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Reference.org
South Africa Standard Time
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<p>South African Standard Time (SAST) is the <a href="/facts/Time_zone/x5JzdlX8">time zone</a> used by all of <a href="/facts/South_Africa/vvXQpLgq">South Africa</a> as well as <a href="/facts/Eswatini/Mfz58p4W">Eswatini</a> and <a href="/facts/Lesotho/gYSatY8p">Lesotho</a>. The zone is two hours ahead of <a href="/facts/UTC/2EnjfSyu">UTC</a> (<a href="/facts/UTC%2B02:00/eNUq15E8">UTC+02:00</a>) and is the same as <a href="/facts/Central_Africa_Time/w8wLnrs8">Central Africa Time</a>. <a href="/facts/Daylight_saving_time/bEWvB1Rt">Daylight saving time</a> is not observed in either time zone. Solar noon in this time zone occurs at <a href="/facts/30th_meridian_east/W2rdcwAX">30° E</a> in SAST, effectively making <a href="/facts/Pietermaritzburg/wg4KSP3P">Pietermaritzburg</a> at the correct solar noon point, with <a href="/facts/Johannesburg/DQd9T8FY">Johannesburg</a> and <a href="/facts/Pretoria/lv4sXKKA">Pretoria</a> slightly west at <a href="/facts/28th_meridian_east/VUPIS0Cc">28° E</a> and <a href="/facts/Durban/ADRqGHGy">Durban</a> slightly east at <a href="/facts/31st_meridian_east/b0KCa68w">31° E</a>. Thus, most of South Africa's population experience true solar noon at approximately 12:00 daily. </p><p>The western <a href="/facts/Northern_Cape/5qcgbAzV">Northern Cape</a> and <a href="/facts/Western_Cape/oGNVWQn5">Western Cape</a> differ, however. Everywhere on land west of 22°30′ E effectively experiences year-round daylight saving time because of its location in true <a href="/facts/UTC%2B01:00/skLayLpg">UTC+01:00</a> but still being in South African Standard Time. Sunrise and sunset are thus relatively late in <a href="/facts/Cape_Town/tFrIG1gz">Cape Town</a>, compared to the rest of the country. </p><p>To illustrate, daylight hours for South Africa's western and easternmost major cities: </p> <table><tbody><tr><th></th><th>Summer solstice</th><th>Winter solstice</th></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/Cape_Town/tFrIG1gz">Cape Town</a></td><td>05:32–19:57</td><td>07:51–17:45</td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/Durban/ADRqGHGy">Durban</a></td><td>04:52–18:56</td><td>06:51–17:04</td></tr></tbody></table> <p>The South African National Time Standard, or 'SA Time' Master Clock, is maintained at the Time and Frequency Laboratory of the National Metrology Institute of South Africa (NMISA) at Pretoria and is distributed publicly by an <a href="/facts/Network_Time_Protocol/vS21KqT5">NTP</a> Internet Time service. </p>