VAT (Value Added Tax) in South Africa is a whopping 13% so if you decide to do any shopping there, keep these things in mind so that you can apply for a VAT refund before you leave South Africa:-

1) Keep all the original receipts for goods purchased. Take note — goods only. There’s no refund on VAT for food, services or entrance tickets. So if you’ve bought any Lego toys, Clarks shoes or Samsonite luggage, keep the receipts in a safe place. Please take note that you can only apply for a VAT refund if your total purchases exceed R 250.00 (i.e. the total value of all the invoices submitted and is not a minimum value per invoice).

2) Go to the VAT Refund Counter at the airport BEFORE checking in. This is because the officers need to see the goods that you bought. Hint: In Capetown, the VAT Refund Counter is hidden behind the check-in counters and can be easily overlooked.

3) Hand the receipts and your passport to the officer at the counter.

4) Decide whether to get the refund in the form of a cheque or to be credited to your credit card account.

5) Check the details on the form, sign on it and you’re done! Now you can check-in for your flight.

In Johannesburg, right next to the VAT Refund Office is an exchange counter where you can get your cheque cashed. However, the rates are not favourable plus their charges are quite high. Worse, once you get the cheque converted into cash to be spent on any of the duty-free items at the shops, you’d still have to pay for VAT for your purchases, which are all extremely expensive anyway.

The bottomline? Capetown, generally speaking, is not a good place for shopping.

For more information, here is the official website on VAT refunds for tourists: http://www.taxrefunds.co.za.