Page 2 - Tourism Information for East London, South Africa

Page 2 - Tourism information for East London, South Africa

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Annual Events Regular Events Banking Climate GLOSSARY OF LOCAL EXPRESSIONS: Communities Conversion Tables Some words or terms in common usage among English Credit Cards & Travellers speakers in South Africa today have been 'adopted' from other Cheques languages spoken in the country, particularly Afrikaans. The following is a list of words which may be confusing to overseas Currency visitors. Customs & Immigration Dialling Codes AFRICANA - Technically a term which means all things connected to Distance Chart Africa, but now commonly used to refer to books, furniture, paintings Duties & Taxes and objets d'art of special importance or interest to Southern Africa, Electricity although not necessarily manufactured in this region. Embassies & Consulates BAKKIE - A van or light truck comprising a cabin and open back, often Exchange Rates used for the transportation of goods. Geographical Location BOEREKOS - Traditional South African farm-style or country cooking. Boer means farmer. Glossary of Local BOBOTIE - A traditional Cape dish made from minced meat & spices, Expressions covered with a savory egg custard and baked in the oven. Immunisation BOMA - A fence or enclosure made of wooden posts, traditionally used Important Tel. No's for herding cattle but nowdays commonly used at safari lodges to Emergency Tel. No's shelter an area where guests can sit outside. Languages BRAAI - A social occasion where the focus is the cooking of meat over Metric Measures an open fire or coals. The local equivalent to a barbeque. Personal Insurance BRAAIVLEIS - Meat which has been cooked on an open fire or braai. BREDIE - A stew made of meat and vegetables, name after the Population Figures vegetable used for example, tomatoes are used in tomatiebredie. Postal Information BROEKIE LACE - Ornamental Victorian-style wrought iron work, often Public Holidays seen as edging around verandahs or stoeps. Religious Holidays FOEFIE SLIDE - A cable mechanism used to cross a piece of land or Sea Temperature stretch of water. Known in Australia and New Zealand as a flying fox. School Holidays HARTEBEESHUISIE - A temporary shelter built of wattle and daub by Speed Limits the Voortrekkers/early European settlers in South Africa. Taxation KOEKSISTERS - A doughnut mixture which is platted, then fried, then dipped in syrup. Tides KOPPIE - A hillock, either flat-topped or pointed. Time KRUMMELPAP - Crumbly, dry-cooked pap (see below). Eaten as a Tipping/Gratuity breakfast food or as accompaniment to meat and gravy.

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Weather LAPA - Traditionally means the courtyard enclosed by a circle of Ndebele huts, but now used to refer to any outdoor enclosure built of mud and bricks, rather than woods. MELKTERT - A custard tart, which is sometimes lightly flavoured with almond, and sprinkled with cinamon. MOERKOFFIE - Coffie made with ground coffee beans, rather than instant coffee. PAP - A type of porridge made from ground maize meal. Traditionally it is a staple food for many of South Africa's indigenous peoples. PETROL - Commonly known as gasoline. POTJIE - A heavy iron pot with three legs (usually black), used for cooking over an open fire. POTJIEKOS - Food cooked in a potjie, often a mixture of meat and vegetables. RIEMPIE CHAIRS - Chairs with wooden frames, the seats and backs of which are made from thin strips of softened hide. RIETDAK CEILING - A reed ceiling ROBOT - Commonly known as a traffic light. RONDAVEL - A circular dwelling, often with a thatched roof, resembling a traditional round African home. RUSK - A light dough that is baked until crisp. Sometimes contains dried fruit, muesli or other flavouring ingredients. SKOTTELBRAAI - Originally, the round piece of a plough was used as a dish cover an open fire. Nowadays, a wok-shaped metal pan is manufactured for this purpose and heat is supplied by a gas bottle. SOSATIE - A kebab, meat on a skewer. SPITBRAAI - A large pointed rod on which, on which meat (usually a whole beast) is skewered and cooked over an open fire. STOEP - Verandah or porch. VETKOEK - A bread dough which is fried in oil and filled with a savoury filling, usually savoury mince. WATERBLOMMETJIE - A waxy flower that grows in water and resembles a water lily. Although there are 44 species of Aponogeton distachyos, Cape pond weed and water hawthorn are the two that are most commonly grown, then harvested for use in waterblommetjiebredie. WORS - Sausage often called boerewors.

IMMUNISATION:

No international immunisation is needed when entering South Africa. A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required from travellers who have left an infected country. If you plan to visit the Northern most provinces of South Africa, it is advisable to take anti-malaria medication obtainable from pharmacies or doctors.

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IMPORTANT TELEPHONE NUMBERS & EMERGENCY NUMBERS:

East London: Rescue Services: Sea: East London - 722 2555, Kidd's Beach - 722 2555 Aviation: 736 6161 Maritime: 700 2142 Tygersberg Poison Information Centre: (021) 931 6129

Tourism East London Old Library Building, 35 Argyle Street (behind City Hall) Tel: 722 6015, Fax: 743 5091, 24 Hour Information Service: 722 6034 Office Hours: Monday-Friday 8.30am-4.30pm. Saturday 8.30am-11am. EC Tourism Board: 743 9511

Airport Passenger Services: - 736 0211 Alcoholics Anonymous (AA): 722 4033 Ambulance: 10177 Autombile Association (AA): 726 0540 Chemist: Emergency - 722 4368 Child Emergency Service: 0800 12 3321 District Surgeon: - 743 9857 - Dr Wingreen, 4 Bufffalo Street, City Centre Doctors/Dentists: listed in telephone directory under "Medical Practitioners" - if no reply, Tel: 722 2555 Drug/Alcohol Hotline: 083 544 7777 Electricity/Water: 705 9111 Fire Brigade: Fleet Street - 722 1212 General Post Office: 743 2211 Home Affairs Department: 722 1364 Independent Electoral Commission (IEC): NBS Building, Terminus Street - Tel: 743 4144, Fax: 742 0948, 743 0388 Info. on visas and documentation: Home Affairs in Drury Lane - 743 9348 Hospitals: - East London Private Hospital - 722 3128, Frere Hospital - 709 1111, St. Dominics Hospital - 743 4303 Library: Central - 722 4991 Life Line: Emergency Councilling Service - Tel: 722 2000 http://www.eastlondonsa.com/tourist1.html (3 of 12)2008/08/25 07:11:48 AM Page 2 - Tourism information for East London, South Africa

Municipalities: - East London - 705 9111, Beacon Bay - 748 2400, Gonubie - 740 4000 Museum: 743 0686 National Sea Rescue Institute: Box 18366, Quigney - 700 2100 Newspaper: Daily Dispatch - 702 2000 Police/Flying Squad: 10111 Police: Charge Office: Fleet Street - 25555 Port Manager: 700 2300 Railway Passengers Services: 700 2020 Spoornet Main Line Passenger Services: Station Street - 700 2719 SA Bureau of Standards: 736 2351 SANCA Alcohol/Drug Centre: 743 4350 SPCA: 745 1458 SCAR (Save, Cure, Rehabilitation): 736 9753 Sea Rescue Services: 700 2100 Settlers Association (1820): 743 4134 (w) Theatre: Bookings - 743 0704 Time Check: 1026 Tourism: - Eastern Cape Tourism Board: Lock St. Goal, Fleet Street - Tel: 743 9511 Tourism East London: 35 Argyle Street - Tel: 722 6015 Traffic Office: 705 2210 Transport: - Translux: 700 1999, Intercape: Depature - Orient Beach/BP Garage - 722 2254, Hopper Bus: (Backpacker) Depart Beachfront & Tourism Office - 041-512332 Weather Forecast: 736 1300 Directory Enquiries: RSA (The Phone Book) - 1023 Electronic Yellow Pages (INFO): 10118 International Directory Enquiries: 0903

Emergency & Help Numbers in South Africa: Abused Women Advice Desk: (031) 820 2862 / 2923 Ambulance: 999 Attention Deficit Disorder: (011) 484 6632 Autism Society: (011) 726 2445 Centre of Child Guidance: (021) 959 2911 Child Accident Prevention Foundation: (011) 792 4332 Child and Family Centre: (0331) 260 5166 Children's Assessment and Therapy Centre: (031) 28 5117 Childminders Association: (011) 973 2752 Childline: 0800 123 321 Cape Town: (021) 461 1114, Durban: (031) 303 2222, Johannesburg: (011) 484 3044, Port Elizabeth: (041) 563 232, Verulam: (0322) 33 0490, Windhoek: (061) 32221 Child Parent Guidance Clinic: (011) 484 1734 Child Welfare: (011) 331 0171 Crime Stop: 0800 11 1213

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Crisis Line: Sowetan (011) 473 2505 Drug Rehabilitation Centres: - Cape Town: (021) 34 3111, Cape Town: William Slater (021) 685 5116, Bloemfontein: (051) 47 7271, 47 9204, Johannesburg: Phoenix House (011) 726 4210, Port Elizabeth: Halfway House (041) 51 3269, Pretoria: Staanvas (012) 341 6495, Worcester: (0231) 21162 Drug Support Groups: - Cape Town: (021) 45 1842, Johannesburg: (011) 728 5232, Pretoria: Anti-drug (012) 808 0713 Education Support Group: (021) 45 2438 Effata Open House and Safe House: (011) 475 5079 Effata Spiritual Guidance: (011) 475 5079 FAMSA Family and Marriage Society: - Cape Town: (021) 461 7360, Durban: (031) 304 8991, Grahamstown: (0461) 25580, Johannesburg: (011) 788 4737, Kimberley: (0531) 81 2368, Pietermaritzburg: (0331) 42 4945, Port Elizabeth: (041) 55 9393 702 Helpline: (011) 884 8448 Institute for Child Health and Development: (011) 642 7554 Isipingo Support Group for Abused Women: (031) 902 5578 Laudium Advice Office: (012) 374 4792 Lifeline: - Cape Town: (021) 461 1111, Johannesburg: (011) 728 1347, East Rand: (011) 845 1505, East London: (043) 722 2000, Pretoria: (012) 343 8888, Port Elizabeth: (041) 52 3456, Durban: (031) 23 2323, Vaal: (016) 337 333, Welkom: (0171) 22212, Windhoek: (061) 32221 Narcotics Anonymous: (021) 23 2948 NICRO Crime Prevention: (021) 461 7253 NISAA Women's Institute: (011) 854 5804 Parent and Child Counselling Centre: (011) 484 1734 People Against People Abuse: (012) 805 7416 Poison Information Centre: (011) 642 8000 Police Childcare Units: - Cape Town: (021) 592 2601, Kimberley: (0531) 81 1818, Bloemfontein: (051) 30 4006, Kroonstad: (01411) 51 836, Port Elizabeth: (041) 34 1811, East London: (043) 722 7646, Durban: (031) 23 1101, Pietermaritzburg: (0331) 44 3380, Richards Bay: (0351) 44 445, Port Shepstone: (0391) 82 4805, Pretoria: (012) 326 8836, Johannesburg: (011) 477 1390, Krugersdorp: (011) 953 5059, Vanderbijlpark: (016) 33 1196, Germiston: (011) 873 2470, Soweto: (011) 945 6629, Klerksdorp: (018) 462 6662, Carletonville: (01491) 91325 POWA People Opposing Women Abuse: (011) 642 4345 Pro-ed Centre for Learning and Attention Difficulties: (021) 24 9218 Rape Crisis Centres: - Cape Town: (021) 47 9762, Bloemfontein: (051) 47 6678,

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East London: (043) 743 7266, Grahamstown: (046) 28 442, Pietermaritzburg: (0331) 45 6279, Port Elizabeth: (041) 54 3804, Pretoria: (012) 801 0210 x 2127, Stellenbosch: (021) 887 5751 Safeline: (021) 638 1155 / 233 333 SA National Epilepsy League: (011) 816 2040 SANCA - National Council for Alcoholism and Drug Dependence: - Cape Town: (021) 24 5260, Bloemfontein: (051) 47 7271, Durban: (031) 304 9631, Johannesburg: (011) 836 5942, Pietermaritzburg: (0331) 54173, Pretoria: (012) 542 1121, Soweto: (011) 984 4017 / 8 SA Red Cross Family Support: (021) 797 5360 Sexual Harassment Education: (011) 403 5650 Single Mothers Network: (011) 975 3377 Society for the Mentally Handicapped: (011) 613 8121 Women Against Women Abuse: (011) 945 5531

LANGUAGES:

English and Afrikaans are two of South Africa's 11 official languages. English is the predominant language in South Africa. At many banks, hotels and other service institutions, some employees may speak other languages. Shops in key tourist destinations have multi-lingual staff.

The 11 official languages are: - Afrikaans - English - isiNdebele (Ndebele) - isiXhosa (Xhosa) - isiZulu (Zulu) - Sesotho (Southern Sotho) - Sesotho sa Leboa (Northern Sotho) - Setswana (Tswana) - siSwati (Swazi) - Tshivenda (Venda) - Xitsonga (Tsonga)

METRIC MEASURES: http://www.eastlondonsa.com/tourist1.html (6 of 12)2008/08/25 07:11:48 AM Page 2 - Tourism information for East London, South Africa

South Africa uses the metric system. Temperatures, rainfall measures, distances, weights, velocity are expressed in metric units. Distance is measured by kilometres (1km = 5/8 mile), Motor speed signs are in kilometres per hour, Gas is sold by the litre (approx. 4.5 litres = 1 Imperial gallon; 3.8 litres = 1 US gallon) Velocity 100 km/h = 62 mph Weight 1 kilogram = 2.2 lbs - 500 grams = 1.1 lbs Distance 1 km = 5/8 miles (To calculate 1 km x .6 = approximate mileage 1 mile x 1.6 = approximate kilometres.) Metric - Imperial: 1 Centimetre = 0.39 inches; 1 Metre = 3.28 feet; 1 Kilometre = 0.62 miles; 1 Litre = 1.06 quarts; 1 Kilogram = 2.21 pounds Imperial - Metric: 1 Inch = 2.54 Centimetres; 1 Foot = 0.30 Metres; 1 Mile = 1.61 Kilometres; 1 Quart = 0.95 Litres; 1 Gallon = 4.5 Litres; 1 US Gallon = 3.79 Litres; 1 Pound = 0.45 Kilograms; From Celsius to Fahrenheit = multiply by 1.8 then add 32.

PERSONAL INSURANCE:

Individual travelers are advised to obtain their own personal luggage, health or other travel insurance as desired. American visitors should be prepared to present registration numbers for health care insurance coverage, to pay cash and to reimbursed later an to sign documents accepting financial responsibility for services rendered. Policies at each hospital vary. xRegardless of financial status or health care coverage, South African hospitals will never refuse treatment to those requiring it.

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POPULATION FIGURES:

Visit Statistics South Africa

POSTAL INFORMATION:

Trading Hours: Monday-Friday: 8am - 4.30pm Saturday: 8am - 12pm

Priority mail services are offered between major local cities, Australia, Britain, France, Germany, Sweden, Switzerland, Hong Kong, Japan, Taiwan and the USA.

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PUBLIC HOLIDAYS:

Public Holidays Click above for the Public Holidays for: South Africa, Angola, Botswana, Namibia, Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

RELIGIOUS HOLIDAYS:

Religious Holidays Click here for the Religious Holidays, i.e: Environmental Calendar, Christian Holy Days, Hindu Festivals, Jewish Holidays and the Musim Calendar.

SEA TEMPERATURE FOR THE DAY:

Telephone: 705 2129, Orient Beach for the Sea Temperature of the day.

SCHOOL HOLIDAYS: http://www.eastlondonsa.com/tourist1.html (9 of 12)2008/08/25 07:11:48 AM Page 2 - Tourism information for East London, South Africa

School Holidays Click here for the holidays/terms for: Schools, Technikons and Universities.

SPEED LIMITS:

Freeways - 120km/h Urban Roads - 60km/h Seatbelts must be worn by drivers and all passengers.

TAXATION:

The Value Added tax (VAT) rate is 14% and is included in the price you see on products. It is levied on most products except staple foods. Students should obtain proof of payment for all items purchased during their stay to claim for refunds at the port of exit, provided the value of items exceeds R250-00.

TIDES SCHEDULE:

Dispatch Online Tides The Daily Dispatch Tides Schedule.

TIME:

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South Africa is 2 hours ahead of the Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). GMT +2 CET+1 EST+7

TIPPING/GRATUITY:

According to service, but as a guideline: Restaurants & Taxi Drivers = 10-15% Porters = R2.00 - R5.00

WEATHER:

Dispatch Online Weather The Daily Dispatch Weather.

Weather Forecast: Telephone customers throughout the country can obtain information on the latest weather conditions in the following areas by dialling the numbers indicated below: Gauteng, Mpumalanga, Northern and North West Province: Pretoria - (012) 321 9621 Cape Peninsula, South-Western Cape interior and the coastal region up to Plettenberg Bay: Cape Town - (021) 40881 The coastal region from Plettenberg Bay to Port Edward, and the Eastern Cape interior: Port Elizabeth - (041) 582 4242 Kwazulu-Natal: Durban: General - (031) 307 4121, Durban: Maritime - (031) 307 4135 Free State, Northern Cape and the Karoo: Bloemfontein - (051) 430 4058

NOTE: Under extraordinary weather conditions these weather reports are updated up to 4 times a day.

South Africa has a temperate climate, with slight variations in temperature between seasons and from one location to another. Southern South Africa has some very hot summer days. It is generally http://www.eastlondonsa.com/tourist1.html (11 of 12)2008/08/25 07:11:48 AM Page 2 - Tourism information for East London, South Africa

dry and sunny, claiming more hours of sunshine. In central and northern South Africa, rainfall is slightly more frequent during spring and summer, with moderate temperatures. The average summer minimum is 28 C, the average maximum being 33 C. Mountain areas are usually warm in mid-summer, spring and fall, but are often cool at night. Winter temperatures are milder in South Africa than most people expect. The average minimum temperature in January/February is 16 C. Average winter maximums range from 1 C to 10 C.

Temperature: Temperature in South Africa is given in Celsius. Below is an approximate guide to Celsius Temperatures: 40 degrees C = a heat wave; 20 degrees C = room temperature; 0 degrees C = water freezes; 10 degrees C = a winter day.

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