Choosing UCT
Cape Town & South Africa
The city of Cape Town (home of the Parliament of South Africa) is dominated by a towering, table-shaped mountain, set on a peninsula of soaring, rocky heights and lush valleys, where two oceans converge - the Indian and the Atlantic.
This natural beauty, combined with the fast pace and bright lights of a great urban centre, adds to the benefits of studying at the tip of Africa. Firmly positioned on the international map, the Mother City, as it is affectionately called, offers a myriad of things to do and places to see, whatever your tastes, inclinations or budget. For further information on the city of Cape Town visit www.cape-town.org.
Weather
Cape Town weather can be unpredictable at times. It is mostly warm throughout the year, but we advise that one brings a fair amount of both winter and summer clothing. Cape Town has a Mediterranean climate. Winter runs from May to August, while summer is from September to April. Temperatures average between 15 and 36 degrees C during summer, and between 15 and 18 degrees C during winter.
Getting around Cape Town
If you're in the city itself, you'll find walking the easiest and most pleasant way to get around, especially owing to Cape Town's generally year-round gorgeous weather, and the fact that finding parking in "town" can be frustrating. You can easily hop onto a minibus taxi, South Africa's most used, and most economical, means of public transport, travelling to just about every area (and stopping just about anywhere, too!).
The more conventional metropolitan bus service will also get you where you need to be. Operating from the Grand Parade bus station, in the heart of the city, there are sign-posted bus stops situated along all the key routes. Trains and taxi cabs are another option for travel in the city of Cape Town, and they are also easily accessible.
Basic South African greetings
Cape Town, like any major city in the world, is a multi-cultural destination accommodating people from every continent. English is generally the most-spoken language. In order to get around Cape Town, however, it is important that you learn a bit about the languages spoken by the people.
In the Western Cape province there are three languages that are recognised as being those most widely spoken by the people of the region. Afrikaans and English are spoken by most coloured and white South Africans, while Xhosa is spoken by most black South Africans in this part of the country.
Afrikaans
- Hallo! Hoe gaan dit? / Hello! How are you?
- Baie goed, dankie. / Very good, thanks.
- Praat jy Afrikaans? / Do you speak Afrikaans?
- Praat jy Engels? / Do you speak English?
- Ja / Yes
- Nee / No
- 'n Bietjie / A little
- Wat is jou naam? / What is your name?
- My naam is John/ My name is John
- Baie dankie/ Thanks a lot
Xhosa
- Molo! Unjani? / Hello! How are you?
- Ndiphilile, unjani wena / I am fine, how are you?
- Ndiyavuya ukudibana nawe / I am pleased to meet you
- Ungubani igama lakho / What is your name?
- Igama lam ndinguJohn / My name is John
- Enkosi kakhulu / Thanks a lot
Cape Town tourism
South Africa's past and recent history make Cape Town a very interesting and informative cultural-tourism city. If you want to explore and understand South Africa's past, you can take one of a number of organised tours. Typically such a tour will take in the Bokaap or Malay Quarter and its museum, District Six and the District Six Museum, Langa, Gugulethu and Khayelitsha.
Take a trip to Robben Island from the V&A Waterfront's Nelson Mandela Gateway and visit Table Mountain on the cable car. You could also experience live entertainment in Cape Town at the V&A Waterfront, Kirstenbosch Gardens or the Baxter Theatre Centre.
For further information on visiting these places please visit Western Cape & Cape Town Tourism.
