Voice
How to Call South Africa
This guide provides helpful tips for calling South Africa from the U.S. Learn how to make calls to South Africa with confidence.
The South Africa country code is +27. Use +27 as the international dialing prefix for calls to South Africa from any country, then dial the south african area code without the leading 0 and the local number. The ISO codes are ZA and ZAF.
SOUTH AFRICA COUNTRY CODE
+27
Dial before any south african number from outside South Africa
What is the country code for South Africa?
| Quick reference | Detail | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| Country Code | +27 | Dial before a south african number |
| ISO Code | ZA / ZAF | Country identifiers |
| International Prefix | +27 | Use for calls into South Africa |
| Trunk Prefix | 0 | Use only for domestic dialing |
| Number Length | 9 digits after +27 | Area or mobile code plus subscriber number |
| Emergency | 10111 | Police, fire, and ambulance |
Good to know: South Africa uses 2-digit area codes. Mobile numbers start with 6, 7, or 8.
For south african numbers, the 0 at the start of a domestic area code is the trunk prefix. Keep it for calls inside South Africa. Remove it when calling from another country.
How to call South Africa
Use this universal format: exit code, then +27, then area code with the trunk 0 removed, then local number.
- Dial your exit code, or press + on a mobile phone.
- Dial 27 for South Africa.
- Dial the area code without the leading 0.
- Dial the local subscriber number.
International call flow:
1. Exit code
→
2. +27
→
3. Area code without 0
→
4. Local number
Exit code by country
US and Canada
011
UK and most of Europe
00
Australia
0011
Mobile, any country
+
South African numbers use a 0 trunk prefix for domestic calls. Remove it when calling from abroad.
Dialing format and examples
The +CC format works on any mobile phone. Use +27 12 123 4567 for a Pretoria landline and +27 82 123 4567 for a mobile number.
| Origin | Format | Example |
|---|---|---|
| US/Canada | 011 27 area code local number | 011 27 12 123 4567 |
| UK | 00 27 area code local number | 00 27 12 123 4567 |
| Australia | 0011 27 area code local number | 0011 27 12 123 4567 |
| Mobile, any country | +27 area code local number | +27 12 123 4567 |
For other dialing guides, see How to call the Netherlands or How to call Germany.
What a South Africa number looks like
A south african phone number in international format has two parts. The country code +27 and the national number.
Landline
+27 | 12 | 1234567
Mobile
+27 | 82 | 1234567
Number format and length
After +27, south african numbers contain 9 digits after +27. Landlines and mobile numbers follow the national format.
| Number type | Pattern | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Pretoria landline | +27 12 XXX XXXX | +27 12 123 4567 |
| Cape Town landline | +27 12 XXX XXXX | +27 12 123 4567 |
| South African mobile | +27 8X XXX XXXX | +27 82 123 4567 |
Format a South Africa number for WhatsApp
For WhatsApp, save the South African number in international format with +27 and no trunk 0. A South African mobile written as 082 123 4567 becomes +27 82 123 4567. You can also save it without spaces as +27821234567.
If your team needs a south african number for customer calls or local presence, see Telnyx Phone Numbers for numbers in 140+ countries with instant activation.
Good to know: WhatsApp needs the full international format. Drop the leading 0 before you add +27.
South Africa number formats and emergency numbers
South African numbers follow the national format. From another country, place +27 before the national number.
| City or region | Domestic code | International code |
|---|---|---|
| Pretoria | 012 | +27 12 |
| Cape Town | 021 | +27 21 |
| Johannesburg | 011 | +27 11 |
| Durban | 031 | +27 31 |
| Port Elizabeth | 041 | +27 41 |
| Bloemfontein | 051 | +27 51 |
| Number type | Dialed in South Africa | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Emergency | 10111 | Police, fire, ambulance |
| Toll-free | 0800 | Free from south african lines, not always reachable from abroad |
| Premium rate | 0900 | Can cost more than standard calls |
| Business numbers | 085 | Non-geographic business lines |
Keep in mind: 10111 works inside South Africa only. If you are outside South Africa, call the emergency number for your current location. Some service numbers may not accept calls from outside South Africa.
Cost and best time to call South Africa
Call cost and timing depend on your carrier, your country, and whether you call a landline, mobile, toll-free, or premium-rate number.
How much does it cost to call South Africa
For business calling, Telnyx SIP Trunking gives per-minute pricing for calls to south african landline and mobile destinations with usage-based pricing and no monthly minimums. Your total cost can change based on call volume, destination type, and fees from your current provider.
| Calling method | Cost pattern | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Mobile carrier | Plan rate or international fee | Personal calls |
| International add-on | Recurring fee plus lower per-minute rates | Repeat callers |
| VoIP or SIP | Per-minute pricing by destination type | Teams and high-volume calling |
Good to know: Ask your provider whether south african mobile calls are priced differently from landline calls. They often are.
Time zones and best time to call
South Africa follows South Africa Standard Time, UTC+2, year-round with no daylight saving. For business calls, aim for 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. South African time.
| Calling from | Offset from NL | Best call window |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | ZA offset varies | 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. UK time |
| US Eastern | ZA offset varies | 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. ET |
| US Pacific | ZA offset varies | 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. PT |
Good to know: Time differences can shift for short periods because daylight saving dates do not match in every country.
Is calling South Africa free
Calling South Africa is not automatically free. It may be free if your mobile or landline plan includes South Africa calling, if both parties use an app over data, or if a company gives you a reachable local number.
WhatsApp and similar apps do not charge per minute for app-to-app calls, but your internet or roaming plan may charge for data. Business callers can use SIP Trunking with usage-based pricing for the lowest per-minute rates.
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