The South African Business Culture 

Currency

The currency used in South Africa is the South African Rand (ZAR) It has been said that the rand is the world’s most actively-traded emerging market currency. According to the Bloomberg Currency Scorecard, the South African Rand was the best-performing currency against the United States dollar between 2002 and 2005. Frequent used coins in South Africa are the 5c, 10c, 20c, 50c, R1, R2, R5 and notes are the R10, R20, R50, R100 and R200.

Travellers visiting South Africa, for up to 90 days, from Australia. New Zealand, Canada, Japan, the USA and the European Union have no need for VISA’S. Traveller’s cheques are the safest way to carry money around. Visa, American Express and Diner’s Club credit cards are acceptable in most places in South Africa.

Foreign tourists visiting South Africa can have their value-added tax (VAT) refunded, provided the value of the items purchased exceeds R20. VAT is refunded on departure at the point of exit. South Africa’s transport infrastructure – airlines, railroads, roads, luxury touring buses (coaches) and motor cars – is such that tourists can travel comfortably and quickly from their port of entry to any part of the country.

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Making Appointments

Ensure that the appointment you make is really necessary and give at least one week’s notice of the meeting. Be punctual, preferably 5 minutes early, for the meeting. You can also confirm the day before if you wish.

Banking Hours in South Africa

Banking hours in South Africa is as follows:

Monday to Friday - 09:00 to 15:30 Saturday 08:30 to 11:00

Automated teller machines (ATM's) are situated in all towns and shopping centres and are available 24-hours a day.

Postal Service in South Africa

These services are available in all cities, towns and country areas. The hours are:

Weekdays - 08:30 to 16:30 Saturday - 08:00 to 12:00

Speed services offer 24-hour deliveries.

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Business Dress

Functions are a given aspect of all businesses, and they can range from a black-tie affair to a simple, casual after work cocktail party. Create a good impression by dressing well for your clients and co-workers because people always remember “first impressions.”

Always dress according to the dress code stated in the invitation. For a business meeting, it is safer to wear more conservative clothes. Ladies should not wear short skirts and open blouses. A well pressed suit with a collar blouse and high heels will do the trick. Men can’t go wrong with a collar and tie.

The African culture dress code is mainly western in business centres but be aware of the dress code of the company and profession in which you are working.

In the Muslim culture, men wear fez or a white skull cap. Their heads must be covered for prayer. Muslim woman’s dress is modern but their heads are usually covered in public.

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Conversation

There is not much small talk in business and it is not acceptable if people are too loud.

You can expect a traditional African person not to look you in the eye when having a conversation. This must be seen as sign of respect and not that of arrogance.

As businessmen, show respect for the women and always treat them in a businesslike, professional manner. Avoid outbursts of chauvinism. Do not make suggestive jokes and comments.

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First Name or Title?

Appropriate level of formality

If people are of equal status, it is easier to become informal and call each other by first names. A junior person, however, should adopt the level of formality dictated by the senior person, e.g. if the MD of the company calls you (the junior) Mr. Jones, you will know to call him Mr. Smith; if the MD of the company addresses you (the junior), John, you will still call him Mr. Smith unless he invites you to use his first name.

Understanding the hierarchy of a company will help you make the most of the communication and decision-making processes. To bypass a level of seniority in order to get a decision passed is unacceptable behaviour.

If you want to make an impression, a firm handshake is an important gesture of communication for any person, male or female.

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Gift Giving

A small gift for your business associate or their families will be greatly appreciated after you have developed a good business relationship with them. Personalised gifts like desk accessories or a high quality pen are a good idea for a gift. You should always arrive at a dinner party with a gift. Flowers, chocolates or a bottle of wine will be appreciated. Larger organisations will offer to send a driver to your hotel to pick you up or take you back afterwards. If possible, sit in the back seat. You are not required to tip the driver, but a small gift such as a company pen will be appreciated.

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Let's Make a Deal!

South Africa forms part of an international community and, especially in business, follows acceptable etiquette that will not offend or discriminate against other parties regardless of race, gender, culture and religion. By the same token we all need to learn to be tolerant if people inadvertently follow incorrect etiquette in this regard, when dealing with us. This is mostly due to a lack of knowledge and can often be addressed in a way that will lead to better understanding and relationships.

Greeting and Meeting

White culture is often referred to as a Western culture and is often characterised by people with English as their mother tongue in both South Africa and internationally. Western culture is often defined by peoples need to be recognised as individuals and not as part of a group. Greetings between strangers are polite but restrained and reserved. Strangers often don’t greet. There is not much small talk in business and it is not acceptable if people are too loud. Punctuality is very important and completing a task is often considered more important than social niceties.

In the African culture meetings and greetings are very sociable and friendly. You will be expected to greet everyone at the meeting and respect those in authority. African men traditionally remain seated when being introduced. You can expect a traditional African person not to look you in the eye when having a conversation. This must be seen as sign of respect and not that of arrogance. In traditional societies time keeping is not as important as socialising. Arriving late is not considered bad manners but leaving early might be. These cultures usually speak very loud as a sign that there are no secrets between themselves.

The Muslim cultures have much in common with the Western and Communal cultures. Do not schedule meetings with this culture in their prayer time and also don’t interrupt prayer times. A conversation between Muslim people is generally quieter and physical contact is frowned upon in public. South African Muslims are regarded as punctual but traditionally events and time are regarded as being controlled by God. Avoid business meetings on Fridays.

Formal Business Meetings

At a formal business meeting there is always a chairperson, agenda and minutes from the previous meeting. The chairperson could be either a male or a female. When you want to speak, you must first address your comments through ‘the chair’. You will be expected to ask for permission before you can speak. Do not do your own thing or become irritated. It is up to the chairperson to open and close a subject at a business meeting.

Handshakes

In a business environment, especially in the cities, the Western handshake is more common. The handshake is firm and the two people who meet maintain eye contact during the handshake.

The traditional African culture has a soft, fingertip handshake for friendliness. Woman may bend their knees showing respect, and both men and women may touch their elbow with the other hand. A modern African handshake indicates cross cultural friendliness and acceptance. This handshake is basically a standard western handshake alternated with gripping of the thumb, and then again the standard western handshake (basically 3 movements).

The Muslim Culture usually has a soft western style handshake and traditionally a man should not extend his hands out to a Muslim woman, but a woman can do so with a man. Don’t use your left hand to greet someone, this hand is seen as “unclean”.

As a businesswoman always ensure to keep your distance and be professional with businessmen. Never be overly friendly as this can create the wrong impression. If businessmen opened a door for a lady or let them through a door first, they should be thanked politely.

As businessmen, show respect for the women and always treat them in a businesslike, professional manner. Avoid outbursts of chauvinism. Do not make suggestive jokes and comments. At a meeting or network function it is always wise to have your business cards at hand. Business cards have no formal protocol in South Africa. Network functions are used by men and women to make valuable business connections. Do not rush deals. South Africans are very casual in their business dealings. South African’s prefer a “win-win” situation when making deals. Information on company deals, finances, staff information, etc should at all times be treated as confidential.

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Public Behaviour

Colleagues or Business Associates Funerals

Such funerals should get preference over all other business commitments.

The company should send a wreath or bouquet to the family, or a donation to a chosen charity organisation.

A letter of condolence must be sent to the next of kin; this should be personally signed by the most senior person the deceased dealt with in the company.

Should it be a colleague from another company that passed away, a letter of condolence must be sent to the deceased person’s company.

If you represent your company at the funeral of a deceased colleague, be sure to sympathise personally with the bereaved family.

Ensure that you know and understand the procedures of funerals if the deceased is from a different culture. If you are unsure then ask someone.

Bosberade

This word is Afrikaans for “a counsel in the bush,” and literally involves a specific group of people spending time together in a rural venue, such as a wildlife retreat. This is very popular amongst senior business people that break away from the office to discuss strategies and issues.

Workshops

Workshops have a shorter duration than conferences and bosberade, and are usually held onsite, rather than away from the company. Workshops provide an interactive way of learning, as they require the audience’s participation as the day progresses.

DO’S AND DONT'S FOR WORKSHOPS, BOSBERADE AND CONFERENCES

Personal Contact, Conversation and Table Manner etiquettes are all important and still need to be remembered during the above three mentioned functions

Dress codes are usually casual, or informal, with no eccentric colours or styles.

By attending these types of events you will have an opportunity for relationship building, and by not attending them (even for family reasons) you could potentially damage your career. Rather take leave if you can’t attend.

If you attend such an event, be prepared to get involved in fun games and icebreakers. Functions such as workshops, conferences and bosberade take time to arrange, and they will ultimately be a good team building exercise for those involved.

The usual, acceptable behaviour, still applies to these events, even though they are less formal in nature.

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