The Robben Island Museum (RIM) is set to change its pricing model for visitors. Effective 01 June 2019, the museum will implement two-tier pricing for international and South African visitors. The new standard tariffs will be as follows:
- R550 (GPB30 | €35 | $40) for non-South African adults and R300 (GBP17 | €15 | $15) for non-South African children aged two to 18 years
- R380 for South African adults and R200 for South African children aged two to 18 years.
Robben Island's tour comprises of a ferry return trip, transport on the Island, a guided Island tour and a guided prison tour by an ex-political prisoner.
The funds generated from tour fees allows Robben Island Museum (RIM) to protect and preserve the Island's rich history as a World Heritage Site which symbolizes the triumph of the human spirit over adversity.
Ditsong Museums of South Africa, an amalgamation of eight national museums, seven in Tshwane and one in Johannesburg, has announced that all museums in Tshwane will collaborate to celebrate International Museum Day (IMD) 2019, celebrated annually on 18 May. This year's IMD will focus on the new role of museums as active participants in their communities under the theme "Museums as Cultural Hubs: The future of tradition". The museums in Tshwane have planned a week-long programme from 16 - 25 May 2019 that includes free entry to all museums over this period. There will be a coordinated dialogue between youth and adults on this year's theme on 17 May 2019 at DITSONG: National Museum of Cultural History in Tshwane from 10:00 – 12:00.
The following museums in Tshwane are participating in International Museum Week 2019:
- The City of Tshwane Museums including the Pretoria Art Museum, Melrose House and Fort Klapperkop.
- Ditsong: Museums of South Africa including the National Museum of Natural History, National Museum of Cultural History, National Museum of Military History, Kruger Museum, Pioneer Museum, Sammy Marks Museum, Tswaing Meteorite Crater and Willem Prinsloo Agricultural Museum.
- Voortrekker: Monument and Nature Reserve
- Freedom Park
- Geoscience Museum
- South African Police Services Museum
- South African Post Office Museum
- University of Pretoria Museums
- Veterinary Historical Society of South Africa
- South African Mint
Please note that, according to Ditsong's press release, entrance fees are still applicable at some museums (?) so please confirm before your visit. The museums have also developed special programmes for this period but prior booking is essential.
Shark Spotters, the pioneering shark safety and research organisation in Cape Town, just announced that the four seasonal beaches of Glencairn, Clovelly, Monwabisi and The Hoek in Noordhoek will have no spotters on duty from now until the end September 2019. The Fish Hoek shark exclusion barrier will also not be deployed during this period. The beaches of Muizenberg, St James/Kalk Bay, Fish Hoek and the Caves in Kogel Bay have shark spotters on duty all year round.
South Africa's flag carrier, South African Airways, will reduce the number of flights between OR Tambo International Airport (JNB) in Johannesburg and Hong Kong International Airport (HKG) in Hong Kong. From 18 September 2019, the airline will operate four weekly return flights instead of the current seven weekly return fligts to Hong Kong. On the same day, South African Airways will launch a three weekly return service between Johannesburg and Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport (CAN) in Guangzhou.
update (15 November 2019): According to Routesonline.com, South African Airways has closed reservations for flights between OR Tambo International Airport (JNB) in Johannesburg and Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport (CAN) in Guangzhou.
update (19 August 2019): South African Airways has postponed the launch date of its new service between OR Tambo International Airport (JNB) in Johannesburg and Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport (CAN) in Guangzhou to 12 January 2019!
South Africa's flag carrier, South African Airways, will launch a new direct service to Guangzhou in China. Effective 18 September 2019, the airline will operate three weekly flights between OR Tambo International Airport (JNB) in Johannesburg and Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport (CAN) in Guangzhou. Flights will be operated on board an Airbus A340-300 aircraft.
South African Airways will be the only carrier operating a direct service between Johannesburg and Guangzhou, with flight time of approximately 13 hours and 40 minutes, providing the shortest travel time on a nonstop basis between the two points.
The national airline of Madagascar, Air Madagascar, is planning to resume scheduled services between Ivato International Airport (TNR) in Antananarivo and OR Tambo International Airport (JNB) in Johannesburg. Effective 17 June 2019, the airline will operate two weekly return flights on board a Boeing 737-800 to Johannesburg. Air Madagascar stopped operating flights between Antananarivo and Johannesburgin December 2015.
Weather:
- days usually warm, sometimes hot
- generally wind free
- cold evenings
- rarely rain falls
Temperatures:
Landscape:
- most pans and vleis dry up
- bush thins out
- grasslands begin receding
- umbrella acacia pods twirl out
Animal Activity:
- large elephant populations in northern Kruger
- animals concentrate around reliable water sources
- predators very active around reliable water sources
