Anyone know the best place in the U.S. to purchase traveler's cheques in S.A. rand?

I don't know the answer to this, but is there a particular reason you need traveler's cheques? Credit cards are widely used in SA, and ATM's are easy to find. I think you'd save money by using credit cards and getting rands from ATM's.

Don't know the best place, but you can buy online at on americanexpress.com - follow the links for the travel services and you can select travellers cheques in Rand.

I'm also not quite sure why you'd need to do this....

Don't do it. Get travellers checks in $$$. Unless you feel it is some sort of investment against the dollar slide and you are going to squirrel it away for a few years. And yes, credit cards are a good way to go. In fact, I have never seen travelers check in Rand. The South Africans get euros and $$$$$. Nobody except the neighboring countries want to trade in it.

South Africa has a first-world banking system, so for everyday spending, your ATM card for Rand will serve you well. Use Credit Cards for larger purchases (but not at gas stations - local currency only here). If you need emergency funds, where travelers checks would be good... get them in USD. If you don't use these, and probably wonn't, just redeposit them into your account on your return home.