Tipping and payments in South Africa
South Africa is a card country with a tip culture: pay with the card, tip in cash where the jar exists, and keep a small roll of notes for the people whose work sits outside the card machine.
By the Local SIM South Africa team, checked September 30, 2026
The short answer
Cards work almost everywhere in South Africa; keep small cash for tips. Tip 10 to 15 per cent at restaurants, five to ten rand for car guards, ten to twenty rand for porters, and around ten per cent for drivers and guides. Tourists can claim VAT back at the airport on purchases over R500.
Checked on September 30, 2026
Cards and cash
- Cards: accepted almost everywhere, including park gates, petrol stations and markets. Contactless is standard.
- Cash: a few hundred rand for tips, car guards, farm stalls and the odd parking lot. Small notes are the useful ones.
- ATMs: plentiful at airports and malls; use bank-branded ones in busy, lit places.
The going tip rates
- Restaurants: 10 to 15 per cent, on the machine or in cash.
- Car guards: five to ten rand; more if they helped you park.
- Porters and housekeeping: ten to twenty rand.
- Drivers and guides: around 10 per cent of the fare or the fee; safari guides often more for a full day.
VAT refunds
Foreign visitors can claim the VAT back on movable goods bought from registered vendors, with tax invoices, on purchases above R500 per invoice, claimed at the airport’s VAT refund desk on the way home. The goods stay unused and packed for inspection. The tax office’s own guide is at the bottom of this page.
The data angle
Ride-hailing and restaurant bills both live on your phone, and both depend on a working data line. The setup guide takes two minutes; the plans page has the options.
Keep reading
Questions
How much do I tip at a restaurant?
Ten to fifteen per cent, on the card machine or in cash. Check whether a service fee was added for groups; if it was, that is the tip.
Who else gets tipped?
Car guards (five to ten rand, more for help with parking), porters and hotel staff (ten to twenty rand), and drivers and guides (around ten per cent of the fare or fee).
Do I need cash at all?
For tips and the occasional farm stall, yes: a few hundred rand in small notes covers a normal trip. Everything else takes a card, including park gates and petrol stations.
How does the VAT refund work?
Buy from registered vendors, keep the tax invoices and the goods unused, and claim at the VAT refund desk at the airport on departure. The threshold is R500 per invoice, and you show your passport and the goods.
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