MG By Design Blog Post
South Africa: The Rainbow Nation
January 20, 2015
By Kelli Steckbauer
South Africa is truly an amazing place. From the mountains to the oceans to the parks, South Africa is a
place of diverse terrain. And with 11 different official languages it’s a place of diverse cultures as well. You
will see traditional African Tribes like the Zulu and Swati, more indigenous cultures like the Khoi-Khoi and
San, general white culture like the Afrikaner and English, the Coloured and Malay cultures as well as Hindu
Indian culture and refugees from the Middle East. When traveling to South Africa for work or for pleasure, it’s
important to keep an open mind and to embrace the diverseness before you.
Upon arrival it is not uncommon for them to ask to inspect your bags before you leave the airport. Some
people are able to cruise right through if all inspectors are busy, but be prepared to stop. The official
currency of South Africa is the Rand, which is currently equivalent to about 9 U.S. cents. ATMs are abundant
in case you prefer that opposed to a currency exchange.
Taxis are plentiful in the major cities as a mode of transportation. If you do rent a car, be very careful.
Carjacking, or hijacking as they call it in South Africa, is a significant problem. Frequently, carjackers are
armed and they often make their women victims drive their captors at gunpoint. There are signs along the
road where it is common for a hijacking to occur.
South Africa has a strong business culture. Traditionally a financially conservative nation, South Africa found
themselves in a much better position during the recent economic downturn than many other nations,
including the U.S. Their banks were strong because they did not over lend, and their businesses were strong
because they did not overspend. Many people see South Africa as an emerging market, but in reality, they
have had a sophisticated market for many years.
Tradeshows are popping up everywhere in South Africa. It is becoming a large part of doing business, just as
it is in many other nations. The main tradeshow cities are Johannesburg, Sandton, Cape Town, Durban and
Pretoria. Here are a few key items you’ll want to note when exhibiting in South Africa.
 Be careful when shipping product into or out of the country. You may find it just “goes missing.” I
recommend checking an extra suitcase or two with anything important and worth significant value.
 Like many other places in the world, raised floors and building on-site is common. Most things are
not as pre-built as they are in the U.S.
 Each city and each venue has different rules and regulations. Read them carefully.
 Financially, you can get a very well-built, nice stand for much less than you would spend in the U.S.
or Europe.
After the show (or during if you have time), you should definitely do a bit of sightseeing. Pending your
location, a safari in Kruger National Park, shark diving in Gansbaai or the beaches of Durban are all great
adventures. For a taste of local cuisine, some of my favorites are Peri Peri sauce (you choose your spice
level) on nearly any type of meat or vegetable you can think of, or try Bobotie, a curried meat casserole.
Enjoy South Africa – it’s one of my favorite places!