Handy tips for business travel

ANGOLA • South African passport holders require a visa to travel to Luanda. • Recent yellow fever vaccination certificate required. Immunisation against hepatitis A and B, typhoid, polio (booster dose), tetanus and diphtheria is recommended while a yellow fever vaccination is required. Immunisation against meningitis, cholera, rabies and tuberculosis may be advised. Malaria risk is high throughout the year and prophylaxis (not Chloroquine) is recommended. DRC • South African passport holders require a visa to travel to the DRC. • People older than one year travelling from risk areas (not SA) need a yellow fever vaccination certificate. Travellers returning to SA from the DRC will also need a certificate. • There is a risk of malaria and prophylaxis (not Chloroquine) is recommended. GHANA • South African passport holders require a visa to visit Ghana. • All passengers need a yellow fever vaccination certificate. Travellers returning to SA from Ghana will also need a certificate. Immunisation against hepatitis A and B, diphtheria, polio, tetanus, typhoid and yellow fever recommended. Immunisation against tuberculosis, rabies and meningitis may be recommended. MOZAMBIQUE • People travelling from risk areas (not SA) need a yellow fever vaccination certificate. Immunisation against hepatitis A and B, diphtheria, polio, tetanus and typhoid is recommended. Immunisation against rabies, tuberculosis, cholera and meningitis may be advised. • There is a risk of malaria and prophylaxis (not Chloroquine) is recommended • Most medical services are inadequate and English is not commonly spoken. Treatment needs to be paid for upfront or straight away, possibly in cash. Major problems may require evacuation to SA. Away from Maputo medical services are minimal. Full insurance is advised. NAMIBIA • South African citizens do not require a visa for tourism/holiday purposes for a period of 90 days. Those travelling to Namibia for business purposes must check with the High Commission of the Republic of Namibia in Pretoria if they qualify for the visa exemption. • Keep separate copies of important documents, including passports. BOTSWANA • Carry some form of identification with you at all times. A photocopy of your passport is sufficient. • Visas are not required by South African passport holders. However, visitors may only stay for up to 90 days and their passport must be valid for the duration of their stay. Temporary passports are accepted. • Hepatitis A and B, tetanus and typhoid immunisation is recommended. Immunisation against polio and diphtheria may be advised. There is a risk of tuberculosis and immunisation may be advised. There is a risk of malaria in northern Botswana, especially Nov-Apr, and prophylaxis (not Chloroquine) is advised. Medical services in Gaborone are acceptable but only basic outside of the capital. Proof of payment capability is required before treatment takes place. Serious cases may require costly evacuation to SA. The medical emergency number is 997. It is recommended that travellers see a healthcare professional or travel clinic no less than six weeks before departure. GABON • South African passport holders (holding an ordinary passport) who travel for business or tourism purposes do not require visa unless their stay exceeds 30 days (one month). • There are medical services in Libreville which are sufficient for minor cases only. Take an adequate supply of required medications in correctly marked containers. KENYA • On the smaller aircraft used on domestic routes to parks and reserves, baggage allowance is restricted to 10- 15kg. Arrangements can be made to leave excess luggage with hotels or airlines. • South African passport holders do not require a visa to visit Kenya for less than one month (30 days). • Bottled water is advised. When buying bottled water, check that the seal of the bottle is intact. Avoid ice and washed salads and fruit except in top hotels and restaurants. Milk is pasteurised and dairy products are safe for consumption. Food prepared by unlicensed vendors should be avoided at all times. MALAWI • South African passport holders do not require visas for a stay of 90 days. • Lost or stolen passports are sometimes handed to the police within a few days. Report the loss to the nearest police station as soon as possible and remain in touch with that station in case of recovery. The High Commission is not always informed when a passport is found. NIGERIA • When arranging meetings, ensure that the contact is known to you and that the meeting is held at a secure location. • It is recommended to seek advice from the Nigerian High Commission in SA or the Chamber of Commerce in Nigeria before entering into business negotiations. • South African passport holders require a visa. • South Africans in need of assistance during their stay are advised to contact the SA High Commission in Abuja or Lagos. UGANDA • South African passport holders must obtain visas from the High Commission of the Rep. of Uganda before departure. SA passport holders will not be able to obtain visas on arrival, unless in case of an emergency. SWAZILAND • South African passport holders do not require a visa. • Outgoing international calls must go through the international operator. Public telephones are available. Roaming agreements exist with international mobile phone companies but travellers are advised to check with their service provider whether or not they will be covered before leaving. This applies to 3G roaming as well. Coverage is mostly good, but can be patchy in rural areas. ZAMBIA • South African passport holders do not require a visa for Zambia • Holders of SA driving licences can drive in Zambia for up to 90 days after which they must obtain an International Driving Permit or a Zambian driving licence. It is an offence to use a mobile phone whilst driving. The government is also planning to introduce fines for anyone found smoking, eating or drinking whilst driving. Be particularly careful when approaching locked gateways at night. Stay alert and do not stop to give lifts to people flagging you down at the roadside. Exercise caution where objects appear to have been placed to block the road. When driving keep windows closed and doors locked. ZIMBABWE • SA passport holders can obtain a gratis single-entry visa stamp at their port of entry into Zimbabwe. • Police road blocks are common. You must obey police signals, stop at roadblocks and toll-gates and produce identification if asked to do so. Travel carefully on inter-city roads, carry a comprehensive medical kit and avoid travelling after dark. On long journeys, either carry extra fuel or keep your tank topped up as much as possible and take up-to-date advice from local contacts about places you plan to visit. Avoid driving outside the main towns at night, as vehicles are often poorly lit and roads badly marked. Be careful about stopping in lay-bys, particularly in the Beitbridge area, as there have been incidents of cars being robbed and occupants attacked. TANZANIA • Do not accept transportation with strangers or in unlicensed taxis; always ask for official identification before accepting transport. • Carry identification (eg, a copy of your passport) at all times. • South African passport holders are strongly advised to obtain a visa in advance. • South Africans in need of assistance during their stay are advised to contact the SA High Commission in Dar es Salaam. LESOTHO • SA passport holders do not require a visa. • South Africans in need of assistance during their stay in Lesotho are advised to contact the SA Embassy in Maseru. • There are three major road links to South Africa: at Caledonsport, Ficksburg Bridge and Maseru Bridge. There are other crossing points but the road surfaces are not as good and some can only be accessed by four-wheel-drive vehicles. Road conditions generally are not up to the same standard as in South Africa so always get advice on whether your vehicle will cope on the roads you plan to take. The national speed limit is 80km/h; in villages this drops to 50km/h.