRS - Chairs with
wooden frames, the seats and backs of which are
made from thin strips of softened hide.
RIETDAK CEILING - A reed ceiling
ROBOT - Commonly known as a
traffic light.
RONDAVEL - A circular dwelling,
often with a thatched roof, resembling a
traditional round African home.
RUSK - A light dough that is
baked until crisp. Sometimes contains dried
fruit, muesli or other flavouring ingredients.
SKOTTELBRAAI - Originally, the
round piece of a plough was used as a dish cover
an open fire. Nowadays, a wok-shaped metal pan is
manufactured for this purpose and heat is
supplied by a gas bottle.
SOSATIE - A kebab, meat on a
skewer.
SPITBRAAI - A large pointed rod
on which, on which meat (usually a whole beast)
is skewered and cooked over an open fire.
STOEP - Verandah or porch.
VETKOEK - A bread dough which is
fried in oil and filled with a savoury filling,
usually savoury mince.
WATERBLOMMETJIE - A waxy flower
that grows in water and resembles a water lily.
Although there are 44 species of Aponogeton
distachyos, Cape pond weed and water hawthorn are
the two that are most commonly grown, then
harvested for use in waterblommetjiebredie.
WORS - Sausage often called
boerewors.
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IMMUNISATION:
No international
immunisation is needed when entering South
Africa.
A yellow fever vaccination certificate is
required from travellers who have left an
infected country. If you plan to visit the
Northern most provinces of South Africa, it is
advisable to take anti-malaria medication
obtainable from pharmacies or doctors.
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IMPORTANT TELEPHONE
NUMBERS & EMERGENCY NUMBERS:
East
London:
Rescue Services:
Sea: East London
- 722 2555, Kidd's Beach - 722
2555
Aviation: 736 6161
Maritime: 700 2142
Tygersberg Poison Information Centre:
(021) 931 6129
Tourism
East London
Old Library Building, 35 Argyle Street (behind
City Hall)
Tel: 722 6015, Fax:
743 5091, 24 Hour Information Service:
722 6034
Office Hours:
Monday-Friday 8.30am-4.30pm. Saturday
8.30am-11am.
EC Tourism Board: 743 9511
Airport
Passenger Services: - 736 0211
Alcoholics Anonymous (AA): 722 4033
Ambulance: 10177
Autombile Association (AA): 726
0540
Chemist: Emergency - 722 4368
Child Emergency Service: 0800 12
3321
District Surgeon: - 743 9857 -
Dr Wingreen, 4 Bufffalo Street, City Centre
Doctors/Dentists: listed in
telephone directory under "Medical
Practitioners" -
if no reply, Tel: 722 2555
Drug/Alcohol Hotline: 083 544 7777
Electricity/Water: 705 9111
Fire Brigade: Fleet Street - 722
1212
General Post Office: 743 2211
Home Affairs Department: 722
1364
Independent Electoral Commission (IEC):
NBS Building, Terminus Street -
Tel: 743 4144, Fax:
742 0948, 743 0388
Info. on visas and documentation:
Home Affairs in Drury Lane - 743 9348
Hospitals: -
East London Private
Hospital - 722 3128, Frere
Hospital - 709 1111,
St. Dominics Hospital
- 743 4303
Library: Central - 722 4991
Life Line: Emergency Councilling
Service - Tel: 722 2000
Municipalities: -
East London -
705 9111, Beacon Bay - 748 2400,
Gonubie - 740 4000
Museum: 743 0686
National Sea Rescue Institute:
Box 18366, Quigney - 700 2100
Newspaper: Daily Dispatch - 702
2000
Police/Flying Squad: 10111
Police: Charge Office: Fleet
Street - 25555
Port Manager: 700 2300
Railway Passengers Services: 700
2020
Spoornet Main Line Passenger Services:
Station Street - 700 2719
SA Bureau of Standards: 736 2351
SANCA Alcohol/Drug Centre: 743 4350
SPCA: 745 1458
SCAR (Save, Cure, Rehabilitation):
736 9753
Sea Rescue Services: 700 2100
Settlers Association (1820): 743
4134 (w)
Theatre: Bookings - 743 0704
Time Check: 1026
Tourism: -
Eastern Cape Tourism
Board: Lock St. Goal, Fleet Street - Tel:
743 9511
Tourism East London:
35 Argyle Street - Tel: 722 6015
Traffic Office: 705 2210
Transport: -
Translux: 700
1999,
Intercape:
Depature - Orient Beach/BP Garage - 722 2254,
Hopper Bus:
(Backpacker) Depart Beachfront &
Tourism Office - 041-512332
Weather Forecast: 736 1300
Directory Enquiries: RSA (The
Phone Book) - 1023
Electronic Yellow Pages (INFO):
10118
International Directory Enquiries:
0903
Emergency
& Help Numbers in South Africa:
Abused
Women Advice Desk: (031) 820 2862 / 2923
Ambulance: 999
Attention Deficit Disorder:
(011) 484 6632
Autism Society: (011) 726 2445
Centre of Child Guidance: (021)
959 2911
Child Accident Prevention Foundation:
(011) 792 4332
Child and Family Centre: (0331)
260 5166
Children's Assessment and Therapy Centre:
(031) 28 5117
Childminders Association: (011)
973 2752
Childline: 0800 123 321
Cape Town:
(021) 461 1114, Durban: (031)
303 2222,
Johannesburg:
(011) 484 3044, Port Elizabeth:
(041) 563 232,
Verulam:
(0322) 33 0490, Windhoek: (061)
32221
Child Parent Guidance Clinic:
(011) 484 1734
Child Welfare: (011) 331 0171
Crime Stop: 0800 11 1213
Crisis Line: Sowetan (011) 473
2505
Drug Rehabilitation Centres:
-
Cape Town:
(021) 34 3111, Cape Town:
William Slater (021) 685 5116,
Bloemfontein:
(051) 47 7271, 47 9204,
Johannesburg:
Phoenix House (011) 726 4210,
Port Elizabeth:
Halfway House (041) 51 3269,
Pretoria:
Staanvas (012) 341 6495, Worcester:
(0231) 21162
Drug Support Groups: -
Cape Town:
(021) 45 1842, Johannesburg:
(011) 728 5232,
Pretoria:
Anti-drug (012) 808 0713
Education Support Group: (021)
45 2438
Effata Open House and Safe House:
(011) 475 5079
Effata Spiritual Guidance: (011)
475 5079
FAMSA Family and Marriage Society:
-
Cape Town:
(021) 461 7360, Durban: (031)
304 8991,
Grahamstown:
(0461) 25580, Johannesburg:
(011) 788 4737,
Kimberley:
(0531) 81 2368, Pietermaritzburg:
(0331) 42 4945,
Port Elizabeth:
(041) 55 9393
702 Helpline: (011) 884 8448
Institute for Child Health and
Development: (011) 642 7554
Isipingo Support Group for Abused Women:
(031) 902 5578
Laudium Advice Office: (012) 374
4792
Lifeline: -
Cape Town:
(021) 461 1111, Johannesburg:
(011) 728 1347,
East Rand:
(011) 845 1505, East London:
(043) 722 2000,
Pretoria:
(012) 343 8888, Port Elizabeth:
(041) 52 3456,
Durban: (031)
23 2323, Vaal: (016) 337 333, Welkom:
(0171) 22212,
Windhoek:
(061) 32221
Narcotics Anonymous: (021) 23
2948
NICRO Crime Prevention: (021)
461 7253
NISAA Women's Institute: (011)
854 5804
Parent and Child Counselling Centre:
(011) 484 1734
People Against People Abuse:
(012) 805 7416
Poison Information Centre: (011)
642 8000
Police Childcare Units: -
Cape Town:
(021) 592 2601, Kimberley:
(0531) 81 1818,
Bloemfontein:
(051) 30 4006, Kroonstad:
(01411) 51 836,
Port Elizabeth:
(041) 34 1811, East London:
(043) 722 7646,
Durban: (031)
23 1101, Pietermaritzburg:
(0331) 44 3380,
Richards Bay:
(0351) 44 445, Port Shepstone:
(0391) 82 4805,
Pretoria:
(012) 326 8836, Johannesburg:
(011) 477 1390,
Krugersdorp:
(011) 953 5059, Vanderbijlpark:
(016) 33 1196,
Germiston:
(011) 873 2470, Soweto: (011)
945 6629,
Klerksdorp:
(018) 462 6662, Carletonville:
(01491) 91325
POWA People Opposing Women Abuse:
(011) 642 4345
Pro-ed Centre for Learning and Attention
Difficulties: (021) 24 9218
Rape Crisis Centres: -
Cape Town:
(021) 47 9762, Bloemfontein:
(051) 47 6678,
East London:
(043) 743 7266, Grahamstown:
(046) 28 442,
Pietermaritzburg:
(0331) 45 6279, Port Elizabeth:
(041) 54 3804,
Pretoria:
(012) 801 0210 x 2127, Stellenbosch:
(021) 887 5751
Safeline: (021) 638 1155 / 233
333
SA National Epilepsy League:
(011) 816 2040
SANCA - National
Council for Alcoholism and Drug Dependence:
-
Cape Town:
(021) 24 5260, Bloemfontein:
(051) 47 7271,
Durban: (031)
304 9631, Johannesburg: (011)
836 5942,
Pietermaritzburg:
(0331) 54173, Pretoria: (012)
542 1121,
Soweto: (011)
984 4017 / 8
SA Red Cross Family Support:
(021) 797 5360
Sexual Harassment Education:
(011) 403 5650
Single Mothers Network: (011)
975 3377
Society for the Mentally Handicapped:
(011) 613 8121
Women Against Women Abuse: (011)
945 5531
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LANGUAGES:
English and
Afrikaans are two of South Africa's 11 official
languages.
English is the predominant language in South
Africa.
At many banks, hotels and other service
institutions, some employees may speak other
languages.
Shops in key tourist destinations have
multi-lingual staff.
The 11
official languages are:
- Afrikaans
- English
- isiNdebele (Ndebele)
- isiXhosa (Xhosa)
- isiZulu (Zulu)
- Sesotho (Southern Sotho)
- Sesotho sa Leboa (Northern Sotho)
- Setswana (Tswana)
- siSwati (Swazi)
- Tshivenda (Venda)
- Xitsonga (Tsonga)
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METRIC MEASURES:
South
Africa uses the metric system.
Temperatures, rainfall measures, distances,
weights, velocity are expressed in metric units.
Distance is measured by
kilometres (1km = 5/8 mile),
Motor speed signs
are in kilometres per hour,
Gas is sold by the litre
(approx. 4.5 litres = 1 Imperial gallon; 3.8
litres = 1 US gallon)
Velocity 100 km/h = 62 mph
Weight 1 kilogram = 2.2 lbs -
500 grams = 1.1 lbs
Distance 1 km = 5/8 miles
(To calculate 1 km x .6 = approximate mileage 1
mile x 1.6 = approximate kilometres.)
Metric - Imperial:
1 Centimetre = 0.39 inches;
1 Metre = 3.28 feet;
1 Kilometre = 0.62 miles;
1 Litre = 1.06 quarts;
1 Kilogram = 2.21 pounds
Imperial - Metric:
1 Inch = 2.54 Centimetres;
1 Foot = 0.30 Metres;
1 Mile = 1.61 Kilometres;
1 Quart = 0.95 Litres;
1 Gallon = 4.5 Litres;
1 US Gallon = 3.79 Litres;
1 Pound = 0.45 Kilograms;
From Celsius to Fahrenheit = multiply by 1.8 then
add 32.
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PERSONAL INSURANCE:
Individual
travelers are advised to obtain their own
personal luggage, health or other travel
insurance as desired.
American visitors should be prepared to present
registration numbers for health care insurance
coverage, to pay cash and to reimbursed later an
to sign documents accepting financial
responsibility for services rendered.
Policies at each hospital vary.
xRegardless of financial status or health care
coverage, South African hospitals will never
refuse treatment to those requiring it.
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POPULATION FIGURES:
Visit Statistics South Africa
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POSTAL INFORMATION:
Trading
Hours:
Monday-Friday: 8am - 4.30pm
Saturday: 8am - 12pm
Priority mail
services are offered between major local cities,
Australia, Britain, France, Germany, Sweden,
Switzerland, Hong Kong, Japan, Taiwan and the
USA.
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PUBLIC HOLIDAYS:
Public Holidays
Click above for the Public Holidays for:
South Africa, Angola, Botswana, Namibia,
Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
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RELIGIOUS HOLIDAYS:
Religious
Holidays
Click here for the Religious Holidays, i.e:
Environmental Calendar, Christian Holy Days, Hindu Festivals, Jewish
Holidays and the Musim Calendar.
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SEA TEMPERATURE FOR
THE DAY:
Telephone: 705 2129, Orient Beach for the Sea Temperature of the day.
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SCHOOL HOLIDAYS:
School Holidays
Click here for the holidays/terms for:
Schools, Technikons and Universities.
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SPEED LIMITS:
Freeways
- 120km/h
Urban Roads - 60km/h
Seatbelts must be worn by drivers and all
passengers.
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TAXATION:
The Value Added
tax (VAT) rate is 14% and is included in the
price you see on products.
It is levied on most products except staple
foods.
Students should obtain proof of payment for all
items purchased during their stay to claim for
refunds at the port of exit, provided the value
of items exceeds R250-00.
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TIDES SCHEDULE:
Dispatch Online
Tides
The Daily Dispatch Tides Schedule.
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TIME:
South Africa is
2 hours ahead of the Greenwich Mean Time (GMT).
GMT +2
CET+1
EST+7
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TIPPING/GRATUITY:
According to
service, but as a guideline:
Restaurants & Taxi Drivers =
10-15%
Porters = R2.00 - R5.00
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WEATHER:
Dispatch Online
Weather
The Daily Dispatch Weather.
Weather
Forecast:
Telephone customers throughout the country can
obtain information on the latest weather
conditions in the following areas by dialling the
numbers indicated below:
Gauteng, Mpumalanga, Northern and North
West Province:
Pretoria - (012) 321 9621
Cape Peninsula, South-Western Cape
interior and the coastal region up to Plettenberg
Bay:
Cape Town - (021) 40881
The coastal region from Plettenberg Bay
to Port Edward, and the Eastern Cape interior:
Port Elizabeth - (041) 582 4242
Kwazulu-Natal:
Durban: General - (031) 307 4121, Durban:
Maritime - (031) 307 4135
Free State, Northern Cape and the Karoo:
Bloemfontein - (051) 430 4058
NOTE:
Under extraordinary weather conditions these
weather reports are updated up to 4 times a day.
South Africa has
a temperate climate, with slight variations in
temperature between seasons and from one location
to another.
Southern South Africa has some very hot summer
days. It is generally dry and sunny, claiming
more hours of sunshine.
In central and northern South Africa, rainfall is
slightly more frequent during spring and summer,
with moderate temperatures.
The average summer minimum is 28 C, the average
maximum being 33 C.
Mountain areas are usually warm in mid-summer,
spring and fall, but are often cool at night.
Winter temperatures are milder in South Africa
than most people expect.
The average minimum temperature in
January/February is 16 C.
Average winter maximums range from 1 C to 10 C.
Temperature:
Temperature in South Africa is given in Celsius.
Below is an approximate guide to Celsius
Temperatures:
40 degrees C = a heat wave;
20 degrees C = room temperature;
0 degrees C = water freezes;
10 degrees C = a winter day.
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