Culture
Perhaps one of the most amazing things about South Africa is the culture diversity and the people respecting each others differences. This gave South Africa the name 'The rainbow nation'. This is caused by its colonial pass, it bring people from different areas around the world to South Africa. There are a large number of Afrikaans and English speakers as well as people from India and Modern Indonesia, making there a mix of Islam and Hindu traditions.
Etiquette in South Africa
Meeting etiquette:
Gift giving etiquette:
Dining etiquette:
Business Etiquette:
Etiquette in South Africa
Meeting etiquette:
- Most South Africans would shake hands and smile while maintaining eye contact
- Some South African woman do not shake hands, so its best to wait for the woman to extend her hand first
- Some African men may kiss the cheek of a woman they know well
Gift giving etiquette:
- If you are invited to a South African home, you should bring a flower, good quality chocolate or an African wine to the hostess as a gift
- You should wrap your gift to show extra effort
- They would open the gift straight away after received
Dining etiquette:
- If you are invited to a dinner, you have to go on time
- If you are invited to a dinner, you should ask the hostess if they want you to bring a dish to join before time
- you should offer help of preparing or cleaning up after the meal
Business Etiquette:
- Meeting appointments should be made far ahead before the time
- South Africans prefer face to face meeting instead or by email, letter or phone
- You should wear formal clothes during meetings
- try not to have a meeting appointment during the holidays