Explore 3 verified weird and obscure laws from South Africa, each fact-checked and sourced.
The claim that Johannesburg has a municipal bylaw making it illegal to use more than a certain number of plastic bags per shopping transaction is false. No such law exists at any level of South African government.
The claim that South Africa has a national law specifically making it illegal to whistle at or catcall women in public, punishable by a fine up to 1,000 Rand, is false. No such statute exists at the national or any known municipal level.
South Africa genuinely prohibits using municipal drinking water for car washing and lawn/garden irrigation during drought-triggered water restrictions, and violators can be fined. However, the widely cited 'up to 1 million rand' fine significantly overstates what typical residential or commercial offenders face — spot fines start at R1,000, with prosecution leading to up to R10,000–R12,000 for repeat offenders under municipal by-laws.
