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About SA - Health and Safety

South Africa has many large public hospitals, but they generally have poor facilities, and the queues are long. You should avoid going to the public hospitals. If you have the time, rather look for the private "Medicross" clinics or "NetCare" hospitals. They are somewhat expensive but the attention you will receive is superior. There are many private Medicross clinics around South Africa and they are all clean and competent. They tend to be geared towards minor problems. More substantial problems should be taken to a private NetCare hospital. They may require payment up-front, however, and may decline to treat you if your medical aid or health insurance providers offer any obstacles.

The emergency services telephone numbers in SA are 112 and 999.

Regarding medicines, you should bring all the medicines that you require with you, as well as a script or prescription from your doctor saying what drugs you normally require and what conditions you have. Although South Africa has many chemists (pharmacies), there is a small chance that you may have a specific prescription drug which is not available. Most major drugs, however, are available. They can be quite costly, and you should ask for the "generic" of the drug. Drugs have to be paid for immediately. You can purchase drugs directly from a chemist without a prescription as long as the drug required is lower than Schedule-3. Prescription drugs of a higher schedule rating than that will require a doctor's script. If you have asthma or allergies, or bites or stings, there are plenty of Schedule-2 drugs that you can get over the counter without a doctor's script.

Regarding bites and stings, you must expect that the climate encourages the proliferation of potentially dangerous creatures. The African bees, for example, are very aggressive and often pollinate flowers on the lawns, so you are advised to walk with shoes on and keep away the bees. There are many snakes in South Africa (though not in the cities) and most are not harmful, however all snakes should be treated with caution. If you are bitten, seek medical attention immediately; do not delay, as some bites can be lethal, especially adder bites. South Africa also has a range of "button" spiders, related to the Black Widow, all of which are dangerous. You can recognise them by their proportionally large abdomen, and small cephalothorax (head and chest). They are usually brown or black and about 1-2cm (0.5"-1") in size. If you see a spider with a relatively large abdomen sitting in a web or, more likely, under a rotting log or stone, it is probably dangerous. If you are bitten, seek medical attention immediately. Other spiders, especially ones that do not sit in webs, are not generally dangerous, but should nonetheless be treated with caution. South Africa has a lot of mosquitos in summer. Fortunately, only the mosquitos in the north-east of the country carry malaria, so you probably do not need to take malaria tablets unless you're going to the Kruger Park or Northern KwaZulu-Natal. They infest dark foliage and undergrowth during the day, so if you're going for a walk in a forested area or park, wear mosquito repellant. At night, they can make it difficult to sleep. We recommend that you stay somewhere air-conditioned or simply place an electric fan blowing across your bed at night; this gets rid of them. If you are bitten, we recommend Anthisan cream, available at all chemists.

Crime

South African cities have a reputation for crime. Unfortunately, this is a feature of all large cities anywhere in the world. The key to avoiding any unpleasant experiences is to use your common sense. Crime in South Africa is almost entirely opportunistic in nature. Avoid carrying anything of value in a showy manner, including cameras. Avoid dark, dirty, slummy, abandoned places. Keep away from loiterers, and keep alert. The easiest way to avoid being harassed is to drive everywhere (rather than walk), and keep your valuables out of sight, except in a restaurant or cinema, where you should keep them on your lap. Do not leave valuables unattended. Tourist attractions, malls, restaurants, and other entertainment venues are not often targeted by criminals, but it is wise to be vigilant, especially around banking areas. Do not accept help from strangers at ATMs (cash machines). Your tour operator or hotelier can give you more detailed advice about particular areas, places and things to avoid. Passages taken with permission from "An Insider's Guide to Johannesburg" by J. M. Ostrowick

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