Visa and Master Cards are accepted throughout South Africa. However, Diners Club and American Express are accepted in selected places, and other Credit Cards such as Discover are not accepted.
Not all cards are accepted in South Africa. Use either Visa or MasterCard to be safe.
In preparation for your trip, inform your bank to enable your card for travelling as a safety measure, and so you do not have any issues transacting outside your country.
Things you may need to use cash for:
- Petrol or Diesel
- Toll Gates/Gantries
- Conservation fees at some private nature/game reserves
- Some visits, for example, the majority of viewpoints and other sites along the Blyde River Canyon.
- Goods from informal markets
It is generally safe to use automatic teller machines (ATM) but be aware of your surroundings and don’t let anyone distract you. Put your withdrawn cash in your purse or pocket immediately, and make sure your card is returned to your wallet quickly. Should there be an issue, report it to the transacting bank directly!
Never share your PIN or password with anyone!
Always keep your ATM transaction slip!
As anywhere else in the world, you need to keep your card in your sight at all times, card cloning is a reality.
Should you lose your card or suspect your card has been stolen, block it immediately and report it to the nearest police station for insurance purposes!