Paperwork needed for Southern Africa

[ddziewan]

Hi there,

I'm planning on doing a trip through from South Africa, through Namibia and Botswana and back.

What paperwork is checked at the borders? Does anybody have any recent experiences in these countries?

I did a trip through West Africa and needed only my bike documents, laissez-passez, and brown card international insurance.

The carnet was unnecessary and never asked for. My license was never even checked.

What are peoples experiences in Southern Africa? Am I right in saying that there is no brown card equivalent (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interna..._Card_System)? If this in fact does not exist, what type of insurance is necessary, if any?

Thank you kindly, in advance.

Dariusz

[Globetrotter]

These three countries are together in a custom union (the oldest one if I remember right). Therefore only when you enter at the first border you will have to show the carnet. Same story one you leave the custom union.
Insurance is covered by the fuel taxes in South Africa, so no need to organize any insurance. At the border you will have to pay a small fee for a paper, can't remember what it was... could be the that it was road tax...
And they will want to see the bike papers. That's all you need.

Greets

Claudio

[gazza171]

namibia has some kind of road tax on the bourder coming south from angola...i think its all bourders aswell....but its a easy thing to pay, not lots of paperwork..just rand or namibian dollors ( no cc or usd)

[jquinton]

Just showed carnet at Kazungula and paid 150 Pula for 3rd party insurance on the bike, took 10 minutes, excellent.

[itchyfeet38]

You DO need a carnet - though as mentioned above it will only be stamped in and out of SACU (South African Customs Union) eg in when you arrive from Zambia to Namibia and out when you leave Botswana into Zim..

You need third party insurance for Bots (but it isn't expensive - maybe $10-$15 for 30 days?)).

For SA and Nam a fuel levy creates a fund that meets third party liabilities for injury or death of people. It DOESNT cover third party liability for damage to property but it is difficult to impossible to arrange additional insurance on a foreign reg vehicle (and it is not required by law). Just try not to run into a Merc...

For Nam you also need to purchase a cross border permit at the border again it is not a big cost.

Basically these borders are pretty quick and not remotely corrupt. Nothing to worry about.

[gazza171]

are you taking your own bike, or renting,buying there....if u are importing then u need a carnett but for a local bike its no problem...its probley cheaper to rent or buy in sa than import and export...ok the bikes are expensive..but you can sell after aswell for near the origanal cost

if you are importing then insted of a carnett it is possable to get a TIP, but ive never ever seen anything online about it...but i do remember a notice on the wall of the custroms office on the angola/namibia bourder and the officer said it was possable but i had a carnett

[jquinton]

Entered this week and cost 140 Rand/Namibian dollars for Road Fund Admin doc needs to produced at police stops and check points.