Shopping Hours in South Africa

Standard business hours in South Africa are:

• 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Monday to Friday
• 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. Saturday
• closed Sunday.

Most shops that aren’t in malls keep these hours, as do most informal traders – a situation that can be inconvenient to visitors who’d rather plan their days around their own schedules.

So for those who want to do a bit of shopping while in South Africa, SA Blog offers a bit of advice:

• Go to a mall for necessities like toiletries and groceries, and for last-minute gift shopping, if you’re near one. Malls tend to keep longer hours – 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. is standard – so you’ll have more time to squeeze in a trip.

  Click here for a reasonable mall directory. Note that for some reason it doesn’t list the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town, which is Africa’s most-visited place. Rather an oversight, don’t you think?

• If you see something you like, especially in an outdoor market, don’t hesitate – buy it then and there. The odds on your getting a second chance are longer than you think.
• Keep in mind that you’ll be able to find most South African books and music back home, via online traders like Amazon.com.
• Visit SA Blog’s Shopping category for reviews of individual shops and malls. Great advice and ideas!