Styn

A few weeks ago we visited Cape point during our holiday in South Africa. As foreign tourists we had to pay an entrance fee no less than 5 times more than South Africans. This raises eyebrows, but that's another issue. So we payed 720 Rand for 2 persons and made the payment with our bank card. After all, Sanparks, the managment organisation of the park, encourages cash-free parks. We got a ticket and a proof of payment and spend the whole day in the park. The day after we were shocked when we found out in our bank application that 640 euro has been taken from our account. 720 Rand converted to Euro is about 40 euros. That is 600 euros or 10000 Rands too much! It seems unbelievable because the ticket and the proof of payment clearly states 720 Rand. We contacted the park and they told us they were going to investigate. A few days later we received an email that they hadn't found a trace of our payment. Seriously?? In other words, there had been a fraud with our bank card at the entrance of a park runned by the government. South Africa has a lot of poverty, and we do realise that, but we had no idea it's that corrupt. In the meantime, we send a complaint to our European bank that will investigate this, but our main goal is to warn other foreign travellers. Pay cash there, or stay away from that place. Someone there doesn't have very good intentions, and it's hard to get your money back afterwards. If this is the way they treat tourists in South Africa we will never come back again. Too bad, because it's such a beautiful country.

MmePerdu

Yes, hard to get your money back. Why I don't use debit cards.

amyb

I never use debit cards for things like that, for this reason. And FYI all parks I've been to in Kenya, Tanzania and Rwanda have two prices: visitors and residents. It's not unique to SA.

annhig

This is why it always pays to use a credit card as false entries are earlier to challenge, however if you report this to your bank they should still help you with this clear case of fraud. Next time cash would probably be a better idea.

Heimdall

I’ve used credit cards for nearly all my transactions in South Africa during four different trips, including at restaurants, shops, wine farms and other facilities, and never had a problem. Sanparks (South African National Parks) is a huge organisation, responsible for managing all the national parks in the country, not just Cape Point, which in fact is part of Table Mountain National Park.

As above, I rarely use a debit card for anything but ATM withdrawals, even at home. In South Africa I would find an ATM in a busy shopping centre or bank rather than one on the street. With credit card transactions I prefer to use Apple Pay on my iPhone, even in South Africa.

As amyb wrote, lower prices for residents is a common practice in parks throughout Africa. I have no problem with that at all, because local residents, on a much lower average income than tourists, can also enjoy the natural wonders of their country.

mlgb

I agree with other posters, and don't know anyone who would use a Debit/ATM card for a transaction like this. Do you not have a credit card?
I would think your bank should be able to clear things up though if you provide the receipt.. Could be user error, could be fraud.

MmePerdu

I doubt the OP cares what we think or do, a 1-time vent pointing a finger except in the appropriate direction. He's right, he's aggrieved, intent only on blame, learning something not part of the agenda. His job is done. Big yawn.

crellston

+1 MmePerdu- Only recently returned to Fodors and it seems as though the forums are awash with this type of whinge post from first time posters. Also from new user asking open (vague) questions with the username format name1234 etc. only never to reply. Perhap they will become less noticeable when/if traffic on these forums begins to increase. In the meantime I tend just to ignore or report.

amyb

To your point, crellston, if the OP was as wise about coming here to plan their trip as they were to come and complain about it, perhaps we could have headed off both the confusion around the fees charged and advised the safest way to pay.

crellston

Indeed Amyb. what also concerns me is that some of the advice being handed out on this and other forums is usually well meaning but also often inaccurate. The consumer credit legislation and banking regulations can vary a lot between countries as can custom and practice and service standards between credit card providers. What is true for one country may not be for another.

Like Heimdall, I use ApplePay almost everywhere, way more secure than a card. I can’t recall he last time I used an ATM at home, indeed I can’t recall the last time I carried any cash. The only exception is when overseas when I do like to have some cash and then I generally use a credit card in an ATM.

thursdaysd

Whereas I, living in the US, would use a credit card for a cash withdrawal only as a last resort, as I would be charged interest immediately. I use a debit card only for ATMs, and a credit card or cash everywhere else.

crellston

That would apply to most credit cards in the UK too Thursdaysd, but there are a handful of credit cards that don’t charge fees or interest for ATM withdrawals and offer mid market wholesale fx rates. The problem can be keeping up with changes in T&Cs as some do change with annoying regularity!