I will not give you a list of the most popular car hire companies in South Africa because popularity and excellent service are not always synonymous. I will tell you what a good car hire agency should be able to do for you and then you can use that information to see whether any particular one meets those criteria.
If you are going to need the car for a period of more than two days then you should be able to get a company that should be able to offer you a cover charge for the period than the usual daily rates and charge per extra km. The longer the period the lower the cover charge should become, that is when compared to the daily rate.
You might also want to know if the cars have any extra features that you are going to need. A good car rental agency will have roof racks for luggage and maybe sports equipment or extra storage facilities. They should be available if you need them even if they might not be for free.
Find out the requirements of having extra drivers included in the lease agreement. Registering extra drivers means paying an extra fee, but since you are leasing the car for a long period extra drivers should be registered for free.
A good car hire agency should be able to arrange your other requirements as well. That is book your flights, tours, cruises and so on. Although this will mean you paying more money. They should be able to tell you clearly the terms and conditions regarding your lease.
Most agencies will either not point out the penalties and conditions of breach of your contract. You need to be aware of them and their implications. Even though I will not list the popular ones I will just mention them quickly Hertz, Avis, Budget and RAV are just some of the more preferred car hire agencies in the country. I suggest you check out one of the following for a good deal:
