Film fixer in South Africa — Filming permits and locations From Cape Town to Kruger, and on across the border

I offer full fixer and production services in South Africa: permits, locations, crew, kit and logistics, whether South Africa is the whole shoot or the first leg of a route north into Zimbabwe and beyond.

Film permitsCity and municipal offices
ParksSANParks, per park
KitATA carnets accepted
DronesSACAA Part 101

At a glance — South Africa

The short answer

South Africa has no single national filming permit. Public spaces are permitted by city and municipal film offices, national parks by SANParks, and drones by the civil aviation authority under strict commercial rules. It works with ATA carnets.

Services: Full fixer and production service in South Africa: permits, locations, crew, transport, accommodation and logistics
Streets and public spaces: City and municipal film offices, such as the City of Cape Town Film Permit Office
Lead time: Simple permits in days; allow at least two weeks for closures and large set-ups
National parks: SANParks permits for each park, sometimes with a city permit too
Drones: South African Civil Aviation Authority: licensed pilot and operator certificate
Equipment: ATA carnets accepted; the region’s main rental hub
Crew visas: Visa requirements depend on nationality; apply early

Last reviewed 8 October 2026. Field figures are indicative and confirmed at recce. Rules and lead times change, and I check them for every production.

Cape Town

The country — Mountains, coast and cities

Why crews film in South Africa

South Africa has one of the deepest production industries on the continent: rental houses, studios, experienced crews and long-haul flights into Cape Town and Johannesburg. It has mountains, coast, cities and some of the most accessible wildlife filming anywhere.

I work there as fixer and producer for international crews: permits from the city film offices and SANParks, location scouting, local crew, vehicles and the logistics in between. And when the story carries on north into Zimbabwe, Botswana, Zambia or Mozambique, the same production keeps going with the same person.

Permission — Who signs

Filming permits in South Africa

There is no single national filming permit. Filming in streets, on pavements and in public buildings is permitted by the local authority: the City of Cape Town Film Permit Office, for example, issues citywide permits for simple work and asks for at least two weeks for road closures and large set-ups. Johannesburg and other municipalities have their own offices.

National parks such as Kruger and Table Mountain need SANParks permission, issued after an impact assessment and payment, and some Cape Town locations need a city permit as well. Provincial reserves and private reserves have their own rules, and private reserves are often the more flexible option for wildlife work.

Drones are tightly regulated by the South African Civil Aviation Authority. Commercial flying needs an approved aircraft, a licensed remote pilot and an operator certificate, so aerials are usually done by a local licensed operator. Equipment can travel on an ATA carnet.

Locations — The South African leg

Filming locations in South Africa

The places international crews ask for most.

Cape Town

Mountain and sea

Table Mountain, the Atlantic coast and the Winelands, with a mature film permit system.

Johannesburg

The city of gold

Townships, mining heritage and a skyline, and the main air gateway to the region.

Kruger

The big park

Classic wildlife filming, with private reserves alongside for more flexibility.

Drakensberg

The mountains

Basalt walls, rock art and high grassland.

Going north — Across the border

Taking a production from South Africa into the region

From Johannesburg, Harare, Victoria Falls, Bulawayo, Lusaka and Maputo are each a short flight away, and Beitbridge is the main road border into Zimbabwe. The kit that leaves South Africa on a carnet needs a different arrangement in countries that do not use one, and that is where most regional shoots lose time.

Send me the route and the kit list, and I will tell you which borders need what, and in which order the permits must be lodged. See regional shoots and the Zimbabwe filming permits guide.

Questions — Asked most often

What producers ask first

Short answers to the questions that arrive in nearly every brief. For anything specific to your production, ask me directly.

Do you offer fixer services in South Africa?

Yes. I offer the same fixer and production service in South Africa as in Zimbabwe: filming permits and accreditation, location scouting, local crew, transport, accommodation and on-the-ground logistics, for film, documentary, news and commercial crews. You can hire me for a shoot in South Africa alone, or as part of a route across several countries.

Do you need a permit to film in South Africa?

There is no single national permit. Public spaces need permits from city or municipal film offices, national parks need SANParks permission, and drones need civil aviation approval.

How long does a Cape Town film permit take?

Simple citywide permits are quick, but allow at least two weeks for road closures and large set-ups.

Can you fly a drone in South Africa?

Commercial drone work needs an approved aircraft, a licensed remote pilot and an operator certificate from the South African Civil Aviation Authority, so it is usually done by a local licensed operator.

Can you take equipment from South Africa into Zimbabwe and other countries?

Yes, with planning. South Africa, Botswana and Namibia work with ATA carnets; other countries need temporary import arranged at each border, with the kit list matching at every crossing.

Field notes — Plan the route

Pair it with

Distances in Zimbabwe are long, so the locations you put together matter as much as the ones you pick. These sit well alongside this one.

Next — Your project

Send the brief and the dates

Tell me what you want to shoot here and when. You will get a straight answer on the permissions, the timing and the cost before you book anything.

Request a quote Regional shoots