Find the best "No Excess" deals in South Africa
With a massive choice from the biggest brands, Enjoy the best way to find the best prices for no excess car hire in South Africa.
- Huge choice of cars to suit every budget
- Save up to 70% compared to buying on the day
- 10 years experience in car hire
No Excess Car Hire in South Africa - Your protection package
Zero excess is likely a term that you’ve come across or heard of if you’re a frequent car renter, but if you’re new to the world of car renting and you’re unsure of what it means for both you and your vehicle, this guide will be helpful for you. To put it simply, zero excess acts as a form of insurance that makes you not liable for any charges or fees that can be incurred when your rental vehicle is damaged or stolen. If booking online, you can filter your booking to certain suppliers who offer zero excess, or some who offer reduced excess but additional top-up insurance and a Collision Damage and/or Theft Waiver.
A Collision Damage Waiver is much like zero excess, only it may not cover or protect all parts of the car from damage repair fees. The parts of the vehicle that are not usually included in a CDW are the undercarriage, windshield and wheels, however, this can vary between suppliers or Damage Waivers. A CDW or Theft Waiver will normally be added automatically to your car rental booking if booking online with Enjoy Travel, and you can check it out on the extras or checkout page or by clicking more information or what’s included in the booking price.
Driving in South Africa - Road Conditions and What to Be Aware of
South Africa’s driving conditions are generally good, with city roads and highways being well and regularly maintained with easy-to-follow signage and directions. Driving is also on the left side of the road, meaning UK drivers will find it easier to drive through the country. Driving in large cities like Cape Town or Johannesburg is known for being relatively easy and safe, so if you stick to these inner city areas it’s likely you won’t need to worry about damages to your car.
However, more rural and off-road areas of South Africa can be more challenging to drive, and roads can be in worse condition than inner city roads. So, if you do plan to drive in off-road areas, it’s a good idea to purchase additional or top-up insurance that covers and protects areas of the car that your Collision Damage Waiver may not cover. If you’re unable to purchase additional insurance or your supplier doesn’t offer it, try to avoid poor road conditions altogether to prevent being liable to cover costs should your car be damaged.
Most Important Things to Consider when Hiring a Car
If you regularly hire vehicles, you’re probably already aware of the main factors to consider before booking your vehicle, but those hiring for the first time may not be. When booking a vehicle, you need to consider:
- The reputation of your supplier
- Any additions or extras they may offer
- The quality of their vehicles
The supplier you choose to hire a car from is arguably one of the most important things to consider. Before you hire your vehicle, research the supplier and have a look at any reviews, particularly about customer service and vehicle quality. Luckily, you can find many of the world’s most trusted and reliable suppliers when hiring a car in most cities across South Africa, giving you peace of mind that you and your vehicle are in safe hands.
What Car Hire Suppliers are the Most Common in South Africa?
The main car hire suppliers available in South Africa include Alamo, Keddy, Enterprise, Europcar, and Hertz, among others. These suppliers are popular and well trusted among frequent vehicle renters. These suppliers offer reduced excess in South Africa, which normally allows for additional top-up coverage to be added.
It might be easier for you to hire your car from either downtown or an airport in a South African city like Cape Town, Johannesburg, or Pretoria. Bear in mind that you can generally find cheaper car hire rates and deals when hiring from an airport, plus you may find it more convenient, as you can begin your journey immediately after stepping off the plane.
You can normally find car rental desks within the main precinct of many large airports. If you’re booking online, you won’t need to worry about ensuring that things like insurance are added—you can simply book your vehicle and expect a CDW and zero or reduced excess to be automatically included. If not, you can usually select it on the extras page.
Driving Rules and Regulations in South Africa
South Africa is generally considered to be easy to drive around if you stick to large highways or inner-city roads, thanks to the signage and condition of the roads. The speed limit for freeways in South Africa is around 120km/h (75 mph), and for inner-city roads or built-up areas, you need to drive at a speed of 60km/h (36 mph). Visitors to South Africa also need to be aware that many cities and connecting roads have tolls that can be paid for in cash or card. If hiring a car in South Africa, your rental vehicle should usually have a built-in toll transponder that can add the toll price to the price of your vehicle booking.
UK and Australian drivers may feel more confident and comfortable driving in South Africa, as driving takes place on the left-hand side of the road, meaning that it’s not very necessary to familiarise yourself or practice driving on the right-hand side as is the case with most other countries. However, it’s recommended that you drive carefully on roads outside of the city or rural areas, as many rural roads are not as well maintained as inner-city ones, so your car is more likely to sustain damages to areas like the undercarriage or wheels, which aren’t usually included in Collision Damage Waivers or insurance.
You’ll also want to ensure that if you plan to park within certain cities, you’re aware of the parking rules and regulations. In Cape Town, one of South Africa’s capital cities, parking is relatively easy. Anywhere with a single yellow line means parking is not allowed, and vehicles must face in the same direction as traffic. Cape Town has many metered parking and free parking slots around the city, with varying rates. If you want to avoid driving around and trying to find a parking space, you can opt for park and ride, which is where you leave your vehicle in a designated location and rely on public transport to take you into the city.
What to Do in the Event of a Breakdown or Emergency in South Africa
Much like in the UK, if you do happen to get into an accident on the road in South Africa, your first step is to move your car (if you can) to a safe place so it isn’t a hazard for other drivers. Once you’re in a safe place, contact your breakdown services—your rental vehicle should have breakdown cover automatically included. If you’re unable to move your vehicle, such as in the event of a breakdown, turn on your hazard lights to alert other drivers, and call the relevant services. In the event of an emergency, if you don’t know the local emergency services number, UK tourists can call 112 from their mobile and be transferred to the relevant services. English is commonly and widely spoken in South Africa, so you won’t need to worry about language barriers when asking for help.
How to Avoid Any Extra Charges When Hiring a Vehicle in South Africa
It’s unlikely that you’ll find yourself being charged for something you didn’t expect to pay for, but sometimes charges can crop up out of nowhere. A common way to incur extra charges is if you don’t have a Collision Damage Waiver or zero/reduced excess, meaning you will be liable to pay for any damages sustained to your vehicle. This is why it’s important to ensure you have the relevant insurance or additional coverage for your vehicle when it isn’t automatically added. When hiring a car in person, it can be difficult to see or know whether CDWs or zero excess has been added if there’s a communication breakdown, whereas booking online means you can either select it or see that it has been added.
It’s also a good idea to make sure that your vehicle supplier offers one-way rentals. One-way rentals are popular among road-trippers or those who are taking the car across the border to another country (if permitted), as it means you don’t have to drop your car off in the same location to where you picked it up from. However, be aware that one-way rentals are not offered by every supplier, and if you drop your car off at a different location than the agreed or designated location, you can be charged extra, and can be charged if you drop your vehicle off late too.
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