Just Landed in South Africa? Your First 7 Days

Mobile data is the backbone of connectivity, with strong 4G and growing 5G coverage across the cities and along major routes; it thins out quickly in rural areas. All SIMs must be RICA-registered with your passport and a proof of address before activation, which you can do at the point of sale. Fibre is widespread in urban suburbs and is worth prioritising when choosing housing, ideally paired with an uncapped package that keeps a router running through load-shedding.

Typical cost: A prepaid data bundle runs roughly R150-R300 per month; uncapped fibre home internet is about R500-R1,000 per month depending on speed and provider (Vumatel, Openserve and MetroFibre are common networks, with Afrihost, Webafrica and RSAWEB popular ISPs).

The Rand is volatile, so watch the exchange rate before large transfers and consider a service like Wise or your bank's forex desk for moving money in. Card payments, including tap-to-pay, are accepted almost everywhere in cities, but you must keep cash for car guards, tips, minibus taxis, parking and informal traders.

Opening an account: Opening a resident account needs a valid visa or permit, your passport and a proof of address; FNB, Standard Bank, Nedbank and Absa are the traditional big four with dedicated non-resident processes. TymeBank and Capitec are the easiest and cheapest for newcomers, often opening same-day with minimal paperwork and very low monthly fees. Expect banks to ask for supporting documents like your lease and employment contract.

Cash: The cities are very card-friendly, but always carry small notes and coins. Informal traders, minibus taxis, parking attendants, petrol stations in some areas, and many small services are cash-only, and car guards expect a few Rand when you leave a parked car.

Tipping: Tip 10-15% at restaurants (check a service charge has not already been added for larger tables), R5-R10 per bag for hotel porters, and R2-R5 to petrol attendants who fill your tank and to car guards who watch your vehicle.

South Africa has no compulsory local address or residence registration for arriving foreigners. There is nothing equivalent to Germany's Anmeldung or a municipal check-in. Your legal status is governed entirely by the visa or permit in your passport, so the priority is simply keeping that valid and not overstaying. Practical registrations you will do voluntarily include RICA for your SIM, opening a bank account, and enrolling with a medical aid, none of which are a government address registry.

Where: Not applicable for residence registration. Visa extensions, permit renewals and status changes are handled by the Department of Home Affairs, with many application types processed through VFS Global visa facilitation centres.

South Africa is car-centric and formal public transport is limited outside a few corridors, so most expats either buy a car or lean heavily on ride-hailing. Minibus taxis are cheap and go everywhere, but the routes are unmarked, the driving is aggressive and they are not aimed at newcomers, so treat them as a later-stage skill rather than a day-one option.

From the airport: From OR Tambo (Johannesburg) the Gautrain reaches Sandton in about 15 minutes for roughly R170-R200; an Uber or Bolt to the northern suburbs is around R250-R450 depending on traffic and time. From Cape Town International there is no rail link, so an Uber or Bolt into the City Bowl or Atlantic seaboard is about R150-R300, while the MyCiTi bus runs an affordable airport route into town.

Most expats rent through agents on Property24 or Private Property, favouring secure complexes, estates or apartments that come with backup power, water storage and controlled access. Leases usually run 12 months, are quoted per month in Rand, and the market moves fast in sought-after Cape Town suburbs, so line up viewings quickly. Prioritise fibre availability, an inverter or generator, and a borehole or water tank if you want to ride out the country's utility wobbles comfortably.

Typical rent: A one-bedroom flat in a good Johannesburg or Cape Town suburb runs about R8,000-R15,000 per month; family homes in secure estates start around R20,000 and climb past R45,000. Cape Town's Atlantic seaboard and the City Bowl command a clear premium over equivalent Johannesburg suburbs.

Deposit norm: Expect one to two months' rent as a deposit plus the first month upfront. Agents run a credit and affordability check, which is tricky before you have any local financial history, so be ready to offer bank statements, a proof of income, an employer letter, or a few months' rent in advance to reassure the landlord.

There is a stark two-tier system: well-regarded private hospitals (Netcare, Life Healthcare and Mediclinic) that most expats use, and an overstretched, underfunded public system that carries the majority of the population. For anything beyond the trivial, private care is essentially non-negotiable, and it is genuinely excellent, but you pay upfront or through cover.

How to access it: For a real emergency, call a private ambulance directly, such as ER24 on 084 124 or Netcare 911 on 082 911, rather than the state 10177 line, as response times and equipment are far better. For routine matters, book a GP or walk into a private clinic; same-day appointments are common, and pharmacies like Clicks and Dis-Chem have in-store clinics and dispensing pharmacists for minor issues.

Insurance: Take out cover before you need it, either a South African medical aid (Discovery Health, Bonitas, Momentum) or comprehensive international expat health insurance. Private hospitals ask for a guarantee of payment or a substantial deposit at admission, and without cover a serious hospital stay can run into tens of thousands of Rand.

• Greetings matter; take a moment to ask how someone is before getting to business, and use a firm handshake and eye contact.
• Learn the timing slang: 'just now' means later or maybe never, 'now now' means fairly soon, and plain 'now' can mean anything, so clarify rather than assume.
• A braai (barbecue) is a core social ritual; if invited, bring meat or drinks, offer to help at the fire, and settle in for a relaxed, hours-long afternoon.
• Be patient with queues and admin. Home Affairs and municipal processes are slow, and staying friendly gets you far further than visible impatience.
• Learn a few words in a local language beyond English, such as 'sawubona' (isiZulu hello) or 'dankie' (Afrikaans thank you); the effort is warmly received.
• Tip and greet the people who serve you, from petrol attendants to car guards to security at the gate; acknowledging them by name builds real goodwill.
• Accept invitations to people's homes and share food generously; hospitality is central and reciprocating it is how friendships form.

• Do not discuss race, apartheid or politics glibly or as a curiosity; these are live, personal and painful subjects, so listen far more than you opine.
• Security awareness is normal, not paranoia. Locals lock doors, activate alarms, avoid flashing phones and do not walk alone at night in many areas, and you should follow suit.
• Do not photograph people, informal settlements or security installations without clear permission; it causes genuine offence and can be provocative.
• Avoid comparing everything unfavourably to 'back home'; newcomers who moan about load-shedding and admin endlessly wear their welcome thin.
• Do not assume everyone shares your first language or cultural references; the country is deeply diverse, so stay curious rather than presumptuous.