Hiring a Car in South Africa

FREEDOM can arrange rental cars throughout South Africa. Please find below an overview of the main terms and conditions of hire.

The Rental

Car types are subject to availability and Avis reserve the right to substitute any model with a similar model if necessary. On collection you will be asked to sign Avis’s own Terms & Conditions making the rental subject to a direct contract between you and the car hire company. A credit card bond will be taken to cover any additional costs, such as damage excess, fuel and airport surcharges – only physical credit card transactions are accepted (debit cards are not accepted).

Driver Qualifications

All drivers must have held a valid driver’s licence (in country of residence) for 12 months or more. Drivers must be 18 years of age old or over to drive. A Young Driver surcharge of ZAR 155.00 per day will apply to drivers under the age of 25 years. There is no upper age limit however super PAI is not available to persons over the age of 75 years.

Additional Drivers

One additional driver can be added free of charge. To add other additional drivers there is a fee of ZAR 532.00 per person per rental. All additional driver fees are paid locally.

Child Safety Seats

Child safety seats are available to hire from ZAR 550.00 per seat, per rental.

Minimum Hire & One Way Fees

All one-way fees are payable locally. Cross border one-way rentals between South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho, Eswatini and Namibia are permitted but incur a fee.

Route Restrictions & Tolls

Cars can only be driven on properly formed, sealed, metalled or gravel roads. Some roads in South Africa may have tolls and these can be paid in cash or by credit card at the booth.

Insurance & Excess Reduction

Theft, collision damage and third party insurance with nil excess is included in the rental. Please note, you are not covered for loss or damage to the vehicle caused by driver negligence or reckless driving, nor overhead, underbody or water damage.
PAI (Personal Accident Insurance) is available at a cost of ZAR 55.00 per day.

Roadside Assistance

24-hour roadside assistance for mechanical failures is included in the rental. Extended Roadside Assistance, from ZAR 50 per day, can be paid for locally. Extended Roadside Assistance waives the call out fee for non-mechanical issues, such as a flat battery, tyre changes or running out of fuel.