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Layover guideJohannesburg · JNB

Tipping in Johannesburg

Tipping is commonplace in South Africa and the tourism authority publishes the numbers, so there is little to guess at.

Markus Spiske / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 2.0
All of Johannesburg

Restaurants: 10 to 20% of the total bill. The automatic 10% service charge applies only when the table exceeds six guests.

Porters: R15 to R20 for each piece of luggage, or for each trip they make.

Housekeeping: R50 per day is customary in hotels with a housekeeping service.

Car guards: R1 to R5 is an acceptable tip. The tourism authority is explicit that you are not obliged to tip unofficial car guards unless you feel they gave a valuable service.

Tour guides: 10 to 15%, the same range South African Tourism publishes for restaurants in its UK guidance.

At a bed and breakfast or other smaller establishment, ask at the front desk what the in-house tipping policy is.

  1. South African Tourism: tipping culture in South Africa · checked 2026-09-03
  2. South African Tourism: know before you go · checked 2026-09-03

The rest of Johannesburg

The whole guide
Getting out of the airportA dedicated airport train runs from the terminal to Sandton, and the trap is the last one.Ride-hailingBook in the app, get in the car the app names, and expect to walk to the driver rather than the other way round.Local laws that catch crew outCarry a passport copy, declare your money online before you fly, and do not eat on the train.Staying connectedA South African SIM does nothing until it is registered under RICA, and a passport is the document that does it.WeatherHigh and bright, with storms common in Gauteng and winter nights that can reach freezing.Eating near the crew hotelsCards work nearly everywhere, the service charge only appears for a table of more than six, and everything else you leave is the tip.What to buyThe 15% VAT is reclaimable at OR Tambo, but only if you show the goods to Customs before you fly.