Do I need car hire in South Africa?
Many of our volunteers and visa/immigration customers ask us "do I need to hire a car in South Africa/Cape Town?" The simple answer for most people is YES.
South Africa does have an excellent national road network with many well-maintained national roads connecting all cities and town. The roads and highways in the cities and towns are also well-kept, much like the rest of the western world.
The problem comes in that the public transport system (trains and busses) within cities and between the major cities is far from adequate (or non-existent in some cases - although it is improving all the time).
If you are only visiting for a short while, you can get by using taxi's, cabs or walking, but if you plan to visit for more than a week or two its advisable to rent a car. If you plan to stay for a few months, then its possible to buy a car for the duration of your stay in South Africa.
Buy a car in South Africa
Another great service they offer for travellers, volunteers and interns that plan to stay in South Africa for longer periods of time, is their vehicle buyback option - this is ideal for students and interns who need a car to get around in Cape Town or people who wish to explore Southern Africa for a few months in their own 4x4 or Land Rover.
Cape Town - The Department of Home Affairs (DHA) processed 10 643 newcomer asylum applications in five refugee reception centres during the 2022/23 financial year, and rejected 8 948 of them, Minister Aaron Motsoaledi revealed in Parliament. Although lobby groups are pushing against what they deem to be anti-foreigner sentiment from the DHA, a city activist grouping says Motsoaledi’s figures were slightly down from last year. The term “refugees” refers to people who have fled wars or persecution, while “asylum seekers” describes people who claim to be refugees but whose claim has not been reviewed. DA MP Adrian Roos asked Motsoaledi for the number of newcomer asylum applications processed for each refugee reception centre in the previous financial year, and how many were rejected as “unfounded”, “manifestly unfounded”, and those granted. V.4805
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SAMI issues a monthly Newsletter to update you on topical immigration and related matters that we believe you should be aware of especially with regard to the procedures and rules pertaining thereto. These newsletters will provide you with useful information on any aspect of life related to immigration and relocation. If you are interested in a visa or just to visit you should subscribe to the Free Newsletter service of SAMI.
