Originally Posted by ReelChief
... will it be a big hassle to have to retrieve the luggage from left luggage and then go to check it through to South Africa? Any idea how long this would take and if there are pitfalls in doing so?
As for practicalities: They are pretty efficient. It shouldn't take long either to deposit the bags (even with the required X-ray inspection) or to retrieve them. They are, for example, quite used to dealing with people whose check-in process has been interrupted by the need to remove some stuff from their suitcases and who need to scream through security and onto their flights very quickly after lodging the excess with them.