Carnet advice for South Africa Vehicle
 

I am Canadian, living in Canada, and will be purchasing a Vehicle in South Africa to visit Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Mozambique on a 4 month road trip.
I have been told there will be no problem with a Canadian Tourist licensing and insuring a vehicle in South Africa. Can someone confirm this is correct? Also, will I then be able to travel through these other countries without a Carnet in this South Africa vehicle?

Two very different questions.
All you need to know about a Carnet on an RSA-registered vehicle is on the AA (South Africa) website:
Carnet de Passages en Douane - The AA of South Africa

Can't answer the question on CND tourist licensing & insuring vehicle in South Africa, but it seems possible from here:
Road Traffic Management Corporation

Actual vehicle registration/ licensing is done at Province/local-level. There are links to provincial licensing authorities from above site. It may depend on whether you're starting in Capetown or Joburg. For example, Western Cape motor vehicle registration office locations are linked here:
Motor Vehicle Registering Authorities

Hi,

should be no problem to register a vehicle in your name. You have to apply for a traffic register certificate for that you need 2 passport photos and an address in South Africa (Backpacker, Hotel). Once you have that traffic register certificate you can register a vehicle in your name. Here in Port Shepstone this goes quick and without any hassle. I guess in the rest of the country too.

To find an insurance will be more difficult, but 65 % of the vehicles here are anyway not insured.

But in Mozambique you have to buy insurance on the border. And in South Africa they dont require an insurance.

Regards

Thomas

I know an American who has recently toured all of the countries you list on a SA registered bike with no carnet and no problem so you should be OK.

in my experience an Carnet is not needed for those countries. For some you might need to get a temporary import permit at the border. Sometimes for free, sometimes for a fee.

Insurance you will need for all except SA. You can get it at most borderpost, except smaller less visited.
Insurance is a must in my experience if you dont want to pay fines/bribes. And i have been stopped on numerous occasions in different countries.
Comesa yellow card is useless. Most police and/or insurance offices dont even know what it is...

I found the opposite...whenever I needed to show proof of insurance in southern or eastern Africa the yellow card was accepted no problem. A much cheaper solution that paying at every border crossing too.