Current time in South Africa
13:00:00GMT+2
Thursday 1 October 2026
South Africa is 1 hour ahead of the UK right now.
In the UK it is 12:00 BST. Your device: 12:00 (Same as UK).
South Africa time zone
South African Standard Time (SAST) is UTC+2, and one zone covers the whole country: Johannesburg, Pretoria, Durban and Cape Town all show the same time, even though Cape Town lies far to the west. Lesotho and Eswatini use the same zone. The IANA zone is Africa/Johannesburg.
South Africa does not use daylight saving time. Its last summer time was during the Second World War, in 1942 to 1944. Zimbabwe, Botswana, Zambia and Mozambique are on UTC+2 as well, so their clocks match South Africa's.
Time difference between the UK and South Africa
| Period | UK clocks | South Africa vs UK | Noon in the UK is |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 January to 29 March 2026 | GMT (UTC+0) | 2 hours ahead | 14:00 |
| 29 March to 25 October 2026 | BST (UTC+1) | 1 hour ahead | 13:00 |
| 25 October 2026 to 28 March 2027 | GMT (UTC+0) | 2 hours ahead | 14:00 |
| 28 March to 31 October 2027 | BST (UTC+1) | 1 hour ahead | 13:00 |
| 31 October 2027 to 26 March 2028 | GMT (UTC+0) | 2 hours ahead | 14:00 |
The seasons are reversed, but only the UK changes its clocks. The gap is 2 hours during the British winter, which is South Africa's summer, and 1 hour during British Summer Time.
Cricket and rugby in UK time
The South African cricket season runs through the British winter, so most Tests there are played while the gap is 2 hours: a 10am start in Cape Town or Centurion is 8am in the UK. Springbok home Tests are mostly played from July to September, when the gap is 1 hour, so a 5pm kick-off in Johannesburg is 4pm in the UK.
Best times to call South Africa from the UK
| UK time | South Africa, late Oct to late Mar | South Africa, late Mar to late Oct | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|
| 07:00 | 09:00 | 08:00 | Start of the South African working day |
| 12:00 | 14:00 | 13:00 | Lunchtime in both, give or take an hour |
| 17:00 | 19:00 | 18:00 | Early evening there |
| 20:00 | 22:00 | 21:00 | Evening calls to family |
Office hours overlap for most of the day. An 8am to 5pm day in Johannesburg runs from 6am to 3pm UK time in winter and 7am to 4pm in summer.
Converting the time
A 2pm meeting in London on Monday 2 November 2026 is at 4pm in Johannesburg. On Tuesday 1 June 2027, with the UK on BST, a 2pm London meeting is at 3pm. To check other dates, use the time zone converter, or the meeting planner for several places at once.
Related pages
- World clockLive times in 25 cities and their gap from the UK.
- Time in NigeriaWAT, UTC+1, level with the UK in summer.
- Time in DubaiGulf Standard Time, UTC+4.
- Time in TurkeyUTC+3 all year since 2016.
- GMT time nowThe UK's winter time, and the base for every offset on this page.
- When the UK clocks changeExact dates for 2026, 2027 and 2028.
Frequently asked questions
Does South Africa have daylight saving time?
No. South Africa stays on UTC+2 all year. It last used summer time during the Second World War.
What time zone is South Africa in?
South African Standard Time (SAST), UTC+2. One zone covers the whole country.
Is Cape Town the same time as Johannesburg?
Yes. Cape Town, Johannesburg, Durban and Pretoria all use SAST.
How many hours ahead of the UK is South Africa?
South Africa is 2 hours ahead of the UK while the UK is on GMT, from late October to late March, and 1 hour ahead during British Summer Time.