Unit Conversion Guide for South Africans: Metric, Imperial & More
By Emmanuel Nyoni · 8 min read · Updated April 2026
South Africa officially uses the metric system, but many sectors still reference imperial measurements — especially when working with American suppliers, imported vehicles, US recipes, or international clients. This guide covers the most useful conversions for South African professionals, tradespeople, property agents, and everyday life.
Length and Distance
| Metric | Imperial / US | Formula |
|---|---|---|
| 1 kilometre (km) | 0.621 miles | km × 0.621371 |
| 1 metre (m) | 3.281 feet / 39.37 inches | m × 3.28084 |
| 1 centimetre (cm) | 0.394 inches | cm × 0.393701 |
| 1 millimetre (mm) | 0.0394 inches | mm × 0.0393701 |
| 1 mile | 1.609 km | miles × 1.60934 |
| 1 foot | 0.305 m / 30.48 cm | ft × 0.3048 |
| 1 inch | 2.54 cm | in × 2.54 |
Common uses: Google Maps shows kilometres, but American clients or US-purchased GPS devices may show miles. Speed limits on SA roads are in km/h; imported vehicles from the US may have mph speedometers. Screen sizes are still quoted in inches (27-inch monitor = 68.6 cm).
Weight and Mass
| Metric | Imperial / US | Formula |
|---|---|---|
| 1 kilogram (kg) | 2.205 pounds (lb) | kg × 2.20462 |
| 1 gram (g) | 0.0353 ounces (oz) | g × 0.035274 |
| 1 metric tonne | 2,205 lb / 1.102 US tons | tonne × 2204.62 |
| 1 pound (lb) | 0.454 kg | lb × 0.453592 |
| 1 ounce (oz) | 28.35 g | oz × 28.3495 |
| 1 stone (st) | 6.35 kg / 14 lb | st × 6.35029 |
Common uses: US recipes list ingredients in pounds and ounces; SA cooking uses grams. Online shopping from US stores lists product weights in pounds. Body weight in the UK is often discussed in stone. Mining and agriculture often reference metric tonnes.
Temperature
| Celsius | Fahrenheit | Formula |
|---|---|---|
| 0°C (freezing) | 32°F | (°C × 9/5) + 32 = °F |
| 20°C (comfortable) | 68°F | °F − 32 × 5/9 = °C |
| 37°C (body temp) | 98.6°F | — |
| 100°C (boiling) | 212°F | — |
Common uses: US weather apps show Fahrenheit. International medical references may use Fahrenheit. Oven temperatures in American recipes are always Fahrenheit (350°F = 177°C, 400°F = 204°C, 450°F = 232°C).
Area
| Metric | Imperial / US | Formula |
|---|---|---|
| 1 hectare (ha) | 2.471 acres | ha × 2.47105 |
| 1 square metre (m²) | 10.764 sq feet | m² × 10.7639 |
| 1 acre | 0.405 ha / 4,047 m² | acres × 0.404686 |
| 1 square km | 0.386 sq miles | km² × 0.386102 |
Common uses: South African property and agricultural land is listed in hectares and square metres. Deeds office documents use hectares. American agricultural references use acres. Floor area of houses is in square metres in SA but square feet in the US (1 m² = 10.76 sq ft — so a 150 m² home is about 1,615 sq ft).
Volume and Capacity
| Metric | Imperial / US | Formula |
|---|---|---|
| 1 litre (L) | 0.264 US gallons | L × 0.264172 |
| 1 litre | 0.220 UK gallons | L × 0.219969 |
| 1 millilitre (mL) | 0.034 fl oz | mL × 0.033814 |
| 1 US gallon | 3.785 L | gal × 3.78541 |
| 1 US cup | 237 mL | cups × 236.588 |
| 1 tablespoon (US) | 14.8 mL | tbsp × 14.7868 |
Common uses: Fuel economy on imported American vehicles is in miles per gallon (mpg); SA uses litres per 100 km. To convert mpg to L/100km: divide 235.2 by the mpg figure. US recipes use cups and tablespoons; SA uses mL and grams.
Pressure (Tyre Pressure)
| kPa | PSI | Bar |
|---|---|---|
| 100 kPa | 14.5 PSI | 1 bar |
| 200 kPa | 29.0 PSI | 2 bar |
| 220 kPa | 31.9 PSI | 2.2 bar |
| 240 kPa | 34.8 PSI | 2.4 bar |
| 260 kPa | 37.7 PSI | 2.6 bar |
Common uses: South African petrol station pressure gauges use kPa. Many imported vehicles (especially European) specify tyre pressure in bar. American vehicle manuals specify PSI. Formula: kPa ÷ 6.895 = PSI. Most SA passenger car tyres are inflated to 200–240 kPa (29–35 PSI).
Digital Storage
| Unit | Equal To |
|---|---|
| 1 Kilobyte (KB) | 1,024 Bytes |
| 1 Megabyte (MB) | 1,024 KB |
| 1 Gigabyte (GB) | 1,024 MB |
| 1 Terabyte (TB) | 1,024 GB |
Common uses: Mobile data in South Africa is sold in MB and GB. WhatsApp profile photos are limited in size. Email attachments typically have a 25 MB limit. Understanding these units helps you manage your data plan and device storage effectively.
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