Three years ago I took travelers checks and cashed them as needed. I'm now having a hard time finding any traveler's checks in Houston. The credit union tells me the debit card should work in automated machines. Does anyone have experience with using the auto tellers to obtain cash in Johannesburg with US debit cards?

I do not like to use a debit card to easy to steal. Use credit card and tell company when you are in RSA exact dated with a few on the end. Go to a bank with cash and exchange for the correct rate. Or ask your credit union or bank to get you some Rand and it will be at our rate and no fees.

Mike

For the last 4 or 5 years we have bought Rand here in the states prior to leaving for SA; really easy to do, exchange rate is not bad and it is delivered to our door.

Karl

Only time I needed cash was in the airport waiting to leave...and everyone took US $$...can't comment on what exchange rate they
gave me but couldn't complain about it either.
While my debit card got hacked while I was in SA, it happened here in the good old USA...can you say don't ever give your card to a waitress and let them disappear with it????? Hey, at least my bank made good on the $$$ they got.

quote:

Originally posted by Ammoloader:
...Does anyone have experience with using the auto tellers to obtain cash in Johannesburg with US debit cards?

I have never been able to use my ATM card in Africa but my wife has been able to use her debit card. Both are drawn on the same account and the bank has always been aware of my travels, but for some reason only the debit card would work. That being said, unless you need a good bit of cash to settle your trophy fees, I would just take US cash to cover your minor incidentals and exchange that as needed.

Get some Rand before you leave on your safari. All the airports have a Bureau of Exchange. Personally I've never needed any local currency other than to pay trophy fees once in Cameroon.

Mark

Used an ATM two times last week in Joburg. No problems.....

I most always don't convert USD to a Foreign Currency on Africa trips. The one time I did was in Namibia and only because I traveled about the Country for 8 days prior to my hunt.

If I am with my PH for most of the time, I simply let him pay for the things I want/need, then reimbuse him at the end of the hunt. Seems to work well as the PH always has a stash of local currency available. Saves a lot of hassel and guesswork.

Larry Sellers
SCI Life Member

Thank you all for the information and feedback!

What Larry said.

quote:

Originally posted by Use Enough Gun:
What Larry said.

Me too!

Same a Larry, PH payed for everything.
We used the currency exchange at the Jo-berg airport; I went over and did the transaction for my PH as the group was waiting for the rifles to show up at SAPS.
In Mozambique we stopped in Manica and one of our PHs went in some seedy looking bar to exchange for Metical. The other PH told us “stay in the Cruiser, do not get out for any reason”. The First PH came out smiling, gave a thumbs up, jumped in the other cruiser and we were off. PH 1 was born in Mutare (I am Rhodesian not Zimbabwean) and has “Friends” in the area.

Much more of an adventure that a USA bank exchange.

Mark

my ATM card is also my debit card and i have used it in small towns in RSA at ATM machines with no problems. money came straight out of my checking account at the interbank exchange rate, which is MUCH better than the crappy rate you get at airports with none of the usual add on fees.