SA embassies in governance freefall

DETERIORATING STANDARDS

- TRACY-LYNN RUITERS

SOUTH Africa’s diplomatic missions abroad are rapidly deteriorating due to years of neglect, financial mismanagement and failing oversight, prompting warnings from analysts and political leaders that the crisis is damaging the country’s global reputation and leaving citizens abroad without essential services.

The issue was highlighted when DA spokesperson on International Relations and Cooperation Ryan Smith posted a video outside the South African Embassy in The Hague, Netherlands. In it, Smith explained that the embassy had been closed and relocated temporarily due to severe neglect.

Smith said: “The embassy building has been closed and relocated temporarily for renovations after suffering major maintenance neglect.

“There are broken windows and much basic infrastructure in the building is in a very sad state of affairs.”

According to Smith, the deterioration was so severe that “Dutch residents reported it to the municipality because of the state of neglect”.

He said the condition of the mission reflects widespread failures across DIRCO.

“This corroborates what we found in a report by the Auditor-General, that DIRCO’s asset management is in such a bad state that it caused the department to regress financially.”