Ringflow
Live carrier coverage · South Africa

South Africa (+27) phone code explained.

The +27 prefix connects Africa's most developed economy — from Johannesburg's financial hub to Cape Town's tech and tourism sectors. Here's the verified South Africa country code, ISO references, live local time, and Ringflow's direct South African routes.

ICASA-aligned routesDial-all-digits numbersSub-second call setup
Calling
LIVE
South Africa
ZA · ZAF · Zone 2
+27
Live route
Pretoria
Time
--:--
Alpha-2
ZA
Alpha-3
ZAF
HD voice signal98%
Ringflow direct routeVerified
South Africa snapshot

South Africa at a glance.

The geography, area codes and SAST time zone you need before placing your first call into South Africa.

South Africa country information

South Africa
Africa
+27
Capital
Pretoria
Region
Africa
Time zone
Africa/Johannesburg
Numbering zone
Zone 2
Code length
2 digits
ISO 3166 codes
ZA · ZAF
Ways to reach South Africa

Every route into South African lines.

Landline, calling card or business VoIP — the +27 prefix reaches all nine provinces. Pick the channel that matches your traffic.

01Classic

Direct calls using landlines & mobile phones

Dial South Africa directly from any landline or mobile by entering your international exit code, then the country code +27, and finally the local number.

02Pre-paid

International calling cards for South Africa

Pre-paid international calling cards remain a convenient, low-cost way to reach South Africa. Each card gives you a PIN and an access number to place global calls.

03Modern

VoIP services for contacting South Africa

VoIP apps like Skype, WhatsApp and Viber — and business VoIP from Ringflow — route calls to South Africa over the internet, usually at far lower rates than traditional carriers.

South Africa profile

What shapes South African voice traffic, province to province.

The fundamentals behind calls to and from South Africa — the +27 code, Pretoria, the single SAST zone and the area-code plan.

Capital
Pretoria
Region
Africa
Time zone
Africa/Johannesburg
Numbering zone
Zone 2
Code length
2 digits
ISO 3166 codes
ZA · ZAF
Dialing South Africa

How to call South Africa.

A South African number is built from four parts. Here's the anatomy and dialling order, including the leading-zero rule.

Number anatomy

Exit prefix++Country code27+Area / mobileXX+Subscriber numberXXX XXX
Final dialled number
+27 XX XXX XXX
Valid E.164
Format follows ITU-T Recommendation E.164 — the international public telecommunication numbering plan.
01Step 1 of 4

Start with the exit prefix

Press + on a mobile (hold the 0 key), or dial 00 from most countries / 011 from North America.

02Step 2 of 4

Add the South Africa code

Dial +27. This identifies South Africa on the global telephone network.

03Step 3 of 4

Enter the area or mobile prefix

Type the first part of the local number. Drop the leading 0 if there is one.

04Step 4 of 4

Finish with the subscriber number

The remaining digits route the call to the specific line in Pretoria or elsewhere.

Need an inbound South Africa number?
Ringflow provisions +27 DIDs and termination through direct carrier interconnects — live in minutes, no contracts.
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FAQ

Calling South Africa, answered.

What businesses and travellers ask most before dialling South Africa on +27.

South Africa's country calling code is +27. Always dial it before the national number when calling from outside South Africa.
Dial your international access prefix (+ on mobile, or 00 / 011 from a landline), then 27, then the South Africa number (drop the leading 0 if it has one).
South Africa uses ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 code ZA and alpha-3 code ZAF.
South Africa is part of the Africa region.
Ringflow provisions inbound DIDs and outbound termination across 120+ countries through 500+ direct carrier interconnects. Contact our wholesale team to confirm live coverage and rates for South Africa.

Connect to South Africa on carrier-grade African routes.

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