How to call South Africa from Australia
Dial 0011 27, then the South African number without its first 0.
How to Dial a South African Number from Australia
Every South African number starts with 0 when it is written in South Africa. From Australia, you replace that 0 with 0011 27.
Convert a South African number
Type or paste the number you were given, in any format. We show you exactly what to dial from Australia.
Dial 0011
This is the code for an international call from Australia.
Dial 27
This is the country code for South Africa.
Dial the number without its first 0
Drop the 0 from the start of the area code or mobile number, then dial the rest.
From a mobile, you can also press + instead of 0011. For the same number, dial +27 11 123 4567.
How to Call A South African Mobile from Australia
South African mobile numbers start with 06, 07 or 08 and have 10 digits. Drop the 0 and dial the rest after 0011 27.
Every South African number has 9 digits after the 0 is dropped, mobile or landline.
With a phone card, a South African mobile costs from 17.5c a minute and a South African landline from 14.4c a minute.
How to Call A South African Toll-Free Number from Australia
Most South African toll-free numbers do not work from Australia. They are free calls inside South Africa only.
Toll-free numbers start with 0800. Look on the business's website for a normal number, and dial it the usual way.
Get Cheap Calls To South Africa
Call South African landlines and mobiles from any Australian mobile or landline. Pick a card, pay online and get your PIN by email.
- Cards from $5
- No contract
- $0 monthly fees
- PIN by email
- 1Choose landlines or mobilesEach card has its own rate for each.
- 2Pick a cardThe list puts the cheapest card first.
- 3Pay and get your PINYour PIN is emailed after purchase.
Compare Phone Card and Mobile Plan Rates to South Africa
What it costs per minute to call a South African mobile at pay-as-you-go rates. A longer bar costs more.
- ALDImobile10c/min
- Vodafone (prepaid)15c/min
- Cricket phone card17.5c/min
- India Call phone card19.3c/min
- amaysim20c/min
- Optus (prepaid)35c/min
- Everyday Mobile from Woolworths56c/min
- Vodafone (plan)90c/min
- TPG Mobile90c/min
- Telstra (plan)$1.47/min
- Optus (plan)$1.77/min
Show rates and fees as a table
| Provider | Rate per minute | Fee per call | 10-minute call |
|---|---|---|---|
| ALDImobile | 10c | None | $1.00 |
| Vodafone (prepaid) | 15c | Not stated | $1.50 |
| Cricket phone card | 17.5c | None | $1.75 |
| India Call phone card | 19.3c | None | $1.93 |
| amaysim | 20c | None | $2.00 |
| Optus (prepaid) | 35c | Not stated | $3.50 |
| Everyday Mobile from Woolworths | 56c | 40c | $6.00 |
| Vodafone (plan) | 90c | 28c | $9.28 |
| TPG Mobile | 90c | 35c | $9.35 |
| Telstra (plan) | $1.47 | 40c | $15.10 |
| Optus (plan) | $1.77 | 35c | $18.05 |
Mobile plan prices are from each provider's website, checked 9 October 2026. Many plans also sell bundles that include South African calls. Prices can change, so check with the provider.
How to Call South Africa with a Phone Card
A phone card is one of the cheapest ways to call South Africa from any Australian mobile or landline. Your PIN is emailed after purchase.
Dial the access number
Call the card's local access number for your city.
Enter your PIN
Type the PIN from your email. A voice tells you how much credit you have.
Dial the South African number
Enter 0011 27 + the number without its first 0, then press #. The voice tells you how many minutes you have.
Talk, then hang up
To call another number, press ## instead of hanging up.
Register your phone for PINless dialling and you can skip step 2 next time.
Cheapest Rates to Call South Africa from Australia
Our cards with no connection fee and the best mix of South African landline and mobile rates. Rates are in Australian dollars per minute from the card's local access number.
| Card | South African landline | South African mobile |
|---|---|---|
| Cricket | 15.4c/min | 17.5c/min |
| African Dream | 15.4c/min | 20.2c/min |
| India Call | 16.4c/min | 19.3c/min |
| Day to Day | 16.5c/min | 23.4c/min |
| Easy Calling | 17.5c/min | 20.4c/min |
Rates can change. The card page always shows the current rate before you buy.
What a South African call costs
A 30 minute call to a South African landline costs about $4.32 on Hello Darling. A 30 minute call to a South African mobile costs about $5.25 on Cricket.
For long calls
Some cards charge a connection fee and give a lower rate. Global Call costs 12.4c a minute to South African landlines plus 69c a call, and White costs 16.6c a minute to South African mobiles plus 89c a call. They save money on calls longer than about 35 minutes to a landline or 100 minutes to a mobile.
See every card for South Africa
Compare all our cards for South African calls, cheapest first, with prices and talk time.
South African Area Codes
Dial these after 0011 27. They are shown without the first 0.
| City | Area code | You dial |
|---|---|---|
| Johannesburg | 11 | 0011 27 11 + number |
| Pretoria | 12 | 0011 27 12 + number |
| Cape Town | 21 | 0011 27 21 + number |
| Durban | 31 | 0011 27 31 + number |
| Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth) | 41 | 0011 27 41 + number |
| Bloemfontein | 51 | 0011 27 51 + number |
| East London | 43 | 0011 27 43 + number |
| Pietermaritzburg | 33 | 0011 27 33 + number |
| Polokwane | 15 | 0011 27 15 + number |
| Mbombela (Nelspruit) | 13 | 0011 27 13 + number |
| Kimberley | 53 | 0011 27 53 + number |
| George | 44 | 0011 27 44 + number |
In South Africa you dial the area code even for local calls. Mobile numbers have no area code.
Best Time to Call South Africa from Australia
South Africa is 6 to 9 hours behind Australia. The gap changes during the year because Sydney and Melbourne move their clocks for daylight saving.
| Time of year | Sydney & Melbourne | Brisbane | Perth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Early April to early October | South Africa is 8 hours behind | South Africa is 8 hours behind | South Africa is 6 hours behind |
| Early October to early April | South Africa is 9 hours behind | South Africa is 8 hours behind | South Africa is 6 hours behind |
South Africa does not use daylight saving.
Evening in Australia is a good time to call. At 7pm in Sydney, it is 10am or 11am in South Africa, depending on the time of year. Our rates are the same at any hour.
Call South Africa for a few cents a minute
No contract, no monthly fee and no app. Your PIN arrives by email.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I call a +27 number from Australia?
Dial 0011 27, then the rest of the number. If the number is written as +27 11 123 4567, dial 0011 27 11 123 4567. From a mobile, you can dial +27 11 123 4567 as written.
Do I drop the 0 when I call South Africa from Australia?
Yes. South African numbers start with 0 when they are written in South Africa. Leave out that 0 after 0011 27. For example, the Johannesburg number 011 123 4567 becomes 0011 27 11 123 4567.
How do I call a South African mobile from Australia?
Dial 0011 27, then the mobile number without its first 0. For example, 082 123 4567 becomes 0011 27 82 123 4567.
Why can't I call South Africa from Australia?
Check three things. You dialled 0011 27 at the start. You left out the first 0 of the South African number. Your phone plan allows international calls. South African toll-free numbers usually cannot be called from overseas.
How much does it cost to call South Africa from Australia?
On cards with no connection fee, calls to South African landlines start at 14.4c a minute and calls to South African mobiles start at 17.5c a minute. Some cards add a fee to each call. A 30 minute call to a South African landline costs about $4.32.
What is the time difference between Australia and South Africa?
Sydney and Melbourne are 8 to 9 hours ahead of South Africa, Brisbane is 8 hours ahead of South Africa and Perth is 6 hours ahead of South Africa. The gap changes with daylight saving.
Can I call other countries with the same card?
Yes. Our cards call more than 200 countries. See the cheapest rates for each one on our cheap international calls page.
