Location: Southern most tip of Africa, bordering Botswana 1,840 km, Lesotho 909 km, Mozambique 491 km, Namibia 967 km, Swaziland 430 km, Zimbabwe 225 km

Capital: Pretoria

Population: 42,718,530

Language: South Africa has 11 official languages. English is the language of administration and is spoken throughout the country. The other official languages are: Afrikaans, Ndebele, Northern Sotho, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsongo, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa and Zulu.

Lifestyle & Aspirations
White South Africans in particular are obsessive about sport and the great outdoors; they also love to show off their country. Weekend invitations may include offers of golf, fishing, picnics or game viewing, so go prepared.
Almost every possible outdoor activity from golf and tennis to hot air ballooning, bungee jumping or white water rafting is available and your hosts will be only too delighted to help you organise your time off.
Family and friends are very important and weekends and holidays are often spent in large groups. If you get on with your South African colleagues, you will be swept into the group.
Top leisure activities include:
? Spectator sport (mainly rugby and cricket in the white community; soccer in the black)
? Playing sport
? Outdoor activities (hiking, swimming, watersports, canoeing etc)
? Game viewing
? Socialising at home with friends (dinner and drinks parties, barbecues)
? Dancing
? Gardening
? Discussing politics
? Shopping
? Organised entertainment, particularly music and movies

The Essentials (10 Key Tips)
1. Cultural sensitivity and respect is essential at all times. South Africans work as mixed teams, but each ethnic group is highly individual.
2. The business community is tight-knit, so use third party introductions to open doors.
3. Make appointments well in advance ? one or two months before your visit, if possible. Confirm the appointment before leaving.
4. Expect initial meetings about getting to know each other; relationship-building and networking are critical to success in South Africa.
5. Deadlines are seen more as guidelines than actual deadlines, so be specific if something is urgent.
6. South Africans are more physical than North Europeans or Americans, so be prepared for more contact than you may be used to.
7. Presentations should focus on what you and your South African counterparts can achieve together.
8. Decisions are arrived at by consensus, so do not expect anything to happen instantly.
9. Do not shake hands on a deal and then back out; word will get around fast.
10. Asking questions about someone's cultural background and traditions is perfectly acceptable.

Working with the South Africans
Working with South Africans means establishing a common goal and taking a long-term view. The aim should be to offer guidance and training, and to work with a South African team, rather than taking an imperialistic attitude, which may have been the way in the past. Cultural sensitivity is important at all times, not just to the different ethnic groups in South Africa but, for example, to those living with HIV. Many companies have an inclusive policy for these people.
It is important to behave with honour and to do what you say you're going to do. Be punctual for meetings and do not try a heavy sell, or make false claims. The business community is small and word gets around. Having said this, adjust to the South African notion of time. South Africans don't like to be thought of as using 'Africa time' (ie very slow with no regard for deadlines) but are nonetheless more laid back than Europeans and Americans.
South Africans may be apologetic and critical of their country, but it's important that you leave this to them. Be positive and enthusiastic. Aim to build personal relationships with colleagues, customers and suppliers.
Accept invitations and return them if you can; hospitality is important here.

Making a Good Impression
No outsider can hope to have a true understanding of what it has been like to be South African over the last few decades, but arriving in the country with some knowledge and an open mind will help progress business and friendships.
Being friendly, open, polite and fair will make a good impression. Expect to socialise with your business counterparts, and expect some fairly direct questions about your background.
Black South Africans appreciate recognition for their achievements, a long-term outlook and fair treatment. Asians are industrious, conservative and respectful of their elders. English-speaking White South Africans are calm, reserved, linear-thinking and generally speaking, prefer to avoid conflict. Afrikaners, meanwhile, are much more direct and blunt in their approach. Recognising these cultural differences and acknowledging them and responding appropriately will all help.
What all cultural groups have in common is a long-term commitment to their country's future and any visitor who understands this is off to a good start. Offer long-term solutions to problems, accept that return on investment may be slow and avoid criticising the way things were done in the past.

Business Etiquette
While business culture here pretty much follows what happens in Europe or the USA, you must be mindful that South Africa is not that far down the road from a very painful era. While the government has ordered companies to ensure their workforces are inclusive, it has not been easy given the neglect to black education during the apartheid years.
You may find some black South Africans preferring to be called "African" rather than black, although by the same token, there are many whites who would object to not being called African. Following what others say is likely to be your best option for not causing offence.
Race is still an extremely emotive issue and while they will be courteous, people are sensitive to the slightest possible slur. At the same time, they are often eager to discuss political issues. It is good to show interest, and ask questions but refrain from making judgements. Never make comments or tell jokes that could be seen as the slightest bit racist or sexist.
Some South Africans are extremely sophisticated, used to dealing at high level in a global market; others are extremely parochial. All, without exception, will apologise for the shortcomings of their country while firmly believing that South Africa and all things in it are the finest in the world. They do not like criticism and will regard even constructive criticism as a slur unless it is carefully handled.
South Africans possess a basic willingness to please which can show itself in people going out of their way to arrange something in which you've expressed a casual interest, and, at times, in them giving you the answer they think you want rather than the true one. Be careful how you phrase things.

Communication style
South Africans are open, friendly, laid-back and physical. Communication style (especially among Afrikaaners) is direct and explicit. A South African may stand close to, and frequently touch, the person they are talking to. To back away from the physical contact could be seen as an expression of mistrust or unfriendliness.
People are genuinely interested in building up a real relationship with a visitor, so business conversation may well be interspersed with more personal questions. There are cultural differences in the style of discussion. White South Africans are generally very straightforward and appreciate the same from others. Few black African cultures prize this as a skill, preferring to talk around the subject more; they may sometimes agree with a point to please you, rather than from conviction. Similarly, they may not admit that they do not know an answer because of the desire not to disappoint you.

Body language
South Africans, black and white, are more tactile than most northern Europeans, so expect to be touched, hugged or slapped on the back. Do not draw back. Eye contact is regarded as a way of judging trustworthiness, so don't wear dark glasses or let your eyes wander during negotiations. Be sure to focus on all the people in the room during a group meeting.
Snapping your fingers to gain attention, pointing at people to emphasise a point and putting your hands in your pockets while talking are all poor manners. Resting your left hand on your right forearm while shaking hands or handing over anything from a business card to a jug of water is a sign of respect in black culture, usually used to elders.
It is important to appear to be an attentive listener, particularly as someone might touch your arm when making a point, use gestures when talking and expect you to nod or murmur occasionally to show you are listening. Long silences are uncomfortable rather than a time for reflection, so try to keep conversation moving.

Gift giving
Gift-giving is not an essential part of the business culture and gifts are generally only given once a personal relationship has been established. Keep things small and, if possible, personal - something you know will be of value specifically to your counterpart, whether it is a beer tankard or a box of golf balls. Or take something typical from your own country. Small gifts given to junior staff at the end of a successful visit are a nice touch.
Business cards
Business cards are generally exchanged at the start of a meeting. They should clearly show your name and job title as well as the company's contact details and, preferably, your direct line and email address.

Business Meeting Culture
The tone of a meeting depends very much on the ethnic group with which you are doing business. Not only do black and white South Africans (and groups within each category, such as the Afrikaaners and British) come from different cultural backgrounds, but they have generally reached their position in life by different routes and have different priorities. The Afrikaaners are sometimes frighteningly blunt and prefer a no-nonsense approach. The British-descent South Africans like the civilities to be preserved while getting straight to the point. The black Africans generally take a more circuitous route and are less easy to pin down. Any meeting needs to be adjusted to fit the culture of its attendees if you want results.

Planning a meeting
Make an appointment by phone or email in plenty of time and reconfirm it before you arrive. Give a local contact number, as people tend to be a bit vague when it comes to arrangements.
Business here is all about personal trust and relationships, so while using the name of a mutual acquaintance or a letter of introduction may open doors, using a formal intermediary can be counter-productive. Give people a good idea of your business, the reason for the meeting and your own background ahead of time.
Visitors are expected to be punctual, but you will frequently be kept waiting. Last minute cancellations are common. Showing impatience at delays won't help and may hinder your chances of eventually getting a successful outcome to the meeting. Accept delays and cancellations gracefully and reschedule.

During a meeting
Meetings always start with refreshments and small talk; hospitality is a way of life here.
As a visitor, it is important that you demonstrate some understanding of the complexities of South African politics and culture and tailor all arguments accordingly. You won't change the country, so you need to change your pitch and your methods to fit.
Don't sell too hard - aggressiveness in trying to pin people down to a decision will put them off. Use a laid-back, friendly approach, but keep to the point and don't ramble.

Following a meeting
It is not unusual for a meeting to continue over lunch, during which your counterpart will continue to assess you. Alternatively, they may invite you to join them that evening or weekend.
South Africans can be vague about follow-up and implementation, so take the initiative to contact everybody who was at the meeting with a list of action points.

Motivating Others
Many companies use targets to drive business, which works provided the individuals have bought into the idea in the first place. A work/life balance is more important than spending as much time as possible in the office, certainly among white South Africans. Black South Africans may have different motivations; the freedom to earn equal wages at last; earning enough to care for elderly members of the family; self-improvement; and proving themselves as worthy if they have been appointed because of an affirmative action policy.

Effective Presentations
A presentation should not be the main focus of a meeting; South Africans prefer personal contact so that they can assess somebody. Once this judgement is made, the technical details can be dealt with.
Presentations should be clear, concise, to the point and not condescending. Use visual as well as verbal communication. Polish your presentation, keep technical wizardry to a minimum, but take packs of well-presented material for people to take away and digest later.
Be inclusive - don't just lecture about what you can do, but concentrate on what you and your South African counterparts can achieve together.
Remember that you are being judged as an individual, not just a representative of your company. Maintain eye contact with the audience and appear friendly but professional. Dress smartly, but conservatively.

Audience expectations
A South African audience expects you to have done your homework on the intricacies of doing business in South Africa. How a deal will be set up and financed, and then implemented, is as important as the product itself. So focus on this and prepare for some direct questioning afterwards.

Managing Relationships
South Africans are generally warm, friendly and welcoming but with so many different cultural backgrounds, expectations of individuals differ greatly. While it is essential to treat everybody equally, be prepared for the different way people will react to situations. At the same time, take advantage of the commonalities between the different ethnic groups.
South Africans have a common goal: securing the long-term future for their country. Anybody who can assist them in this will be welcomed into the business community. Enter into ventures with a long-term view, and do not push for a quick return. Bear in mind the Department of Trade and Industry's Black Economic Empowerment initiative (BEE) in all your business dealings (a socioeconomic strategy to increase black ownership and management of businesses and ensure equal representation in the workplace). Invest in training and knowledge-sharing if you are managing a multicultural team.
Also bear in mind the South African approach to time managements, which, again, varies between different cultural groups. Generally speaking, though, there is not the same sense of urgency as American managers may be used to. There is also an inherent desire to please, which means making promises that may not be possible to keep.