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CREDIT CARD INFO FOR DRIVE AFRICA CAR RENTAL

 

Credit card needed to rent a car in South Africa

To rent a car in South Africa or Southern Africa you need to produce a credit card when picking up your car to hold the refundable deposit! The renter of the vehicle must be the owner of his/her own credit card in his/her name. The renter with the credit card and a valid driver’s licence becomes the main renter whose name will appear on the car rental contract. He or she may not use someone else’s credit card even with that person’s permission as that would be deemed fraud. If a second person is accompanying the main driver (who does not own a credit card) but they do not own a drivers licence but own a credit card, this credit card cannot be used to secure the vehicle.  Debit cards whether linked to credit cards or not and cash as deposit cannot be used to secure a car rental. Prepaid credit cards are also not acceptable to rental companies. If you don’t own a credit card in your name with numbers embossed on card (standing proud) you need to choose, a cash or a debit car rental from our website use links shown below! Payment for the rental portion only can be done using your own or other peoples credit cards or debit cards on the secure payment link that will be sent to you, or a Bank Transfer or cash payment paid directly into our bank account and this does not have to come from the main driver that is mentioned on contract whose credit card will be used for the security deposit to collect the vehicle.You will have to apply for a credit card before arriving in South Africa if you want to rent a car and don’t already own one.

Why do car rental companies only want real credit cards to hire a car?

The first reason is to establish some kind of background on the renter. Only renters that have a bank account and are in good standing, have a permanent postal address where statements can be sent to, are issued credit cards by their specific banks. Issuing someone with a credit card defines that they are able to make regular payments to their credit card account thus qualifying them to own a credit card and having a permanent address and are in good standing with their bank. These people are entrusted to rent cars (which are very expensive items) from car rental companies in South and Southern Africa also applies to most other countries in the world.

Another reason why real credit cards are needed to rent a car is that when the car is rented and collected by the driver an imprint is taken on the card and only a holding deposit is authorised and blocked on the card. This is only possible where credit card details are embossed, the numbers standing proud so that the paper can make an imprint of the card. It is also not possible to put a hold for a deposit using a debit card or prepaid credit card. Rental companies don’t want to take the deposit money on the credit card or prepaid card which they later have to refund if no accident or traffic fine was incurred and would have to make Bank transfers into the persons private bank account to which they would have to obtain all the private banking details which would be very time consuming and impractical when dealing with thousands of renters. Any electronic tolls that are passed under during a rental the costs will be debited to the credit card up to 2 months after the return of the vehicle. This taking of money is not possible with a debit card and the rental company would never see their money.

We can help you with cash or debit card car rental but only for smaller normal cars not 4×4 or campers in Cape Town, Johannesburg and Durban if you don’t own a credit card or only have a prepaid credit card and want to pay the deposit for your rental car here you can use a debit card, pre-paid credit card cash or even a bank transfer. Most cash car rentals do not allow cross border rentals though.
You need to go to cash car hire Cape Town  , cash car hire Johannesburg or cash car hire Durban (no credit card) and send off a request for a car of your choice in those cities with the links given here.

© Drive Africa (Pty) Ltd 2016

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

The rates include unlimited kilometers for 4 days and longer and you can choose between standard or super insurance. The super-cover insurance is full comprehensive cover in South Africa with excess as mentioned under detailed rates when crossing the borders into the neighboring countries the standard insurance excess applies. The rental company take the standard excess amount as a deposit when you pick up the car. Should you take super insurance they only hold  a R x amount – deposit which is stated under detailed rates as a security and fuel deposit. If you take standard insurance you will be liable for the applicable excess and in South Africa this means even if the accident is not your fault you will be liable and will pay a deposit for the excess amount plus a fuel deposit. See insurance options further down.

KILOMETERS / MILES allowed:

Rates include unlimited kilometers/unlimited mileage for both Standard & Super cover insurance for 4 days and longer.

RENTAL LENGTH:

Rental days are calculated in 24 hour cycles. Should you return the car later than the time that it was collected; an extra day will be added to rental and deducted from your credit card. Extension or upgrades/downgrades of rental must be done through Drive Africa or the rental companies higher cost/rack rates will apply.

 

UNDER 23, under 21:

With the standard insurance and super insurance a fee of R250.once off will be charged

INCLUDED in Rental:

Value Added Tax:  (VAT)

Theft waiver with excess on standard and super insurance

Collision damage waiver with excess on standard and super insurance

Young driver (at least 18 years old, driver’s license must be valid 1 year or older)

Second driver (250)

3 and 4^th driver payment once-off of R250.- per driver (not per day)

EXCLUDED (to be billed directly to renter – depending on the insurance option):

Contract fee R 70.-.-(applicable for standard and super insurance cover)

Insurance options how they are covered:

Standard insurance cover: Choosing Standard cover insurance comes “With an Excess” to pay and is your maximum liability in case of damage, accident or theft. If the damage is lower than the excess you are only liable for the amount of the damage plus a small admin claim handling fee. Insurance excess ranges from R6000.- to R25 000.– This insurance option includes travel across the borders of South Africa with the excess doubling whilst driving outside of South Africa. Any third party claim damage to other car is covered with this option. The social third party liability insurance for injury to drivers and passengers whilst driving in South Africa is covered by law through the RAF the government Rroad Aaccident Fund and is paid through a levy added to the petrol price.  So when taking Standard Insurance (with excess) you have an excess according to the excess amount shown in the table referring to the car group you have chosen and will have to leave a deposit according to the value of the car for that amount when collecting your car plus a fuel security deposit from R 4000.–.to R 10 000.– Should you be in an accident and even if it was not your fault you will still be liable for the full excess amount plus an admin fee as 75% of all drivers on the roads in Southern Africa are not insured. Your tyres, wheel rims and hubcaps as well as windscreen are not covered while driving throughout South Africa but can be added at R38. per day in South Africa and outside South Africa just wheels and tyres at R38 per day and windscreen separate at another R38.per day.

Super insurance cover: Choosing Super cover insurance you have “a small Excess” which means that you will be fully comprehensively insured against accident damage and theft including damage to another car. You have samll excess liability ranging from R2000.-
to R8000.-(except when travelling outside South Africa’s borders the excess of the standard insurance applies) This insurance option includes travel across the borders of South Africa with the excess being the equivalent to the standard insurance cover excess amount once you have left the borders of South Africa. Any third party claim damage to other car in South Africa and in bordering country is covered with the standard cover excess.. The social third party liability insurance for injury to drivers and passengers while driving in South Africa is covered by law through the RAF government Rroad Aaccident Fund and is paid through a levy added to the petrol price. You will only be required to leave a fuel and security deposit from  R 2000. to R8000.- authorised on your credit card as security when renting a vehicle with super insurance and the equivalent of the standard cover excess if driving outside of South Africa..Your tyres, wheel rims and hubcaps as well as windscreen are not covered while driving throughout South Africa but can be added at R38. per day in South Africa and outside South Africa just wheels and tyres at R38 per day and windscreen separate at another R38.per day.

NB: With Excess & No Excess all becomes null & void if negligence is proven !!

Refundable deposit of R 1000. – refunded if car is returned undamaged and filled to the brim with fuel.

Refundable excess deposit as per the chosen vehicle

Vehicle excess / Liability (applicable for standard and super cover  doubling when driving across border. On super cover insurance the standard excess applies when travelling outside South Africa.

Windscreen and Tyre damage can be purchased for driving in South Africa or when driving outside the borders of South Africa

Accident/Fine administration fee – R 500 per incident

Negligence, abuse, undercarriage and water damage to vehicles not covered.

Baby Seat: R 250.–

GPS: costs R60.- per day and has a holding deposit to cover the equipment rented.

ONE WAY FEES:
One Way fees: From branch to branch within SA UNDER 1000 km’s = R 800.–

One Way fees: From branch to branch within SA OVER 1000 km’s = R 1500.–

Windhoek to South Africa or Vice Versa (Branches Only) R 5000.–

COUNTRIES/BORDER CROSSING:

Vehicles are only allowed to drive to these countries: Namibia, Mozambique, Botswana, Swaziland, and Lesotho – however no luxury vehicles are permitted. Vehicles crossing to Zimbabwe are only permitted to Victoria Falls, no further and enter from Kasane Botswana and can also travel into Zambia but only permitted to Livingstone no further !. Both these countries have to be entered and exited via Botswana.

Should you want to travel throughout Zimbabwe use this link: Car hire to Zimbabwe

Cross border letter must be advised at time of booking with list of countries you intend to travel to. Border crossing is charged at R 1500. – per country make sure renter is issued with copy of vehicle registration papers.

Mozambique requires the purchase of a reflective jacket 2 per vehicle.

Driver buys third party insurance at the border (Mozambican side) cost around R250.- Insurance companies are represented opposite customs.

All passengers go through normal immigration and the driver is responsible for completing and processing the temporary import paper on the Mozambican side form is free obtained from Mozambican customs.

Driver’s responsibility to ensure that ZA sticker or in case of hiring from Namibia the NAM sticker is stuck on rear of the vehicle and a second red triangle also needs to be in vehicle which is the renters responsibility.

The renter is liable for all fees/taxes charged at the borders.

Renter needs to request the copy of vehicle papers from Rental Company (order from Drive Africa) prior to departure during office hours and get the Cross border letter and 1 red emergency triangle.

Excluded from cover when travelling across borders into neighbouring countries are

(a) Impounding of the vehicles by border officials or customs.

(b) Parts stripped from the vehicle whilst left unguarded at the scene of an accident or whilst in transit back to Republic of South Africa (RSA) .

(c)   Damage to Tyre’s, rims auto glass unless extra insurance purchased. Water and under carriage damage is never included.

PLEASE NOTE: An International driver’s licence is highly recommended for cross border rentals!

Drivers licence: South Africa Government transport legislation says that the renter must be in possession of a driver’s license in English or the licence needs to be accompanied with an official English translation or an international drivers licence. South African rental companies will however rent you a car using your national drivers licence. Only the main driver with a valid driver’s licence and his/her own credit card can collect the vehicle. No prepaid credit cards, debit cards or credit cards in other people’s names can be used to collect the vehicle.

If vehicle is excessively dirty on return a full cleaning /valet will be charged.

Park your car in well lit areas. Please keep valuables out of sight and remove radio face where possible. Do not leave vehicles unattended or open.

The rental company , in its sole and absolute discretion, reserves the right to entertain a third party claim, any breach of the terms and conditions contained in the rental  agreement, by the renter will result in the Renter being deemed fully liable for all third party claims occurring as a result thereof.

Open road tolling fees are for the renters account and will be deducted from the authorised credit card deposit that is held.

The rental fee must be paid to Drive Africa in advance so we can issue a prepaid car rental voucher to pick up your vehicle from the rental company. 

All other fees pertaining to the rental shown on contract are to be paid on pick up of vehicle.

Upgrades or extensions to be authorised through Drive Africa otherwise higher daily

public/rack rates apply.

Early returns will be done with a full refund according to the rate that applies for the number of days the vehicle was taken when at least 48 hours notice has been given to Drive Africa and a once-off admin fee of R250. will be charged and deducted from the refund that is due.

*Terms and Conditions subject to change without notice.

© Drive Africa (Pty) Ltd 2017

INSURANCE:

What does standard cover insurance with excess mean?

Standard insurance cover: Choosing Standard cover insurance comes “With an Excess” to pay and is your maximum liability in case of damage, accident or theft. If the damage is lower than the excess you are only liable for the amount of the damage plus a small admin claim handling fee. Insurance excess ranges from R5000.- to R10 000.– This insurance option includes travel across the borders of South Africa with the excess doubling whilst driving outside of South Africa. Any third party claim damage to other car is covered with this option. The social third party liability insurance for injury to drivers and passengers whilst driving in South Africa is covered by law through the RAF the government Road Accident Fund and is paid through a levy added to the petrol price.  So when taking Standard Insurance (with excess) you have an excess according to the excess amount shown in the table referring to the car group you have chosen and will have to leave a deposit according to the value of the car for that amount when collecting your car plus a fuel security deposit of R1000.–. Should you be in an accident and even if it was not your fault you will still be liable for the full excess amount plus an admin fee as 75% of all drivers on the roads in Southern Africa are not insured. Your tyres, wheel rims and hubcaps as well as windscreen are not covered while driving throughout South Africa and you pay a contract fee of R100.-(This is all included and covered when taking super cover insurance.) If you are under the age of 21 you will also pay an underage surcharge of R 200. which is free with Super insurance.

What does super insurance cover mean ?

Super insurance cover: Choosing Super cover insurance you have “No Excess” which means that you will be fully comprehensively insured against accident damage and theft including damage to another car. You have no excess liability whatsoever(except when travelling outside South Africa’s borders) excluding a small admin handling fee only if something happens to the car regardless if the accident was your fault or not. This insurance option includes travel across the borders of South Africa with the excess being the equivalent to the standard insurance cover excess amount once you have left the borders of South Africa. Any third party claim damage to other car in South Africa and in bordering country is covered with the standard cover excess.. The social third party liability insurance for injury to drivers and passengers while driving in South Africa is covered by law through the RAF government Road Accident Fund and is paid through a levy added to the petrol price. This super insurance also covers the contract fee, includes a second driver at no charge, free baby seat and covers extra insurance for damage to tyre wheel and rim as well as hubcap and windscreen whilst driving in South Africa. We regret this extra insurance is not afforded to travel outside the borders of South Africa. It does include the underage surcharge if you are under 21 years of age. You will only be required to leave a fuel and security deposit of  R 1000. – authorised on your credit card as security when renting a vehicle with super insurance and the equivalent of the standard cover excess if driving outside of South Africa..

NB: With Excess & No Excess all becomes null & void if negligence is proven ! !

© Drive Africa (Pty) Ltd 2016