With reference to the démarche that was issued on 9 November 2023 by her department to the Ambassador of the State of Israel to South Africa, His Excellency Mr E Belotserkovsky, what (a) are the relevant details of the five most recent cases of Ambassadors to South Africa who were démarched, (b) were their countries of origin, (c) were the reasons for the specified course of action and (d) were the dates on which the démarches were issued?
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a) Name of Head of Mission
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b) Country of Origin
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(c) Reason for démarche
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(d) Date for démarche
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High Commissioner Adam McArthy
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Australia
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To demand a retraction of comments made by Australia’s Minister of Home Affairs on the land redistribution process in the country.
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15 March 2018
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H.E. Mrs Librada Ela Asumu
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Equatorial Guinea
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To register South Africa’s strong objection to the circumstances related ... |
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Why is the Government seeking relief from the International Criminal Court (ICC) by referring the situation in the State of Palestine to the ICC on 17 November 2023, considering that the Government attempted to withdraw from the Rome Statute and also contravened rulings of the ICC in the past (details furnished)?
South Africa remains a State Party to the Rome Statute of the ICC, and as such enjoys all the rights of a State Party, including to do a referral of a situation to the ICC in terms of Article 14 of the Rome Statute. On 17 October 2023, South Africa, joined by Bangladesh, Bolivia, Comoros and Djibouti, referred the situation in Palestine to the ...
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What (a) is the detailed breakdown of all (i) travel, (ii) accommodation and (iii) related costs incurred by (aa) her, (bb) her Office and (cc) any staff member of her department since 1 April 2019 and (b) was the purpose of travel in each case?
International travel is part of the core responsibilities of the Department of International Relations and Cooperation, its executive and staff hence, international travel will be extensive. These expenses are budgeted for as part of the Department’s core operational budget and are aligned to the Department’s strategic plan.
a)Detailed breakdown
i) Travel
(aa) Minister:
2019-2020 - R 1, 199, 312.00
2020-2021 - R 101, 098.00 ...
In light of the media statement issued by her department on 7 October 2023 calling for the immediate cessation of violence, for restraint and for peace between Israel and Palestine, and extending the offer for the Republic to share its experience in mediation and conflict resolution, (a) where and (b) how will the proposed mediation and conflict resolution take place as the Republic does not have an ambassador in Israel and there has been no Israeli Embassy in the Republic since 2018?
South Africa is open to exploring different avenues about (a) where and (b) how the proposed mediation and conflict resolution will take place. The mediation process could be held in South Africa, Israel, Palestine or in any country in the Middle East region.
There is political will and interest in South Africa in hosting a similar event that took place in 2002 where South ...
Whether, in light of the Inter-Parliamentary Union’s condemnation of the continued incarceration and repeated refusal by the Zimbabwean Government to grant bail to Zimbabwe’s political activist and former Member of Parliament, Job Sikhala, who has been in custody for over 500 days, her department has undertaken any steps to intervene and implore the Zimbabwean Government to respect Mr Sikhala’s human rights and respond to the calls for his immediate release from unlawful custody; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, what are the relevant details?
South Africa respects the legal and judicial system of Zimbabwe. As a country, we believe that all legal avenues should be used if there is a legitimate belief that Mr Sikhala is being detained unjustly. The Department will engage with the report of the Inter-Parliamentary Union to assess whether measures outside of the national legal system of Zimbabwe may be necessary.
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(1) Whether she has found her department has been consistent in its approach of dealing with military takeovers, given that the response from her department was different at the time our SA Development Community neighbour Zimbabwe experienced a military takeover in 2017, when the former President, Mr Robert Mugabe, was removed from office, to how it currently is to the situation in francophone countries; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details;
(2) what has she found to be the causes of the political situations that led to the military takeovers in (a) Gabon, (b) Burkina Faso and (c) Niger;
(3) whether she has found that the citizens of the specified countries have full democratic rights to participate in free and fair elections; if not,
(4) whether her department has condemned the alleged role played by France in stifling democracy and exploiting the natural resources of the countries with no tangible benefits for the citizens of the specified countries, if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details? NW4953E
1. South Africa has been consistent in its approach towards unconstitutional changes of Governments on the African Continent and has publicly articulated its opposition to these developments, which are in contravention of the Constitutive Act of the African Union (2002) and the Lomé Declaration of July 2000 on Unconstitutional Changes of Government. South Africa’s position, cognisant of the adverse challenges posed by unconstitutional changes ...
Whether Ubuntu magazine which has been produced by her department since 2012, has a printed version in addition to the digital edition; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, (a) what total number of copies are printed in each quarter, (b) where are the specified copies distributed and (c) what is the total cost to Government for each copy of the printed issues?
DIRCO’s stakeholder publication is available in both print and digital versions. The (a) total number of copies printed in each quarter and (c) total cost to government is as follows:
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Quarter 1
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Quarter 2
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Quarter 3
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Quarter 4
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2021 – 2022
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5000 copies were printed at a total cost of:
R160 252.60
Cost per copy:
R32
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5000 copies were printed at a total cost ... |
(1)With reference to the advertising fees in the Ubuntu magazine which is published quarterly by her department, and whose latest issue, BRICS Special, lists various advertisers that include certain business entities (names furnished), how is the revenue allocated;
(2) whether internal advertisers such as Ubuntu Radio are charged a reduced rate; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, what are the relevant details? NW5030E
1. The Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO), through its Branch: Public Diplomacy, introduced its stakeholder magazine Ubuntu – South Africa’s Public Diplomacy in action – in August 2012. The publication’s objectives are to communicate with and inform stakeholders on South Africa’s foreign policy positions, achievements, objectives and goals. It also provides analysis and information on key departmental issues ranging from current affairs, bilateral and multilateral ...
In light of the outcomes of the Report of the Investigative Panel into Lady R which exonerated the government and found that no equipment and/or arms were loaded onto the vessel, and noting that the debacle caused a diplomatic rift between South Africa and the United States of America (USA), and also impacted the Rand negatively following utterances by the USA Ambassador Reuben Brigety, what further consequence management steps is her department looking at insofar as the USA Ambassador is concerned?
Following allegations made by US Ambassador Reuben Brigety, he was dèmarched by DIRCO and had a meeting with Minister Pandor who expressed deep disappointment and displeasure at the way serious allegations were made in the “wildest and most inappropriate manner” at a media conference. There are prescribed diplomatic protocols which should have been used to convey any grievance/concerns through appropriate diplomatic channels. This message ...
Considering the allegations of lack of accountability and delayed impact assessment reports from the African Renaissance Fund (ARF), what specific mechanisms has her department put in place to ensure that the migration of the ARF to the SA Development Partnership Agency will improve the financial management practices of the ARF?
The African Renaissance and International Cooperation Fund (ARF) has managed to receive unqualified audit opinions from the Auditor General of South Africa (AGSA) for the past five (05) consecutive years. This is an indication that the ARF Secretariat demonstrated accountability in relation to the administration and monitoring of the Fund and has also managed to establish internal controls and financial management practices that are ...
