When travelling to South Africa, it’s natural to want to bring back some German treats. While most items are permitted, it’s important to be aware of certain restrictions and prohibited goods. Make sure you’re familiar with these rules before you pack your bags.
You can find detailed customs requirements for entering and leaving South Africa in this pdf file from SARS.
For a more extensive list of prohibited, restricted, and counterfeit items, click here. The list is available for download as a spreadsheet.
Below are just a few examples from the full list—be sure to refer to the complete list for more information.
Prohibited goods
- Narcotics:
All narcotics and psychotropic substances, as well as habit-forming drugs such as cannabis, heroin, cocaine, Mandrax, Ecstasy and any paraphernalia relating to their use. - Firearms, weapons and ammunition:
Fully automatic, military and unnumbered weapons, explosives and fireworks and weapons of mass destruction. - Poison and other toxic substances
- Cigarettes with a mass of more than 2kg per 1000
- Goods to which a trade description or trademark is applied in contravention of any Act (for example, counterfeit goods)
- Unlawful reproductions of any works subject to copyright, and
- Prison-made and penitentiary-made goods.
Restrictions
Certain goods may only be imported if you are in possession of the necessary authority/permit.
Some examples:
- Firearms / Weapons
- Gold coins
- Excess currency (cash, banknotes etc.)
- Unprocessed minerals (e.g. gold, diamonds, etc.)
- Animals, plants and their products (e.g. animal skins, dairy products, honey)
- Medicine (excluding sufficient quantities for three months for own personal treatment accompanied by a letter or certified prescription from a registered physician)
- Herbal products (Department of Health permit required)
Duty free allowances
Goods falling within the following allowances may be brought in without the payment of customs duty and VAT as accompanied baggage:
- No more than 200 cigarettes and 20 cigars per person
- No more than 250g of cigarette or pipe tobacco per person
- No more than 50ml perfume and 250ml eau de toilette per person
- No more than 2 litres of wine per person
- No more than 1 litre in total of other alcoholic beverages per person, this includes beer
In addition to personal effects and the above consumable allowances, travellers are allowed new or used goods in his/her accompanied baggage to the value of R5 000 (2024).
A traveller is entitled to these allowances once per person during a period of 30 days after an absence of 48 hours from South Africa.
The tobacco and alcohol allowance does not apply to persons under the age of 18 years.
Medicinal products
Travellers may import their personal medicaments provided it is for not more than three (3) months’ use. This must be accompanied by a prescription issued by a medical doctor.
References
The most up-to-date information is available on the official websites
- The South African Revenue Service – Customs Home page
- SARS – Information for Travellers
Guide/leaflet
You can print this leaflet from SARS
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