Fast Facts

American Express -- The most convenient office is in Rosebank on the ground floor at The Zone (tel. 011/880-8382). Hours are Monday to Friday from 8:30am to 4:30pm and Saturday from 9am to 12:30pm. There is also an office in Sandton City shopping center, upper level (tel. 011/883-9009). For lost or stolen cards, call tel. 011/710-4747 and ask for the card division.

Area Code -- Johannesburg's area code is 011. Tshwane's code is 012.

Climate -- Days are usually sunny, with averages of 70°F (20°C). Even winter days are generally mild (May-Aug), though frost often occurs at night.

Drugstores -- Drugstores are known as chemists or pharmacies in South Africa. Contact Daylight Pharmacy, in Sandton City shopping center (tel. 011/883-7520; daily 8:30am-8pm) or Morningside Dispensary, corner Rivonia and Allen roads (tel. 011/883-6588; daily 8:30am-9pm).

Embassies & Consulates -- Note that all embassies are in Tshwane. Australia, 292 Orient St., Arcadia (tel. 012/342-3740); Canada, 1103 Arcadia St., Hatfield (tel. 012/422-3000); Ireland, Tulbagh Park, 1234 Church St., Colbyn (tel. 012/342-5062); United Kingdom, 256 Glynn St., Hatfield (tel. 012/483-1400); United States, 877 Pretorius St., Arcadia (tel. 012/343-1048); Zambia, 353 Sanlam Blvd., Hatfield (tel. 012/342-1541); Zimbabwe, 798 Merton St., Arcadia (tel. 012/342-5125).

Emergencies -- Dial tel. 10111 for flying-squad police, tel. 999 for an ambulance, or tel. 082-911 for emergency medical assistance. In case of fire, call tel. 011/624-2800. For northern suburbs ambulance or fire emergencies, call tel. 011/286-6000. For car breakdowns, call the Automobile Association toll-free at tel. 0800/01-0101.

Hospitals -- Hospitals with 24-hour emergency rooms include Johannesburg Hospital (tel. 011/488-4911) in Parktown, and J. G. Strijdom (tel. 011/489-1011) in Auckland Park. To avoid a long wait, you'd be better off at a private hospital like Morningside Clinic (tel. 011/783-8901), off Rivonia Road, or Milpark Hospital (tel. 011/480-5600), off Guild Street, Parktown.

Maps -- You'll find an array of options at CNA/PNA newsagents. The Witwatersrand Street Guide is the most comprehensive.

Newspapers & Magazines -- Dailies include The Star and The Sowetan, although the general quality of news reports has deteriorated thanks to the public fascination with tabloid journalism. The weekly Mail & Guardian is published every Friday and offers an excellent overview of national events (everything from politics to the arts to travel is covered incisively) and there are local "what's on" listings. You can purchase these at local newsagents. Exclusive Books is a good national chain of bookstores; branches can be found in the following malls: Sandton City (tel. 011/883-1010), The Zone (tel. 011/327-5736), Rosebank Mall (tel. 011/447-3028), and Hyde Park (tel. 011/325-4298).

Post Office -- Post Office service is generally poor; ask your hotel or guesthouse to deal with any postal items, or use Amex.