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South Africans in Germany

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We have a great selection of gift ideas for your loved ones in South Africa, and I thought it would be great to also have a list of places you can shop for your loved ones here in Germany.
Most shops will accept South African credit cards, so you just need to have the correct address to surprise someone with a wonderful gift.

South African products

On top of most people’s lists are products from South Africa, for that we have a great list of shops selling SA products here in Germany. This is not only food items like Biltong, Droewors, Mrs. Ball or Pro Nutro but also handmade and beauty products. Have a look at the variety here –  South African products in Germany

Boeries and Biltong

Braaizeit

Welcome to the Braaizeit community where we believe that the best memories are made when we bring together great people, fantastic food, and excellent wines,

Runder Biltong

Runder Biltong is a young owner-run company, based on the outskirts of Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Owners Kyle and Wesley, a South African and Dutch duo

Mopani Braai

South African meat and sausage specialities made in Germany My motto in life is “Love goes through ones stomach”. I plan to devote more time

Saffa Shop

A variety of South African products Home made biltong, boerewors, droëwors and chilli bites. Lamb chops. Maize Meal and Samp Maltabella, Jungle Oats, Kreemymeelm and

Klein Karoo Biltong & More

Welcome to Klein-Karoo Biltong & More, your local Farmshop away from home. We mainly specialise in Homemade air-dried Beef Biltong & Beef Snapstix made with a variety

Gifts with a South African flair

Uitafrika

In 2022, longtime friends Gerhard van Wyk and Chretien Ploum decided to work together as

Momentous Things

Birthdays, Christmases, Weddings, Births, and everything in between – Momentous Things is an online shop

Nick & Nichol’s

We offer recycled bags made out of rubber tyre inner tubes. Anything from satchels, laptop

Emukela

We have been running an On-Line store since 2015, selling the wonderful, all natural products

Olyve & Rose

Olyve & Rose is a lifestyle collection that is inspired by friendship and beautiful living

Nederkaans

Nederkaans is an South African brand that is the epitome of style and quality. We

Indlu Africa

Herzlich Willkommen bei INDLU AFRICA !!! Bei uns findest Du modernes und einzigartiges Design überwiegend

Afrika Shop

The online shop African Attitude has been selling original African goods from many countries in

Wine and spirits

Wine is always a great gift idea and there is no shortage of businesses selling South African Wine

Capewineland

Capewineland was taken over by us in March 2022 out of love and passion for South Africa. As a South African family in the Rhineland,

Schalkenbosch Weine

Our company Schalkenbosch Weinvertrieb GmbH & Co. KG is located at Reutlingen which is 30 km south of Stuttgart and 200 km west of Munich. With

The Blue Heron Wine Shop

The Blue Heron has just landed in your neighbourhood! Nested in the beautiful city of Munich, The Blue Heron Wine Shop offers an exclusive range

Intra Wine and Spirits

We offer an online shop as well as a tasting venue and Vinotek called Stellenbosch Open Wine and Spirits in Ingolstadt You will find a

Klein Karoo Biltong & More

Welcome to Klein-Karoo Biltong & More, your local Farmshop away from home. We mainly specialise in Homemade air-dried Beef Biltong & Beef Snapstix made with a variety

Gin Safari

Willkommen bei GinSafari. Hier findest du interessante südafrikansiche Gins, Gins die bezeugen, wie kreativ die Menschen von Mzanzi sind. Kein Gin gleicht dem anderen, so

Spices

We’ve compiled a list of companies that sell an array of spices perfect for adding a flavourful touch to your meals. These spices reflect South Africa’s diverse and rich culinary heritage and are sure to delight your taste buds. Whether you’re looking for the perfect blend for your next braai, or wanting to add an authentic touch to your stews or curries, these companies have got you covered.

 

Braaizeit

Welcome to the Braaizeit community where we believe that the best memories are made when we bring together great people, fantastic food, and excellent wines,

Lemon Pepper Kompanie

As long-time South Africa fans, we started with passion to import original South African spices in high quality directly from Durban. We now have a

Kiyanas Indian Cooking classes

Traditional Indian cuisine is rich and diverse in flavours, originating in India and loved across all continents. Being proudly South African and embracing it in

Gift Vouchers

  • Depot – beautiful homeware.
  • Mydays for experiences like spa days, cooking classes, vintage car rides and so many more.
  • Jochen Schweizer is another experience gift shop.

Shops in Germany

You can buy items online and have them delivered in Germany. Many shops allow you to set the language to English. Here are some suggestions:

  • Amazon.de – you can set the language to English or shop at Amazon.co.uk, just make sure they deliver the specific product in Germany.
  • Flaconi for perfume, makeup etc
  • Give.T for a selection of gifts, also for the Braai enthusiasts.  “Spoil your loved ones abroad. Nothing says I miss you like a thoughtful gift.”

Gift Baskets and flowers

Online Cards

You can create an online card and have it sent via the postal services

Virtual Cards:

  • Groupgreeting.com – Create a group card,  and have all participants sign the card. You can also add photos

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Keeping in touch virtually

As an ex-pat, it is essential to keep in touch with family and friends from back home. We yearn for news and contact with loved ones,

Business directory

Business Directory Welcome to the leading resource for finding a comprehensive list of businesses that offer South African products in Germany.Our platform is committed to

We understand how important it is to have a reliable courier service that you can trust to deliver your packages on time, securely and with care. That’s why we’ve asked our Facebook community, to share their experiences and recommendations on the best courier companies that can send small packages or documents between South Africa and Germany.
We also compiled a list of companies that can assist you with shipping your excess luggage or bigger packages. 

Customs (Zoll)

When sending a package to South Africa,  SARS might demand Customs or Excise duties on the items. You can find detailed information on the SARS website. The same goes for Germany and the Zoll amt.
In the Customs (Zoll) documents, It is important that you list all the items in your package, including what they are worth and their country of origin. It is advisable to have the Customs forms filled out in triplicate and add them all to the envelope on your package

What can I bring into Germany

It is very tempting to bring some South African goodies with you when you travel to Germany, and while most items are allowed, there are Restrictions.

Sending a package from Germany to South Africa

My personal experience is that DHL express shipping is more expensive but it is the most reliable way of sending documents or packages to South Africa. Make sure you get a tracking number.
DHL has standard and express Shipping.
Please be aware that SARS might demand Custom or Excise duties on the items. See more on the SARS website

Sending a package from South Africa to Germany

Excess Luggage, sports equipment or larger packages

The easiest is to contact your airline and ask them about excess luggage. Do not wait until you are at the airport, it could cost much more. Most airlines have a weight limit for excess luggage. If your package or luggage exceeds this limit it can be sent via air freight. Contact the airline for more information. Here is information about the excess luggage from Lufthansa as an example.

The following companies can assist with excess luggage and larger packages:

Comparative websites

Looking to compare prices of shipping and postal services? Look no further than the options available with Jumingo and Packlink.com!
These platforms offer easy-to-use comparison tools, allowing you to quickly and easily see how different shipping options stack up against each other in terms of pricing, delivery times, and more. 

Competitive Rates for South Africans

Richard Wheeler is promising competitive rates to South Africans who would like to send parcels via air or larger items via sea. 

You can contact him on:

Is someone flying soon and can take a package for me ...

We know sending a package to and from South Africa can be expensive and it is very tempting to ask if someone will be flying between SA and DE soon, who can take along a package for you.  If you decide to take a package or documents along for someone else, make sure it is someone you know and can trust and then still follow the suggested precautions mentioned below. You do not want to be used to for example smuggle drugs or prohibited items that are hidden in a package

When you accept the responsibility to pack items in your luggage on behalf of someone else, it is important to take certain precautions.

  • Make sure you know what is inside the package. 
  • During the check-in process, you will be asked about your luggage. Examples are “Did you pack your luggage yourself or did somebody help you? Did you, at any point, leave your baggage unattended? Did anybody ask you to carry anything for them?”. Answer these questions truthfully.
  • You will be legally responsible for the content of the package. Make sure there are no prohibited or illegal items in the package. Contact your airline for a list of prohibited and dangerous goods. Here is information from Lufthansa as an example
  • Make sure you know the customs regulations for the countries you are travelling from and to, and also when in transit. Look at the SARS website for South Africa, and for Germany the Zoll website. 
  • You will be responsible for paying any customs and duty fees

Shipping and Relocation

If you are looking for shipping and relocation companies, see our page of recommended service providers

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Moving to Germany

Moving to a new country can be both exciting and overwhelming at the same time. The thought of starting a new chapter in your life

Legalising Documents

Depending on the situation, you might need to have documentation authenticated, certified, or make certified copies thereof. Document authentication South Africa and Germany are both

Keeping in touch virtually

As an ex-pat, it is essential to keep in touch with family and friends from back home. We yearn for news and contact with loved ones,

Spoiling someone in South Africa has become so much easier with the wealth of online shops that are currently available. 
We created this list from recommendations we received from members of our Facebook group

Personal services

The following businesses will shop gifts for you, or you can choose from their range, and deliver it either personally or per courier

Yabulela Gift Hampers SA

I support and assist South African ex-pats to close the distance with high-quality gifting, connecting their hearts with family & friends when they cannot be together. Without the uncertainty of gifts not arriving safely in the hands of those they love. 1. A personal Giftologist to support you from start to finish

Plaaslik (The Pretoria Shop)

I’m your local gifting girl in South Africa! Click on photos to see our great gift ideas for Father’s day! Do you live overseas or on the outskirts but have family and friends in South Africa? Let me send your family and friends in South Africa their birthday, anniversary, wedding, Mother’s Day,

To South Africa with Love

This is a personal delivery service in the South African Gauteng surrounds, primarily for the South African expats abroad

Vouchers

Many of us would like to financially support our families or friends in South Africa.  You can send money directly to them but there are always extra costs involved. A great option is to buy them gift cards or vouchers or order items for them online. Most of the big retail shops offer gift vouchers or have online shops for example PicknPay.
Checkers 360 promises to deliver groceries within 60 minutes. They however have a limit of 30 items per order. The major issue with the Checkers app is that it does not accept Foreign Credit cards (status 01.10.2023)  You can buy Shoprite Checkers Vouchers on Computicket
For a selection of vouchers (Netflix, Uber Eats, Makro, PnP, Woolworths, Mobile phone vouchers, etc) visit the eGifts24 Website

Personalised gifts

Home, clothing and living

Flowers

Experiences

Tickets

Gift Hampers

Stationary

Sweet temptations

Foodies

Wine

Cape Town

Meals

Children

For the boys

Jewellery

German Products

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Gift services in Gemany

We have a great selection of gift ideas for your loved ones in South Africa, and I thought it would be great to also have a list of places you

Keeping in touch virtually

As an ex-pat, it is essential to keep in touch with family and friends from back home. We yearn for news and contact with loved ones, and although we cannot always

We compiled a list of shipping companies that our Facebook members suggested.

There are many companies that will send your package.
We did a poll on our Facebook page and asked members which companies they prefer to use.

When you need to send gifts to South Africa or to Germany

Gift services in Gemany

We have a great selection of gift ideas for your loved ones in South Africa, and I thought it would be great to also have

Shipping from South Africa to Germany

Here is a list of the companies suggested by members of our Facebook page:

Shipping from Germany to South Africa

Here are some suggestions for shipping companies to ship goods back to South Africa. There is also a FB group called Return to South Africa, where you can find additional assistance

Relocation services

General tips

  • When requesting a quote make sure to ask if the clearing costs in Germany, or South Africa if you are moving back, are included and get it in writing. Some companies do have hidden costs
  • Some people complained about added costs due to delays, inspections or clearance issues. Know what you are paying for, and how issues will be handled
  • Read Reviews 
  • You can ship boxes via airline cargo, contact them to get a quote. This is suitable when you do not have a lot of items to ship

Disclaimer: Please note we only list the companies people suggested to us and have not used these personally

Related content

What can I bring into Germany

It is very tempting to bring some South African goodies with you when you travel to Germany, and while most items are allowed, there are Restrictions.

Good to know

Your Visas are approved, your paperwork is finalised and you are ready to start planning the big move. This can be a very stressful time,