South Africa has a well-developed communications infrastructure, with
extensive landline phone networks and four mobile phone service providers
- Cell C, MTN, Vodacom and Virgin Mobile - with far-reaching coverage.
Landline services are operated by Telkom SA, with a second operator, Neotel,
currently in the process of setting up shop. Telkom public telephones use
coins, phonecards or Worldcall. Phonecards and Worldcall can be purchased
at most retail stores, petrol stations, post offices and airports.
You can rent mobile phones - we call them cellphones - from the airport
on arrival. You should find an internet café in even the smallest
towns, and the postal service works, offering the usual letter and parcel
services as well as securemail, freight and courier services.
Phoning into South Africa
If you're dialling a number in South Africa, it must be preceded by:
+27, South Africa's international country code (the + sign represents the
international access code for the country you're calling from); and either:
The area code of the city or town in South Africa you're calling (leaving
out the first zero), if you're calling a landline; or
The cellular/mobile network code (leaving out the first zero), if you're
calling a cellular/mobile network.
So, for example, to phone South African Airways' call centre from abroad,
you'd dial +27 11 978 5313 (Johannesburg's area code is 011 - phoning from
abroad, you leave out the zero).
What's the time in South Africa?
Go to Google and search "time south africa".
If it were a mobile number, you might start dialling +27 82 ... (082 is
the code for one of our main mobile networks - phoning from abroad, you
leave out the zero).
Dialling codes in South Africa
The area codes of some of South Africa's major cities are: Bloemfontein
051, Cape Town 021, Durban 031, East London 043, Johannesburg 011, Pretoria
012, and Port Elizabeth 041. For the rest, consult Telkom's Dialling
codes in South Africa.
Phoning Out Of South Africa
To make an international call from South Africa, dial 00, followed by the
country code of the country you wish to call, followed by the relevant
area code (if there is one), followed by the phone number.
What's my country's dialling code?
One of the quickest ways to find out is to dial Telkom's 24-hour international
customer care centre - 10903 - and ask. The service is free. Alternatively,
go to Google and type in "dialling code [your country]".
Operator-assisted dialling
Telkom's international call centre - 10903 - offers 24-hour assistance
to anyone wanting to make international calls or send faxes, along with
general international directory information.
What's the time back home?
Go to Google and search "time [name of your home country]".
Home Direct
Telkom's Home Direct service allows you to call an operator in your home
country free of charge, either to place a call on your "phone home" account,
if you have one, or to arrange a reverse-charge call. Telkom's Phone Book
lists all available country-specific Home Direct numbers in its international
dialling code list. Alternatively, phone Telkom's international customer
care centre at 10903.
Public phones for tourists
Telkom has placed public telephones at major tourist sites across South
Africa. Coin-operated phones are blue, while cardphones are green, and
both are user-friendly and compatible with hearing aid devices. They
offer a reliable connection, high quality of speech, and are affordable.
Phonecards and Worldcall
Telkom's Phonecards and Worldcall are available at major outlets where
the Telkom logo is displayed.
Phoning Around South Africa
If you're in South Africa and phoning a landline - whether you're phoning
from a landline or a mobile phone - the number must be preceded by the
area code (including the first zero) for the city or town you're phoning.
Telkom: Dialling codes in South Africa
If, on the other hand, you're phoning to a mobile number, you never use
an area code, only the appropriate mobile network code.
08 Numbers
Many businesses and organisations have special landline numbers beginning
with an 08 code - 0800, 0860, 0861, and so on. (But not 082, 083 or 084,
which belong to the mobile networks.) These are, in effect, national
numbers - area codes are dispensed with, and callers dial the same number
regardless of where they are. Note that these lines can only be accessed
from within South Africa.
080 numbers (usually 0800) - no charge to the caller.
0860 numbers - the caller does not pay for any long-distance portion of
the call.
0861 numbers - the caller is charged a flat rate for the call.
South Africa Phone Directories
For landline numbers in South Africa, Consult Telkom's phone directories.
The print versions are published and millions of copies distributed free
of charge every year - you'll find them in airports, hotels, offices,
homes and public phone booths just about everywhere. The online versions
are at:
Phone Book (White Pages) - residential Telkom subscribers.
Yellow Pages - businesses, services and products.
Alternatively, dial Telkom's telephonic directories:
International - 10903
Directory Services (Phone Book) - 1023
Talking Yellow Pages - 10118
Mobile Yellow Pages - SMS what you're looking for and where (eg "flowers
cape town") to 34310.
Useful Links
Cell C – http://www.cellc.co.za/content/home/home.asp
MTN – http://www.mtn.co.za/
Vodacom – http://www.vodacom.co.za/welcome.do
Virgin Mobile – http://www.virginmobile.co.za/
Telkom SA – http://www.telkom.co.za/
Neotel – http://www.neotel.co.za/
Google – http://ww.google.co.za/
