Best way to send money UK->SA

Factual Questions
1

I would like to send a friend in South Africa some money (or “cheque”). Of course, I want to send Rand, and I’d like it to arrive safely, and preferably cheaply.

Speaking to my bank (the RBS), they have several transfer-types, none of which are anything like cheap (£17 being the minimum), and all requiring that I know bank account details of the recipient, which I don’t (and don’t want to ask for either).

This must happen all the time. Really I just want to be able to purchase a crossed-check in SARand. Anyone know the “best” way?

2

I’m of no help. The only reason that I’m posting is to say that I think that not having account details for the other person is, at the very least, going to increase you risk significantly (lost in mail etc.).

3

I can’t give details of South Africa, but I just deposited a British cheque in my American checking account this morning. They didn’t charge me a penny. Why not ask your friend if his bank will accept foreign cheques?

Alas, PayPal isn’t accepted in South Africa, so that won’t work.

4

Thanks, I guess this isn’t as common as I suggested.

Tapioca Dextrin, was that a cheque written in pounds sterling or US dollars? (I’m pretty sure that RBS won’t let me write a cheque in SA rand.)

5

It was a british cheque in pounds. I was pretty surprised.

6

I hope your friend is not a deposed monarch, looking to launder a large some of cash through an offshore ban account.

7

Can’t comment on SA, but I used to deposit US cheques in dollars into my UK account all the time. There was a small charge for the handling on the UK end, but much less than wire-transfer fees. It could take a couple weeks for the cheque to clear but if time isn’t an issue this may be your best bet. Have your friend ask about it at the bank.

8

Unless you have a crappy bank like Barclays who ‘misplaced’ a USD cheque for a few grand earlier in the year so it took 4 months to get the money. And I still haven’t had a response to my official complaint…

But I digress. I have sent money from the UK to friends in Australia via a MoneyGram. You don’t need to know their bank account, you arrange it at any post office and nominate a pick-up point for your friend to collect it (usually a Thomas Cook office).

From memory it’s slightly cheaper than a bank transfer.

9

Not telling (apparently it’s very important that I don’t discuss it with anyone, so shh!). Anyway, the ex-queen of South Africa sounds so trustworthy (and the poor thing is in such dire straits that her keyboard’s CAPS-LOCK has jammed).

Thanks all, for the info.