Current Time in SAST
South African Standard Time
About SAST South African Standard Time
The standard time in South Africa, Eswatini (Swaziland), and Lesotho. It is observed year-round as these countries do not use daylight saving time. It is equivalent to Central Africa Time (CAT).
UTC Offset: +02:00
SAST at a glance
| Right now | 22:33 on Tuesday |
|---|---|
| UTC offset | UTC+02:00 (2 hours ahead of UTC) |
| Full name | South African Standard Time |
| Countries | 3 |
| IANA zones | 3 |
What is SAST?
SAST is a time zone that is currently UTC+02:00 - that's 2 hours ahead of UTC. Its full name is South African Standard Time. Right now the local time on SAST is 22:33. Today 3 countries (including Eswatini, Lesotho and South Africa) and 3 IANA database zones sit at this offset, which is why SAST is a useful shorthand even though the exact local rules differ from place to place.
How to convert SAST to UTC
For quick planning, use today's offset as a rule of thumb: 12:00 UTC = 14:00 local time, and 09:00 local time = 07:00 UTC. The live clock above is the safest reference when daylight saving or regional rules may apply.
Which countries use SAST?
SAST is used across Eswatini, Lesotho and South Africa. Open a country to see all of its cities and their local time.
IANA time zones in SAST
SAST maps to the IANA database zones Africa/Johannesburg, Africa/Maseru and Africa/Mbabane. Each zone page shows its exact rules, including any daylight saving changes.
💡 Tip: Comparing times? SAST is 2 hours ahead of UTC. Use the IANA links and country links on this page when you need the exact local rule for a real place, not just the offset.
SAST - Frequently asked questions
What is SAST?
SAST is a time zone currently UTC+02:00 (2 hours ahead of UTC). Its full name is South African Standard Time.
What is the UTC offset of SAST?
SAST is UTC+02:00 right now - 2 hours ahead of UTC.
Which countries are on SAST?
SAST is used in Eswatini, Lesotho and South Africa.
What time is it in SAST now?
The current time on SAST is 22:33 on Tuesday. The clock above updates every second.
How Alarm.now explains SAST
Abbreviation, offset, and IANA zones
SAST is shown as a time-zone group for South African Standard Time with offset +02:00. The page links the abbreviation to the IANA zones and countries that use it, so users and search engines can distinguish a short label from an exact time-zone rule set.
When to use a specific IANA page
Use this group page for an overview of the abbreviation and offset. Use a linked IANA time-zone page when you need exact daylight-saving rules for a calendar, app, or future-date comparison.