South Africa's embassy buildings and foreign-service properties require an estimated R830.98 million in renovations, according to International Relations and Co-operation Minister Ronald Lamola. The estimate is based on condition reports conducted over a three-year period. The country's diplomatic assets in the United Kingdom and the Netherlands are among those needing major work.
The South African High Commission in the UK has several properties requiring renovations, including South Africa House, where R57.44 million is being spent on replacing the heating system. Renovations to the Chancery building are estimated at R67 million, while work on the Cavendish second official residence is currently estimated at R25.67 million.
In the Netherlands, the Chancery building has estimated renovation costs of R61.13 million, while the official residence and consular building require an estimated R24.37 million and R24.46 million respectively. The DA has raised concerns about the state of maintenance of South Africa's foreign assets, describing it as years of neglect.
DA MP Ryan Smith, spokesperson on International Relations and Co-operation, said the figures highlighted the neglect of South Africa's foreign assets, which have suffered under decades of mismanagement and warped financial priorities. Smith said embassies should be central to South Africa's economic diplomacy and serve as the country's outward face to the world.
Smith also raised concerns about South Africa's spending on its relationship with Cuba, citing an estimated R1.4 billion spent between 2012 and 2022. He said this money could have been spent on building and maintaining diplomatic infrastructure, the cost of which has now reached crisis levels.
The DA will continue to fight for a reprioritised DIRCO budget that focuses on foreign policy and foreign service, rather than the ANC's party-political programme. Smith said taxpayer money funding DIRCO's budget should be used to fund a professional and capable foreign service that grows the economy and creates jobs.
Minister Lamola also revealed that there is currently no prescribed percentage or numerical cap on political appointments to ambassadorial postings. There are currently 28 career diplomats and 48 political appointees serving as heads of mission, alongside one secondment, and 13 positions reserved for political appointments.
Key points
- The estimated R830.98 million in renovation costs for South Africa's embassy buildings and foreign-service properties has prompted the DA to urge a rethink of DIRCO's spending priorities.
- The DA has raised concerns about the state of maintenance of South Africa's foreign assets, describing it as years of neglect.
- The DA is pushing for a reprioritised DIRCO budget that focuses on foreign policy and foreign service, rather than the ANC's party-political programme.
