The information here is based on guidance from local electricity authorities, international standards such as the IEC, and insights from fellow travellers worldwide.
Sockets in South Africa
South Africa uses Type C, D, M, and N plugs and sockets.
Type C
Type C sockets have two round pins and no grounding. Unlike Type G, they take a slimmer plug without an earth pin or fuse.
Type D
Type D sockets have three large round pins in a triangular shape. Unlike Type G, they lack a fuse and the pins are round rather than rectangular.
Type M
Type M sockets have three large round pins in a triangular layout, similar to Type D but with much thicker pins. UK Type G plugs do not fit into Type M sockets.
Type N
Type N sockets have two round pins and a slightly offset earth pin. UK Type G plugs do not fit into Type N sockets.
Recommended Travel Adaptor for South Africa
We’ve tried and tested many adaptors ourselves, checking safety, durability and charging speed. In this country you’ll need more than one, as no adaptor works everywhere. These are the best to pack.
Recommended Travel Plug Adaptor (Type C and N)
Rating
★★★★★
by 1,500+ travellers on Amazon
No products found.
Covers 150+ countries — built-in UK, EU, US and AU plugs in one adaptor
Two USB-A and two USB-C ports — charge your phone, tablet and other gadgets at the same time
Smart IC chip — automatically adjusts the output to protect your devices
Up to 2400 W — powerful enough for travel kettles, hairdryers or straighteners
Compact and under 120 g — slips easily into your hand luggage without taking up space
Built-in 10A fuse with a spare included — extra reassurance if anything blows
Made from fire-retardant materials — keeps you safe on the move
Tested and certified to UKCA, CE, FCC and ROHS standards
No adaptor with you and already abroad? You’re not out of options — many airports and local shops sell them. Still, bringing your own is the simplest way to avoid paying over the odds or ending up with something that barely works.
South Africa is usually combined with travel to Namibia and Botswana. Plug types and voltage may differ, so it’s a good idea to double-check.
Do You Need a Voltage Converter?
Converters are only useful where voltages vary. In South Africa, the mains is practically the same as back in Britain, so you won’t need one.
Before using your gadget overseas, glance at the voltage mark. Anything showing ‘100–240 V, 50/60 Hz’ will be fine without a voltage converter.
Top Travel Essentials to Take With You
Sometimes the simplest bits of kit are the most useful. A luggage scale saves your wallet, a power bank saves your battery, and packing cubes save your sanity when you’re digging through your bag. We’ve tested them, and they’ve quickly become our travel staples.
Portable Digital Luggage Scale
Rating
★★★★★
No products found.
Avoid costly excess baggage charges — precise weight up to 50 kg with 0.01 kg accuracy
Easy to read anywhere — clear LCD display, even in dim hotel rooms or early flights
Saves hassle at the airport — tare and weight lock hold the reading so you don’t need to squint or re-weigh
Always travel light — just 90 g, slips into your pocket or carry-on without adding bulk
Built to last — scratch-resistant handle with a sleek finish that won’t fade
To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behaviour or unique IDs on this site. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions.
Functional
Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes.The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
