Overview & Geography
Republic of South Africa
Population : 47,9 Million (2007)
Area : 1.219.912 km?
Capital : Pretoria
The Republic of South Africa is situated at the southern tip of the African continent. It`s also called the "Rainbow Nation", due to the ethnical and multicultural diversity of the country. South Africa is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations and its economy is the largest in Africa. Regarding to infrastructural, social and economical aspects, South Africa is the most developed country on the continent.
This southernmost region of Africa is the homeland of various African ethnic groups (approx. 79%) together with Dutch, German, French, English, Asian immigrants and the so-called coloureds, descendants of the slaves from the former Dutch East Indies and of other origin. The Republic of South Africa has eleven official national languages: English, Afrikaans, isiZulu, Siswati, isiNdebele, Sesotho, Northern Sotho, Xitsonga, Setswana, Tshivenda and isiXhosa.
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South Africa is one of the most interesting and beautiful countries of the world and the people there are very hospitable. It`s a great country with its Cape, the garden route, the wine region and the untouched land in the rural area. A visit to the wilder regions as the semi-desert Karoo or the national game parks where are found numerous wild animals including leopards, lions, elephants, hippopotamus, white rhinos and giraffes - just to mention a few - is a unique and fascinating experience, you should not miss.
However there is also the other side of South Africa. In spite of the political change, with regard to the racial discrimination, supported by the continuous engagement of Nelson Mandela, who has been elected in 1994 to become the first black president, the contrasts between rich and poor are still highly existent. Since the abolishment of the apartheid there have been changes indeed, but however the social disparity between black and white still remains. Most of the black population is living in townships outside the cities. In those areas the living standard is still very low at present. Consequentially there is a high level for propensity to violence and crime rate, particularly in those suburbs. HIV/Aids is another big problem in spite of the efforts of various international organisations and the government. The HIV rate of the adult population amounts to approximately 22%. With the abolishment of the apartheid, South Africa has become an open and socially free market economy orientated country. However the economical transformation and consolidation process will take some time. Governmental efforts are focused on antipoverty and unemployment programs, economical integration of the discriminated population and above all the exposure to the dramatic HIV situation.
South Africa is situated at the southern tip of the African continent with a total area of 1,219,912 km? and a coastline of approx. 2500 km. The country lies between two oceans, the Indian and Atlantic Ocean. Here are amongst others great spots for surfing and diving - but also be aware of the sharks!
South Africa is bordered by Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe in the north, Swaziland and Mozambique in the east. The kingdom of Lesotho is a land-locked country, i.e. it`s entirely surrounded by the Republic of South Africa. Pretoria is the capital of South Africa.
The highest mountain in South Africa is the Niesuthi with 3408m. The Kalahari Desert stretches across the Northern Cape region through Namibia and Botswana to Angola and Zambia. Parts of the Kalahari Desert are nature reserves.
Most rivers of South Africa originate in the Drakensbergen and flow into the Indian Ocean. The longest river is the Oranje, with a length of 1860km, which is one of the few rivers flowing into the Atlantic Ocean. The Aughrabies Falls are situated in a national park of the same name, with a breadth of approx. 150m and a height of approx. 56m. Other important rivers are the Limpopo (approx. 1600km) and the Val (approx. 1251km). The Prince-Edward-Islands in the southern Indian Ocean belong also to South Africa.
As South Africa is situated south of the Equator the seasons are opposite to the northern hemisphere. The climate there is generally temperate and quite well tolerated by Europeans. The average sunshine duration is one of the highest worldwide. Rainfalls are spread throughout the year; there is no particular rainy season. However rainfalls are more common on the East Coast.
Of significant importance regarding the climate of South Africa is the fact that approximately half of the land lies 1200m above sea-level. The summer season in the Cape region is sunny and dry; most of the rainfalls are in winter.
The summer season for the rest of South Africa is warm, but not too hot and most of the rainfalls are in this period. The winters are dry, sunny and warm during the day, but could be quite cool during the night.
Living in South Africa
Money in South Africa
The currency in South Africa is the Rand. One Rand is equal to 100 Cent (C) and corresponds almost exactly to 0.11 Euro. Currency notes have the following denominations: R200, R100, R50, R20 and R10; and coins are available in ranges of 5c, 10c, 20c, 50c, R1, R2 and R5.
With EC- and credit cards money can be obtained using the ATMs of the banks. Mostly, a service charge will be levied of around 3-5 EUR per payout. This charge is usually lower with EC cards than with credit cards. If one decides to bring cash from home, it is advisable to change that into Rand in one of the banks or exchange offices. The exchange rates in hotels are often not as good. A better and safer option is to carry around Traveller`s Cheques.
Credit cards (Master, Visa, American Express, Diner`s Club) will be accepted in almost every location.
Budget Planning
Living costs in South Africa are considered as relatively low priced by western visitors. Due to the strong Euro the purchasing power is quite high for Europeans. How much money do I need per month for a comfortable lifestyle in South Africa? The rents for 1-bedroom apartments are approximately on the same level as in Germany, you should budget 200 - 400 EUR per month. It should be noted that these price levels indicate accommodation which corresponds to western standards. If a more basic accommodation with less of the known comforts will do, there are cheaper offers available (e.g. shared rooms). Mostly your employer will help you with the accommodation search. Sometimes, accommodation and a car are also provided for by the employer in case of a longterm employment on regular basis. You should add for further costs - food, excursions, transport, leisure - between 500 and 1,000 EUR per month. Consequently the total costs arise to approximately 700-1,400 EUR per month.
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Unfortunately most internships are without payment in South Africa. One of the reasons is the visa: According to South African law only foreigners with an official work permit are allowed to receive a salary. However as interns enter the country with a visitor visa they don`t fall under this category. On the other side internships are in great demand in South Africa and employers are aware of this. In case you have attended an internship in the company`s head office and will be sent to South Africa for a Bachelor or Master thesis or another program, special regulations can be agreed upon. The intern for example could receive a monthly payment to an account in Germany and consequently avoid the official visa regulation. Apart from this some employers pay directly a weekly or monthly pocket money in cash.
Communications
Mobile phones are widespread in South Africa. At present South Africa is ranking fourth worldwide concerning the growth of the mobile phone market, with a growth rate of more than 50% per annum. Often you will have the opportunity to bring along your mobile phone from home due to the same standards. Prepaid cards are available as from 5 EUR.
The internet penetration rate with only one access per 13 inhabitants is still quite low on the South African average. Mostly you will find dial-up connections. Broadband connections are less used and thus more expensive than in Europe with approx. 600 Rand per month. However the government intends to support new technologies in the IT sector. Mostly, being an intern one will have the opportunity to access the internet during working hours. Apart from that, there are numerous internet cafes where can be sent some more emails.
Transportation
The two of the most important airports are situated in Johannesburg and Cape Town. The South African Airways (SAA) offers international connections. There are daily flights to Johannesburg or Cape Town with Lufthansa, British Airways, Iberia, Air France and KLM. Good air connections are available within South Africa or to other African countries. Some smaller airports are located in Durban, Port Elizabeth, East London, Pretoria, Lanzeria and Bloemfontein. South Africa possesses an excellent road network - left hand drive is the rule. However the local transport system is not very effective, therefore many commuters depend on personal cars, busses or shared taxis. There are international bus connections for longer distances, as Translux, Greyhound etc. Unscheduled stops are common practice.
A railway system of approx. 24.000 km assures a regular connection between the bigger cities and the branch lines. In addition there are various railway connections for tourism purpose, as for example the Trans-Oranje-Express, Trans-Natal-Night-Express or the luxury Blue Train and the Rovos Rail.
Mainly, bicycles are used in rural areas and by the poorer population.
Accommodation
The rents for an apartment according to western standards are between 200 to 400 EUR per month, depending on the town, size and location. In any case it is advisable to ask the employer.
Good offers can also be found on the following sites:
http://southafrica.accommodationforstudents.com/
http://www.studentaccommodation.org/student_accommodation_south_africa.asp
Nightlife in South Africa
South Africans enjoy relaxing and celebrating, due to this fact the country is number one regarding nightlife. There is a wide range of pubs, comedy, theatre, casino, cinema or clubbing - everyone can find a place to one`s own taste. Even in the smallest towns you get the chance to find a fine bar
The local issue of the Time-Out Magazine (e.g. for Cape Town) gives a first indication concerning nightlife (
www.timeout.com/travel/capetown).
Culture and Social Aspects
The social life in South Africa is partly still affected by the long years of the apartheid. Consequently this results in a black-white subdivided social disparity in some defined areas of life. However there is a formation of a new, still small middle class, with the same income and social conditions.
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The majority of the population belongs to the Christian church and the lifestyle of the white population minority is mostly the same as that of the western countries.
Nowadays the coloured inhabitants feel more connected with the white South African culture than the black one, in spite of the discrimination during the apartheid. Mainly, this concerns the population speaking Afrikaans and the social classes belonging to the same or similiar religion of the white population. Asians, mostly coming from India, have their own cultural heritance, their language and religions. A small minority of the coloured population, the Cape Malays are Moslem.
The Government emphasises on the return to the African values. The community orientated view of human nature of "the Ubuntu conception of coming to terms with the past" shall assist to find a new national identity.
Considering its culture, South Africa is very vital and complex. A very special South African music style has developed. There is also a growing market for music in the Afrikaans language with elements of country music. One of the most well-known South African singer is Miriam Makeba. She engaged herself against the former apartheid policy and consequently was expelled from the country at the end of the fifties.
Sport in general is playing a major role in the social life of South Africa. Above all football is the favourite, the number one in all social classes.
