Malaria tablets necessary in South Africa?

[oldmegan]

What is the up to date thinking on the necessity of taking malaria tablets for a tour of South Africa? We are going in October, starting in Johannesburg, travelling east and then down the coast to Cape Town. If we need them, what are the best ones to take, with the least side effects, please? Thanks in advance.

[redman41]

Consult your Doctor if you are allergic to Malaria Tablets and he can advise you accordingly.If you are going to visit the Kruger National Park for e.g where there is Malaria then it's best to be safe than sorry and take the necessary precautions.
Also your Travel Agents might be able to give you some advice regarding your health needs, but the route you seem to be taking is largely Malaria free.
The site Zacsmaster has given you should be useful.

[KARL]

I have spent many years in malarial areas and have previously aired my views on malaria tablets on AB. Malaria tablets are only ever taken by visitors, not the indigenous population. No malaria tablets guarantee you will not get malaria, for limited protection they need to be taken well before entry into the area and also after leaving. Many people fail to meet the usage criteria so the whole effort has very questionable value except in effect as a placebo. I never got malaria nor did my family living with me or people visiting us, none of whom took any tablets. It is far more effective to take rigorous precautions against being pierced by a mosquito (far from all of which are malarial). Do this by using repellents around head, neck, wrists, ankles and all other exposed skin or where clothing is tight against it, if out after dusk and before dawn and in any public areas indoors (restaurants, lobbies, etc. Use insect spray (original Baygon is the best) in your sleeping quarters overnight and at dusk spray a strip around windows and doors plus under all furniture and ceiling corners. If a net is available then use it (we never had one except once at a safari lodge), impregnated is best. Keep windows and doors closed between dusk and dawn. The tropics, etc. do harbour potentially dangerous diseases, among the worst of which have to do with food and water. UK medics will insist you take all sorts and get injections on top but this is mostly from ignorance and ingrained contempt for the idiot public - being informed and acting sensibly is far better than loading your system with chemicals. Watch out for cold or other symptoms in the 4-6 weeks after return, urgently consult doctor and explain where you have been.

[sqad617]

Great answer by Karl and I agree entirely.

[buildersmate]

Agree with Karl and the only malarial-carrying mossies are found around the north-east low-lying areas of SA. By the time you get half-way to Durban you will have left them behind anyway.