How most car hire companies in South Africa work

South African car hire companies offer a host of excellent, top quality vehicles and many options when it comes to hiring a car in South Africa. All the major companies, including the ones I’ve recommended, have car hire depots in Johannesburg, Durban, Cape Town, Port Elizabeth and Namibia. They often have special offers such as a daily rate with unlimited mileage or a certain number of kilometres for free, which can include things like theft and damage waivers, airport surcharges and tourism levies.

Some companies, such as Hertz, offer a chauffeur drive service option too, handy for businessmen who need to navigate the cities without becoming lost. Hertz also has other services, which include a collection and delivery service, computerised driving directions and maps, special vehicles for the physically challenged, and additional equipment such as GPS and child seats, plus the ability to rent a car in one city and drop it off in another.

Europcar has a special rate if you hire a car for more than a month, and a multitude of additional services such as personal accident insurance, which covers you for a nominal fee and has a sizeable payout in the event of an accident. Europcar also offers waivers for car theft and damages, and the option to have a prepaid WiFi so you’re never cut off from the internet – a good option for businessmen.

Tempest Car Hire is in the affordable car rental business, with a vehicle fleet that ranges from people carriers to economy vehicles and just about everything else. As an economical option, Tempest suits those who wish to save with a budget vehicle rental in order to have more cash to spend on other things – like game parks or curio shopping. Their service is high quality, however, meeting the standards set by the South African Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association.