Other Middle East and Africa Frequent Flyer Programs - JNB Transit Question

I arrive at 21:15 into JNB on EK and my connecting flight is SA170 to LLW which departs the next morning at around 10:00. I will have checked my luggage through to LLW as EK and SAA have an interline agreement. I will have two seperate PNR's so wont be able to check in from my origin (MAN).

My question is will I be able to check in (collect my boarding pass) at one of the SAA desks at the transfer lounge 12 hours prior to the flight?

I am planning on checking in to the Protea transit hotel which is located after security. From previous experience a boarding pass is required to pass the security checkpoint.

I have been through JNB many times recently and I don't believe there is a Protea Hotel that is past security in the airport terminal. There is a new Protea Hotel at the edge of the JNB Airport that opened in 2010, but it requires you to take a shuttle from the terminal building. I would suggest taking you baggage with you to the hotel and then re-checking the next morning with SAA.

I have been through JNB many times recently and I don't believe there is a Protea Hotel that is past security in the airport terminal. There is a new Protea Hotel at the edge of the JNB Airport that opened in 2010, but it requires you to take a shuttle from the terminal building. I would suggest taking you baggage with you to the hotel and then re-checking the next morning with SAA.

http://www.proteahotels.com/protea-hotel-transit-o.r.-tambo-airport.html

This is the site I was going to use to book. Hotels.com also has the same hotel listed stating it is based in the airport. Can someone confirm the existence of this hotel.

I will have two seperate PNR's so wont be able to check in from my origin (MAN).

My question is will I be able to check in (collect my boarding pass) at one of the SAA desks at the transfer lounge 12 hours prior to the flight?

I can't say for sure. But it should be possible since you can check in on line 24 hours before the flight. You could always do that anyway - possibly during your layover in DXB?

http://www.proteahotels.com/protea-hotel-transit-o.r.-tambo-airport.html

This is the site I was going to use to book. Hotels.com also has the same hotel listed stating it is based in the airport. Can someone confirm the existence of this hotel.

Yes, the hotel exists, right after transit security. Unless visa requirements prevent you from entering South Africa, I wouldn't recommend it. Leaving your luggage over night in JNB transit is taking chances.
http://www.fin24.com/Companies/TravelAndLeisure/SAA-Baggage-theft-out-of-control-20110817