🇿🇦 Is South Africa safe to visit?

Daily safety index from official government advisories, plus the consular map of South Africa: 53 diplomatic missions from 47 countries, local emergency numbers and language essentials.

Increased caution — level 2 of 4Telcomia Safety Index: 1.61/4

Updated Aug 15, 2026 · Composite index recalculated daily from official government advisories.

What official sources say

Levels are normalized to Telcomia's 1–4 scale. Always read the full official advisory at the source.

Spain — Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAEC)Increased caution · 2/4Aug 15, 2026Read official advisory
United Kingdom — Foreign Office (FCDO)Low risk · 1/4Aug 15, 2026Read official advisory
United States — Department of StateIncreased caution · 2/4Aug 15, 2026Read official advisory

Emergency numbers in South Africa

General emergency
10111
Police
10111
Ambulance
10177

Embassies and consulates in South Africa

53 diplomatic missions from 47 countries, across 3 cities.

NationalityMissions
🇧🇪 Belgium2
🇨🇳 China2
🇨🇿 Czechia2
🇪🇸 Spain2
🇬🇧 United Kingdom2
🇷🇴 Romania2
🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates1
🇦🇴 Angola1
🇦🇹 Austria1
🇦🇺 Australia1
🇦🇿 Azerbaijan1
🇧🇩 Bangladesh1

…and 35 more nationalities with diplomatic presence.

The full directory — addresses, phone numbers and locations on the map — is available in the Telcomia app.

Local language

The main local language in South Africa is English. The Telcomia app includes 16 emergency phrases in English, with audio, ready to play when you need them.

See the 16 emergency phrases in English

Traveling to South Africa?

Stay connected from the moment you land: prepaid eSIM data plans for South Africa, delivered instantly, with the Telcomia safety layer included.

Frequently asked questions

Is South Africa safe to visit right now?

The Telcomia Safety Index for South Africa is 1.61/4 (Increased caution, level 2 of 4) as of Aug 15, 2026. It is a composite of official advisories from Spain, the United Kingdom and the United States, recalculated daily.

What is the emergency number in South Africa?

The general emergency number in South Africa is 10111. Save it before you travel — with a Telcomia eSIM you can call for help without hunting for Wi-Fi.

How many embassies are there in South Africa?

Telcomia tracks 53 diplomatic missions from 47 countries in South Africa, across 3 cities. The full directory with addresses and phone numbers is in the Telcomia app.

Informational only

This page is general information, not a substitute for official government travel advice. Conditions can change quickly — always check your own government's latest advisory before and during your trip.

Advisory levels summarize official sources: Spain's MAEC, the UK FCDO (contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0) and the U.S. Department of State (public domain). Follow the links above for the full official text.