South Africa Life

1. South Africa Life By: Sana Chaudhry

2. Table of Contents Geographic Information Travel Requirements Airline Information Hotels Visa Requirements Weather Information Economic Facts Business: Points of Interest Culture Must See Exhibit: Shark Diving Conclusion

3. Geographic Information South Africa also known as, The Republic of South Africa, is located at the Southern tip of Africa. The coast line stretches more than 1550 miles, and crosses two bodies of water, the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. Unlike other cities of the World, South Africa has three capitals. Cape Town is the legislative capital, Pretoria acts as the executive capital, and lastly, Bloemfontein is the judicial capital of the country. The largest city in South Africa, is Johannesburg, which has a population of over 3.2 million.

4. Travel Arrangements: Airline Information • South African Airways: • For more information and to view available flights leaving from your city, visit South Africa’s premier airlines, South African Airways at : ww1.flysaa.com/ • Major Airports in several cities include: • Cape Town International Airport (CPT) • Johannesburg International (JNB) • Johannesburg Grand Central (GCJ) • East London (ELS) • Walvis Bay Rooikop (WVB) • Bloemfontein (BFN)

5. Travel Arrangements: Hotels South Africa caters for a wide spectrum of travelers and businessmen and many South African hotels also offer a great service to families travelling in South Africa. The top hotels in South Africa compare very favorably with the best in the world. • Featured Hotels: • The Table Bay Hotel • The Saxon Hotel • Lily Pond Country Lodge

6. The Table Bay Hotel The Table Bay Hotel, located on Cape Town's Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, straddles the antique breakwater and is an architectural masterpiece, capturing the essence of the enchanting Cape, the Victorian elegance of yesterday, combined with the contemporary design of today. It is in perfect harmony with the backdrop of Table Mountain, the historic working harbor and the yacht bay. The Table Bay Hotel is a 5 star, 329-room hotel with magnificent surroundings. It has a maritime flavor that extends to each of the exclusively designed rooms are welcoming and inviting. The interior of the Table Bay Hotel presents a kaleidoscope of impressions, from the European marble mosaic of the entrance court to the intricate parquet floor of the foyer framed by the full-scale drama of Table Mountain, with the activity of the harbor in the foreground. Below the foyer to the south, is the grand lounge with its cathedral ceiling and twin fireplaces.

7. The Saxon Hotel Nestled in the exclusive Sandhurst suburb of Sandton, Saxon makes a word class statement of ethnic African elegance, combined with personalized attention to detail. Saxon has always been a place of welcome. First as a home, now a home away from home. With its roots in the heart of Gauteng, it has drawn the warmth of the city that bred it - from the world it has won it’s refinement and ease. Saxon has witnessed history within its walls as it became home to Nelson Mandela after he was released from prison. It was during this time that he used the serene setting of Saxon to edit his autobiography "Long Walk to Freedom". Saxon boasts twenty-six suites of various sizes. All suites incorporate a strong element of African art, latticed shutters covering large bay windows, looking onto the tranquil gardens or pool area.

8. Lily Pond Country Lodge • This modern “New-African” style Country Lodge is ideally situated to explore Tsitsikamma National Park or to simply relax and enjoy nature. Set in expansive gardens and surrounded by 12 hectares of magnificent indigenous forest. Close to Nature’s Valley beach and Plettenberg Bay. • Enjoy a leisure deck sundowner mixed with bird song and butterfly color or relax in the African lounge. Large black salt-water pool. In house massage and health treatments. Outdoor Jacuzzi on island in pond. • Lily Pond is a mixture of style, fine dining, good wines, modern comfort, personalized attention, nature and tranquility. The cuisine features a fusion of Oriental mystique, European taste and African culture. Diners are served in the new open lounge/dining area overlooking the lily ponds.

9. Visa Requirements • The following countries require NO Visa to visit South Africa: • Australia • Austria • Belgium • Canada • Denmark • Finland • France • Germany • Greece • Guernsey • Iceland • Isle of Mann • Italy • Japan • Luxemburg • Netherlands • New Zealand • Northern Ireland • Norway • Portugal • Republic of Ireland • Spain • Sweden • Switzerland • United Kingdom • USA • Virgin Islands • For all other countries, please visit the nearest Embassy or Consulate General of South Africa • The listings can be found at http://www.embassyworld.com/embassy/South_Africa/south_africa1.htm

10. Weather Information South Africa is a subtropical location, moderated by ocean on three sides of the country and the altitude of the interior plateau. Its warm temperature conditions remain popular with the residents and the foreign visitors. South Africa’s coastal regions are warmest in the winter, but there is a striking contrast between temperatures on either sides of the country, due to the warm Agulhas current that sweeps the east coast, and the cold Benguela (fresh from Antarctica) , that runs up the west coast. Here are some approximate average temperature readings of a few major cities in South Africa (all degrees in Fahrenheit): July Average January Average Cape Town: 62 77 Johannesburg: 61 77 Stellenbosch: 60 80

11. Economic Facts • South Africa is a middle-income country with an abundant supply of resources, well developed financial, legal, communications, & energy sectors. • South Africa has their own stock exchange, the JSE Limited. The JSE Limited ranks among the top twenty in the world and has a modern infrastructure supporting an efficient distribution of goods. • In terms of GDP, South Africa is ranked at number 20 in the world, as of 2007. • South Africa has a large agricultural sector, & is a net exporter of farming products. There are almost a thousand agricultural cooperatives and agribusinesses throughout the country. • South Africa is the 8th largest wine producer in the world. • At the start of 2000, President Thabo Mbeki, vowed to promote economic growth and foreign investment by relaxing restrictive labor laws. His new policies face strong opposition from organized labor. • South Africa is the continent’s largest energy producer and consumer • The South African rand (ZAR), is the world’s most actively traded emerging market currency • The ZAR trades at 7.13 to the dollar, as of January 2008. • Despite gloomy forecasts for inflation and economic growth over the next 12 to 24 months, experts at Old Mutual believe South Africa is unlikely to experience recession, due to strong public and private sector investments, as well as fast-growing consumption spending by the country’s public sector.

12. Business: Points of Interest Advanced development is significantly localized around four areas: Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, Durban and Johannesburg. Beyond these four economic centers, development is marginal and poverty is still prevalent despite economic efforts. Cape Town has become an important retail and tourism center for the country. It attracts the largest number of foreign visitors in South Africa. Consequently, the vast majority of South Africans are poor. However, key marginal areas have experienced rapid growth recently. Such areas include Mossel Bay to Plettenberg Bay, Bloemfontein, Cape West Coast, and Nelspruit area, amongst others. New business development: local retail chain Woolworth’s, is venturing into the Johannesburg central business district (CBD) with the opening of a micro food store. Its success may lead to similar stores being opened in central business districts of other major South African cities. Many business developers, such as Amdec Property Development, are positive about developments in the CBD of Johannesburg. They have been actively enhancing the area for the past two years.

13. Culture Sometimes, South Africans have been referred to as the “rainbow nation”, a title which epitomizes the country’s cultural diversity. The population of South Africa is one of the most complex in the world!! Of the 45 million Population, 31 million are Black, 5 million White, 3 million Colored, and 1 million Indian. There are eleven official languages in South Africa!!! They include, English, Afrikaans, Ndebele, Sepedi, Xhosa & Southern Sotho to name a few! South Africa demonstrates significant differences between the men and women of South Africa. Cultural attitudes towards women tend to demonstrate inequality. Nelson Mandela is perhaps the most famous South African. There is a variety of sports, music, theater of food in South Africa. Braai, or barbeque, is widely popular. Pastries such as koeksusters and desserts like melkert (milk tart) are also universally popular. Vegetarianism is also becoming widely accepted. Since the population is so diverse, so is the food. Indian curry is well-liked in Durban, with its large Indian population.

14. Shark Diving Diving with the great white sharks of Gansbaai or experiencing the breaching great white sharks of False Bay in South Africa is one of the greatest thrills that you will ever experience. Shark Alley is a narrow channel between two small islands off the coast of Gansbaai, a charming fishing village and holiday destination east of Cape Town. It is also home to one of the densest populations of great whites in the world—and so if you’re keen to cage dive with this much-maligned and misunderstood beauty of the deep, here’s a good place to do it. • Another populated area is found around Dyer Island, South Africa, where much research on the shark is conducted. • There are several different diving tours available to those wanting a closer look at these beautiful animals.

15. Conclusion South Africa is known for its breathtaking beauty and its exciting activities. South Africa is a world class destination suited to fit both your personal and business needs. The diverse culture and people make the amazing country it is today. Discover why South Africa is the adventure capital of the world, why its natural beauty and wildlife will leave you awe-struck, why it’s possible to afford luxury and why our friendly people, rich culture and freedom struggle will warm your heart! Follow the African drum and gumboot beat; the bright sun, stars and city streets; the bouquet of its prize-winning wines; the invigorating mountain or ocean air. And, most of all, follow your desire for a personal journey, one that will change you beyond expectation!