Internship in South Africa - The FAQs

In general, internships in South Africa are not paid. Your visa is based on an unpaid activity and companies are officially not allowed to pay you. Any payment requires a work permit. Due to a change in the immigration regulations it is very hard to get one of these.

Since the end of apartheid in 1994, the economy of South Africa is boosting. But not all groups of the population take equal advantage of economic growth. Most of the black population is still very poor. Backing them to enhance their standard of living, the South African government introduced the Black Economic Empowerment Law. The aim is to educate the black population, to prefer black people as employees, to increase the socio-economic development of black population segments as well as to give blacks augmented leadership positions in companies. The Black Empowerment Law is supposed to work long term. It already had big impacts on the South African economy and plenty more are estimated.

The power given by South African sockets is definitely enough for making your electrical equipment from home work. Even so, the shape of South African outlets is different from the European ones. But that shouldn't bother you as you get an adapter as part of our starter package.

To get cash in South Africa you can easily use your normal debit card. Cash Points are located basically in every shopping center. Be aware of fees for withdrawing, your bank may charge you. We recommend you to ask your bank for information regarding their charging fees before you leave. Most places also accept credit cards such as Eurocard, MasterCard, American Express, Diners Club and Visa. Paying by traveler`s checks is also possible. Opening a South African bank account for a short term is quite hard.

The South African currency is Rand (ZAR):

Circulating banknotes: 200, 100, 50, 20 and 10 ZAR

Coins: 5, 2, 1 ZAR as well as 50, 20, 10, 5, 2 and 1 Cent

While staying in South Africa for an internship you definitely need valid health insurance. Just ask us if you need help with finding an insurance company. We recommend health insurance by Caremed or STA travel.

For South Africa, there are no entry requirements regarding vaccinations. However, we recommend a refreshment of the common vaccinations. Moreover, you should have vaccinations for Hepatitis A and B as well as for Polio. If you plan a trip to other African countries such as to Mozambique or to Namibia, you need a vaccination for Yellow Fever as well. Especially in Northern parts of South Africa, there is also the risk of Malaria. If you want to go there you have to take certain pills.

Visit your doctor before leaving and ask him for detailed information.

Wherever you are, the costs of living are highly depending on your lifestyle. Nevertheless, in Cape Town, they are slightly lower than in most European big cities. For example, restaurants in South Africa are comparatively cheap. The average costs of living in South Africa are 600 Euros per month.

In general, there is a public transport network in Cape Town, but you won't find the standard as you know it in Europe for example. We would recommend considering renting out a car during your stay. This way you are also more flexible when you want to get around on the weekend.

MyCITI Bus and Golden Arrow

Since 2010 you can use the MyCITI Bus to get around in Cape Town. They drive according to schedule and are reliable. Until now, not all areas of Cape Town have access to this bus, but especially in Northern Cape Town and its center, you will get around well with the MyCITI Bus. If you plan to go on this bus, you should get a MyCITI card and recharge it.

Train

The railway system is mainly available in the suburbs of Cape Town, which are connected to the inner city. However, they are not reliable and mostly run late. Therefore, we would not recommend you to take a train to get to work.

Mini Buses

They are driving on a close-meshed net of routes, connecting the city center and suburbs of Cape Town. Youll find those buses all over the city. To hop on you just have to wave. Then you have to ask the driver where the bus is going. Taking a mini bus is an adventure, thats for sure. The advantage: cheap prices. Disadvantage: it`s quite dangerous. The condition of most of the buses is bad and the way they drive reminds sometimes of action movies.

Cabs & UBER

There are usual cabs in Cape Town as well. They`ll charge you up to 15 Rand per kilometer and are the only alternative to an own car. Especially popular are UBER, which works very well in Cape Town.

As soon as you arrive at the airport in Cape Town well give you a South African SIM-card. Recharging your airtime is possible at every supermarket. So its fairly easy to start communicating with new friends and colleagues. Many accommodations and restaurants offer free Wifi, so you can easily use Skype or WhatsApp as well.

Area code South Africa: 0027

Cape Town is not without a reason one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Its location is unique and there are plenty of leisure time activities you can choose from. The V & A Waterfront as well as Long Street are nice places for shopping. For those who are interested in culture there are arts galleries and museums. Sport freaks are spoilt for choice. In Cape Town you can do surfing, diving, swimming, hiking, horse riding, sky diving, golfing, etc. And never forget Cape Towns sandy beaches for getting a nice tan.