Current Time in South Africa 🇿🇦
Check the current local time anywhere in South Africa. Below you'll find live clocks for South Africa's major cities, its time zone and UTC offset, and its largest cities by population.
Capital City: Pretoria
- Johannesburg (Pop. 5,635,127)
- Cape Town (Pop. 4,710,000)
- Durban (Pop. 3,120,282)
- Soweto (Pop. 1,695,047)
- Port Elizabeth (Pop. 1,050,078)
ISO Alpha-2: ZA
ISO Alpha-3: ZAF
UTC Offset: UTC+02:00
Time Zones: SAST
Current Time in Major Cities in South Africa
- Benoni Sun 03:40:18
- Bloemfontein Sun 03:40:18
- Botshabelo Sun 03:40:18
- Cape Town Sun 03:40:18
- Durban Sun 03:40:18
- East London Sun 03:40:18
- Emalahleni Sun 03:40:18
- Johannesburg Sun 03:40:18
- Kimberley Sun 03:40:18
- Klerksdorp Sun 03:40:18
- Mdantsane Sun 03:40:18
- Newcastle Sun 03:40:18
- Pietermaritzburg Sun 03:40:18
- Polokwane Sun 03:40:18
- Port Elizabeth Sun 03:40:18
- Pretoria Sun 03:40:18
- Richards Bay Sun 03:40:18
- Soweto Sun 03:40:18
- Tembisa Sun 03:40:18
- Uitenhage Sun 03:40:18
- Welkom Sun 03:40:18
| City | Current Time |
|---|---|
| Benoni | Sun 03:40:18 |
| Bloemfontein | Sun 03:40:18 |
| Botshabelo | Sun 03:40:18 |
| Cape Town | Sun 03:40:18 |
| Durban | Sun 03:40:18 |
| East London | Sun 03:40:18 |
| Emalahleni | Sun 03:40:18 |
| Johannesburg | Sun 03:40:18 |
| Kimberley | Sun 03:40:18 |
| Klerksdorp | Sun 03:40:18 |
| Mdantsane | Sun 03:40:18 |
| Newcastle | Sun 03:40:18 |
| Pietermaritzburg | Sun 03:40:18 |
| Polokwane | Sun 03:40:18 |
| Port Elizabeth | Sun 03:40:18 |
| Pretoria | Sun 03:40:18 |
| Richards Bay | Sun 03:40:18 |
| Soweto | Sun 03:40:18 |
| Tembisa | Sun 03:40:18 |
| Uitenhage | Sun 03:40:18 |
| Welkom | Sun 03:40:18 |
IANA time zones in South Africa
South Africa maps to the following IANA time-zone database entries. Open any zone for its current time, UTC offset, daylight-saving rules and the cities and countries that use it.
- Africa/Johannesburg SAST · UTC+02:00
Does South Africa have multiple time zones?
South Africa is listed with one main IANA time zone on Alarm.now. That makes the national clock easier to read, but you should still check a specific city clock when scheduling travel, calls, or deadlines.
Why this matters
A country clock is a useful overview, but a city or IANA time-zone page is more precise for travel and scheduling because it identifies the exact rule set, UTC offset, and daylight-saving behavior.
Time in South Africa at a glance
| Current main time | 03:40 on Sunday |
|---|---|
| Time zones | 1 (one nationwide time) |
| Daylight saving | No - Same time all year |
| Zone names | SAST |
| Capital | Pretoria |
| Cities tracked | 21 |
How many time zones does South Africa have?
South Africa keeps one time zone across the whole country, so the clock reads the same everywhere - Currently UTC+02:00.
Does South Africa change its clocks for daylight saving?
No. South Africa stays on the same UTC offset all year. There are no daylight saving changes, so you never have to move the clocks. Want the full picture? Read our guide to daylight saving time.
How to convert time in South Africa
For a quick UTC comparison using the main displayed clock: 12:00 UTC = 14:00 local time, and 09:00 local time = 07:00 UTC. If South Africa has more than one time zone, use the city and IANA zone links on this page for the exact local rule, or drop any two places into the time zone converter to get the answer instantly.
Best time to call or schedule with South Africa
For scheduling, start with the live clock above, then check the city page for Johannesburg or another major city in South Africa. City pages include sunrise/sunset, local DST status, and time-difference tables against major world hubs. To compare several places at a glance, line them up side by side on the world clock.
Major cities in South Africa
The capital of South Africa is Pretoria. The biggest cities in South Africa include Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban, Soweto and Port Elizabeth. Open any city to see its live clock, sunrise and sunset times, and how far ahead or behind it is from other places.
💡 Tip: Need the time in a specific city? Use the list above - Every city in South Africa has its own live clock and time-difference table.
Time in South Africa - Frequently asked questions
How many time zones does South Africa have?
South Africa uses one time zone nationwide.
Does South Africa use daylight saving time?
No - South Africa keeps the same UTC offset all year.
What time is it in South Africa right now?
It is about 03:40 on Sunday in the main time zone of South Africa. The clock above updates every second.
What is the capital of South Africa?
The capital of South Africa is Pretoria. Open its page to see the current local time there.
How Alarm.now builds the South Africa time page
Country, city, and IANA time-zone data
This page connects South Africa to its live city clocks, listed IANA time zone, UTC offset, and daylight-saving context. The capital city is Pretoria, and each linked city page gives the more precise local clock and scheduling notes.
Country time reference
The identifiers and counts below clarify which country, cities, and time zones the clocks on this page represent.
| Country | South Africa 🇿🇦 |
|---|---|
| ISO identifiers | ZA / ZAF |
| Capital city clock | Pretoria |
| Cities shown | 21 city clocks |
| IANA time zones | 1 listed zone |
| Representative UTC offset | UTC+02:00 |
Where to go next
From this country overview, continue to Pretoria time, the IANA time-zone index, and the time zone converter for future-date checks.
When to use a city page instead
Use this country page for the overview. Use a specific city or IANA time zone page when you need the exact rule set for calendars, travel, code, or future meetings.