Climate in Stellenbosch
The region has a Mediterranean climate with hot dry summers and cool wet winters. Stellenbosch lies at the foot of the Cape Fold mountain range, which provides soil favourable to viticulture. The cool season lasts for 3.6 months, from May 27 to September 15, with an average daily high temperature below 66°F (19°C). The coldest month of the year in Stellenbosch is July, with an average low of 46°F (8°C) and high of 60°F (16°C). Expected weather for the conference will be cold, with showers expected. For more accurate predictions, click here.

Credit Cards
Most major credit cards are accepted at shopping centres, as well as traveller’s cheques in major currencies.

Currency
With a favourable exchange rate for many international currencies, you’ll find South Africa an inexpensive destination and an easy one – our financial institutions are world-class, with no shortage of banks, bureaux de change and automatic tellers. South Africa’s unit of currency is the Rand, which is divided into 100 cents. Notes come in denominations of R10, R20, R50, R100 and R200; coins come in denominations of 5c, 10c, 20c, 50c, R1, R2 and R5. There are two R5 coins in circulation, both of which are legal currency. All transactions are rounded down to the nearest 5c.

Exchange Rates on 21 July 2025 (these can fluctuate)
US$1 (one American Dollar) = ± R17.68
£1 (one British Pound) = ± R23.71
€1 (one Euro) = ± R20.57

Drinking Water
Tap water at hotels, inns, lodges and in other public places is purified and safe to drink.

Language
There are 12official languages in South Africa: English, Afrikaans, isiZulu, isiXhosa, isiNdebele, Sepedi, Sesotho, siSwati, Xitsonga, Setswana, Tshivenda and South African Sign Language.

English is widely spoken throughout South Africa, and English-speaking visitors will have no problems communicating while travelling in South Africa. All signposting is in English.

Metric System
South Africa uses the metric system: weather forecasts are given in degrees Celsius (C); petrol, milk, and wine are sold by the litre; grocery items are sold in grams and kilograms; road speeds are posted in kilometres per hour.

VAT
Value Added Tax (VAT), currently at 15%, is levied on the quoted prices of most goods offered for sale and on hospitality services. Refunds of VAT paid for goods (not services) may be claimed by foreign visitors at their port of departure, provided that the total claim (money spent) exceeds R250.00 and that goods are being taken with them out of South Africa (in which case, tax invoices and the actual goods must be presented as proof).

Dress Code
The suggested dress code for the meeting is business casual, but please do bring something warm along as weather is quite cold and the rooms will be air-conditioned.

Liability
Neither the Meeting Secretariat nor any of its contracted service providers will be responsible for the safety of articles of any kind brought into the Meeting facilities by attendees, whether registered or not, their agents, contractors, visitors and/or any other person/s whatsoever. The Meeting attendee shall indemnify and not hold the organisers and associates of the organisers and their subcontractors liable in respect of any cost, claims, demands and expenses as a result of any damage, loss or injury to any person howsoever caused as a result of any act or default of the Meeting Secretariat or a person representing the Meeting Secretariat, its contractors or guests. In addition, the Meeting attendee shall take all necessary precautions to prevent any loss or damage to his/her property with special regard to mobile phones, carry or handbags and computing equipment.