Full List: 10 African countries whose citizens can visit South Africa visa-free for 30 days

• Citizens of 10 African countries can enter South Africa without a visa for up to 30 days, according to the country's official visa exemption policy.

• The eligible countries are Benin, Cape Verde, Gabon, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles and Eswatini.

• Travellers from countries not on the exemption list must obtain a South African visa before travelling, while special entry rules also apply to commercial truck drivers from selected neighbouring countries.

The visa-free arrangement, published by South Africa's Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO), applies to holders of ordinary national passports and travel documents from eligible countries. Travellers may enter South Africa for tourism, business, family visits or transit without first securing a visa, as long as they remain in the country for no more than 30 days.

Benin

Cape Verde

Gabon

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Lesotho

Malawi

Mauritius

Mozambique

Namibia

Seychelles

Eswatini

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The exemption allows eligible travellers to enter through any authorised South African port of entry without a prior visa, provided they meet immigration requirements and do not exceed the permitted length of stay.

Beyond Africa, South Africa extends similar visa-free access to nationals of several other countries through bilateral agreements. These include Malaysia, Jordan, South Korea, Barbados and Hungary, among others.

South Africa also operates a separate visa exemption for commercial heavy-duty vehicle drivers from selected neighbouring countries.

Drivers from Eswatini, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and Malawi may enter the country without a visa for up to 15 days, provided they carry a letter from their employer confirming that they work for a recognised transport company.

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Commercial truck drivers from Zimbabwe benefit from a slightly different arrangement, allowing them to stay in South Africa for up to 30 days under the same conditions.

However, the exemption does not apply to foreign drivers transporting goods on behalf of South African transport companies. In such cases, a valid South African work permit is required before entry, irrespective of the driver's nationality.

Travellers whose countries are not covered by South Africa's visa exemption policy must obtain the appropriate visa through a South African embassy or consulate before travelling.