Mission directory
LDS Missions in South Africa
There are currently 5 active missions in South Africa. Explore where each one is based, the local time, the climate and what to do next if you have been called there.
Missions in South Africa
Every mission below links to its own page, with that mission’s map, local time, current weather, climate and preparation guides.
- South Africa Cape Town MissionCape Town, Western Cape, South AfricaView mission
- South Africa Durban MissionDurban, KwaZulu-Natal, South AfricaView mission
- South Africa East London MissionEast London, Eastern Cape, South AfricaView mission
- South Africa Johannesburg MissionJohannesburg, Gauteng, South AfricaView mission
- South Africa Pretoria MissionPretoria, Gauteng, South AfricaView mission
About LDS missions in South Africa
There are currently 5 active LDS missions based in South Africa, in 5 cities across 4 regions. Those cities are spread about 1,250 km (800 miles) from Cape Town in the west to Durban in the east and about 1,300 km (800 miles) from Pretoria in the north to Cape Town in the south. The South Africa Pretoria Mission is based in Pretoria, the national capital.
Every mission city is south of the equator, so the calendar seasons run the opposite way to the northern hemisphere: December to February is summer and June to August is winter. Mission cities range from near sea level at Durban (21 m / 69 ft) to Johannesburg at 1,767 m (5,797 ft).
Missionaries serve across areas set by their mission, which can reach well beyond the city the mission is based in, and they are transferred between those areas during a mission.
Local time in South Africa
Every mission in South Africa keeps Africa/Johannesburg. The clock below is live, and follows daylight saving where it applies.
Africa/Johannesburg
Africa/Johannesburg
Cape Town, Durban, East London, Johannesburg, Pretoria
Missionary Tracker shows this clock next to your missionary, so nobody at home has to work out whether it is a reasonable hour to write.
Climate and seasons in South Africa
Mission cities in South Africa fall into 4 Köppen climate classes, so conditions are not the same across the country.
The most common are humid subtropical (Cfa), covering 2 missions including Durban and East London, warm-summer mediterranean (Csb), covering 1 mission including Cape Town and monsoon-influenced humid subtropical (Cwa), covering 1 mission including Pretoria.
Across those cities, the warmest monthly average high is 28 °C (82 °F) in Durban during February, and the coolest monthly average low is 1 °C (34 °F) in Johannesburg during July.
Humid subtropical (Cfa)
Hot, humid summers and mild winters, with rain spread across the year.
Durban, East London
Warm-summer Mediterranean (Csb)
Warm, dry summers and mild, wet winters.
Cape Town
Monsoon-influenced humid subtropical (Cwa)
Hot, wet summers and noticeably drier, milder winters.
Pretoria
Subtropical highland (Cwb)
Mild temperatures year-round from the altitude, with a wet summer and a markedly drier winter.
Johannesburg
Always use your Missionary Portal and your mission’s own “what to bring” instructions when deciding what clothing or equipment to pack. This describes the weather, not what to take.
Languages
The languages most widely used across South Africa are English, Afrikaans, South Ndebele and Southern Sotho, alongside 6 further languages in regular use.
- English
- Afrikaans
- South Ndebele
- Southern Sotho
This describes the country, not the assignment. The language a missionary is called to speak is set by the Church and stated in the call itself — it can differ from the languages above, and missionaries serving in the same country are not always assigned the same one.
Preparing to serve in South Africa
If you have received a mission call to South Africa, begin with the instructions in your Missionary Portal and the mission’s own letter — those are the only sources that speak for your mission. These guides cover the practical side nobody sends you: the paperwork, the shopping, the packing and the last weeks at home.
LDS Mission Preparation Checklist: Everything to Do Before You Leave
The whole runway in one place — from the year before you submit a recommendation to the morning you leave for the MTC.
Read the guideMission CallWhat to Do After Receiving Your Mission Call
The call answers where and when. This is the order to do everything that follows, starting with the parts that have deadlines.
Read the guidePackingLDS Missionary Packing List
Everything worth packing, in the order you should buy it, and the things most missionaries wish they had left at home.
Read the guideMTCWhat to Bring to the MTC
The quick answer first, then the detail: what you actually need on arrival day and what can stay in the suitcase.
Read the guideVisa and travel arrangements for South Africa are handled through your Missionary Portal and the Church’s travel office. Follow their instructions rather than any third-party summary, including this one.
Printable South Africa countdown map
Turn the mission length into a free printable countdown map of South Africa, with one numbered square for each mission day to colour in.
Create a Countdown MapCalled to serve in South Africa?
Find your mission above, then set it up before you leave. Add your mission and your dates to Missionary Tracker so your family has one private place to follow your countdown, current serving area and updates once your mission begins.
Free on iPhone and Android. Profiles are shared by join code, not published anywhere.
Already know your mission dates? Create a free mission countdown
Looking for a mission somewhere else? Browse the full LDS mission directory.
Mission boundaries, assignments and instructions change; always use current information from the Church and your Missionary Portal.