The distance between South Africa and the United Kingdom is approximately 9,848 kilometers (6,120 miles) by air travel, which is the shortest distance between the two countries' central locations. The estimated flight time for this distance is around 10.8 to 10.9 hours depending on the flight speed.

If you refer specifically to England (part of the UK) to South Africa, the distance is slightly shorter at about 9,481 kilometers (5,891 miles) with a flight time of about 10.5 hours.

Thus, the general distance between South Africa and the UK is around 9,848 kilometers by air.