Cape Town culture & etiquette

Load-shedding (scheduled rolling power cuts) has eased a lot since its 2023 peak but can return. Download the EskomSePush app for your area's schedule, keep a power bank and a backup light, and favour homes with an inverter/solar/UPS. Outages also knock out card machines and traffic robots, so keep some cash and drive carefully when they're dark.

Cape Town is stunning but has real crime, and it varies sharply by area and time. Don't flash phones/laptops, stay aware in the CBD and at quiet spots, use Uber/Bolt at night rather than walking, and don't leave valuables in cars. Ask locals which specific streets to avoid — situational awareness, not fear, is the rule.

Public transport is limited: the MyCiti bus is decent on its routes, but the Metrorail trains are unreliable and best avoided. Most people drive (South Africa drives on the LEFT) or lean on Uber and Bolt, which are cheap and everywhere. Factor secure parking into any rental.

Cape Town's tap water is safe to drink. After the 2018 'Day Zero' drought, water-saving is a way of life — short showers, no hosing driveways — and restrictions can return in dry years. It's a good habit and sometimes a rule.

Tip around 10-15% at restaurants, and a few rand to the 'car guards' (in reflective vests) who watch your parked car and petrol attendants who fill your tank. It's a normal part of the cash economy here.

The lifestyle is the draw: Table Mountain hikes, beaches, the Winelands, sundowners. But the mountain's weather turns fast and trails see incidents — go in a group, tell someone your route, take water and a charged phone, and check conditions before heading up.