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Arrival formalities – passport & visa

The information provided below is the latest available to the ITF, but unions should check with the South African authorities in their own country before making travel plans.

All participants should ensure that have at least 6 months validity remaining on their passport from their date of departure from South Africa. Please note that a minimum of two blank pages in your passport is required for entry into South Africa and the immigration authorities are very strict on this point. Please note that you will clear immigration and customs at your first point of entry into South Africa. The ITF will have information desks at Johannesburg, Capetown and Durban airports.

If your country is not mentioned below, you will require a visa for South Africa. Please check with your local South African consulate. Please ensure that you allow adequate time for your visa to be processed.

No visa required for the following countries No visas are required for holiday and business visits by citizens of the following countries unless applicants have been specifically advised that their visa exemption has been withdrawn:
Australia Austria Belgium Canada Denmark Finland	France Germany Greece Iceland Italy Japan	Luxembourg Netherlands New Zealand Norway Portugal Republic of Ireland	Spain Sweden Switzerland United Kingdom USA

No visa required for up to 90 days stay No visas are required for holiday or business visits up to 90 days by citizens of the following countries unless applicants have been specifically advised that their visa exemption has been withdrawn:
Argentina Brazil Chile	Ecuador Israel Jamaica	Malta Paraguay Swaziland	Uruguay Venezuela

No visa required for up to 30 days stay No visas are required for holiday or business visits up to 30 days by citizens of the following countries unless applicants have been specifically advised that their visa exemption has been withdrawn:
Antigua & Barbuda Barbados Benin Bolivia Botswana Cape Verde	Costa Rica Cyprus Guyana Hong Kong Hungary Jordan	Malawi Malaysia Mauritius Mexico Namibia Peru	Singapore South Korea Thailand Turkey Zambia

General information on South Africa

General Information:
Electricity — the electricity supply is 220/230 volts, AC 50Hz.
International Dialing Code — 27.
Time differences — South Africa operates 2 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time.

Climate
KwaZulu-Natal and Durban enjoy a warm subtropical climate for most of the year. Average temperatures in August are a maximum of 23°C and a minimum of 13°C, with an average monthly rainfall of 58 mm. Evenings can be cool. It should not be too humid.

Banks
South African banks are open 0900 to 1530 Monday to Friday and 0830 to 1100 Saturdays. Automatic teller machines (ATM) are available in most towns and cities and offer a 24-hour service. There are banking facilities and an ATM at the ICC.

Immunisation/vaccination Certificates
No immunisation is required when entering South Africa. The only inoculation requirement is a yellow fever vaccination certificate for travelers entering South Africa within 6 days of leaving an infected area (only infants under the age of one year are exempt).

Durban is malaria free. However if you plan to visit rural areas please seek medical advice well in advance of your visit to South Africa.

Water
As a rule tap water in South Africa is safe to drink.

Currency
South African Rand (ZAR 1 = 100 cents)
As at 1 November 2005: US$1.00 = ZAR 6.67; GB£1.00 = ZAR11.84

Credit Cards
Most major credit cards and travellers cheques in major currencies are accepted.

Travel
The ITF has appointed South African Airways (SAA) as the official airline for the its 41st Congress. For flight reservations please contact Jane Wilson at Dovetail Foks (the ITF’s travel agency), telephone + 44 1322 621921 / fax + 44 1322 621922 / e-mail: ITF@dovetailfoks.com.

Reservations must be made through the ITF’s appointed travel agent in order to qualify for the special ITF rates negotiated with SAA. Please be sure to advise that you are an ITF Congress participant when making contact with them.

We would urge you to make reservations as far in advance as possible in order to reduce your travel costs.

Tours/excursions
The ITF has appointed Shakatours as its local travel agent for tours and excursions and has negotiated special rates on behalf of Congress participants. Shakatours offers a range of tours within South Africa as well as to neighbouring countries. A full list of the tours available can be found at www.shakatours.com

Shakatours will have a desk based at the ICC for the duration of the Congress. Should you wish to pre book tours, please contact Keith Bentley at: Telephone + 27 31 368 6588 / Fax + 27 31 368 6589 / Email keith@shakatours.com

Childcare
Creche facilities will be available for children aged 1 to 9 years for the duration of Congress. Further information will be available in the near future. The cost will be in the region of ZAR 40 (US$ 6) per child per day.

If you are interested in the crèche facilities, please tick the appropriate box on the Delegates Form and include the details of the child/children concerned.

Airport transfers
The ITF has negotiated reduced rate airport transfers through Shakatours. A welcome desk will be located at Durban airport. Please proceed to the desk on arrival. The one-way transfer from Durban airport to the hotels will cost ZAR 65. If you would prefer to take a taxi the cost will be approximately ZAR 150.

Tax
Value Added Tax (VAT) is charged on most items. Foreign visitors to South Africa can have 14% VAT refunded provided that the value of the items purchased exceeds ZAR 250.00. VAT is refunded at the point of departure provided receipts are produced.

Health
Medical care is readily available and there are first aid facilities and a doctor at the ICC.

It is recommended that visitors to South Africa obtain traveler’s health insurance before leaving their country.

Personal safety
Participants may be aware that Durban, like many other cities in South Africa, has areas in which security can be a problem. Arrangements have been made for free bus transfers to and from the ICC and the ITF recommended hotels – which are all located in an area in which security measures are maximized. Please remain vigilant and alert at all times.

Mutual Respect

The ITF is committed to creating and maintaining a working environment based on dignity and mutual respect. In all organisations there should always be vigilance to ensure that all participants feel they are able to operate in an atmosphere in which they feel comfortable and safe. This should apply to meetings, socialising and all the events around ITF activities.

The ITF has a mutual respect policy for the benefit of all meeting participants. The text of this policy is available on the ITF website (www.itfglobal.org/about-us/respect.cfm). If you have concerns about behaviour which may contradict the policy, please address these in the first instance to Stuart Howard, Assistant General Secretary

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