By Luvhimbi Mulalo
The Democratic Alliance (DA) has raised concern over the estimated R830 million cost of renovating South Africa’s embassy buildings and other foreign assets.
The figure was revealed in response to a parliamentary question to International Relations and Cooperation Minister Ronald Lamola and is based on condition reports compiled over a three-year period.
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The estimated cost of renovations to foreign assets belonging to the South African High Commission in the United Kingdom stands at about R170 million, while renovations to properties belonging to the South African Embassy in the Netherlands are estimated at about R110 million.
DA spokesperson on International Relations and Cooperation Ryan Smith said the party would continue to push for a reprioritised Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) budget to address the country’s diplomatic infrastructure.
Smith said R1.4 billion had been spent in 2012 and 2022 on what he described as diplomatic relationships that had produced little benefit, instead of maintaining key diplomatic infrastructure.
“These figures have laid bare the shocking state of maintenance neglect within South Africa’s foreign assets and buildings, which have suffered under decades of mismanagement and warped financial priorities under the ANC,” Smith said.
“Much like the local municipalities run by the ANC here in South Africa, our embassies are now a shell of their former selves.”
Lamola told Parliament on 24 August 2026 that the cost of renovating foreign assets belonging to the South African High Commission in the UK was about R170 million, while the estimated cost for properties belonging to the South African Embassy in the Netherlands was R110 million.
Imtiaz Fazel, acting director-general of the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure (DPWI), said the department would defer questions about the disposal of properties to DIRCO.
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Fazel said the power to dispose of DIRCO properties had been devolved to the department in 1999, giving it authority to dispose of its own properties.
He said it was historically true that the DPWI did not have a comprehensive immovable asset register, but significant work had been undertaken in recent years to compile one. The department had also begun digitising its asset register.
DIRCO chief financial officer Hlengiwe Bhengu said the recovery of losses from officials who had damaged state property was currently before the chief state law adviser.
She said a process was under way to ensure officials were held financially responsible for damage to state property.
DIRCO had also strengthened the indemnity form signed by officials when they occupied state-owned properties.
Under the revised process, officials would be held responsible for damage that occurred while they occupied a property. They would also sign a register recording the condition of the property when they took occupation.
A visual inspection would be conducted to assess the condition of each property, while DIRCO would conduct physical inspections twice a year to ensure properties were properly maintained.
Bhengu said DIRCO’s relationship with the DPWI was based on a shared skills arrangement.
DIRCO uses the DPWI’s database of professionals when infrastructure problems arise. For property management issues, the departments form an intergovernmental task team comprising professionals from both departments.
The DPWI database is also used to source engineers and other built-environment professionals.
DIRCO has 174 properties abroad, of which 17 have been identified for disposal.
Thirty-four properties have been classified as requiring urgent repairs and are scheduled for work during the current financial year, with additional properties to be maintained in subsequent years.
Bhengu said DIRCO would also re-establish its bid adjudication committee, with officials from the DPWI included in the process.
She said DIRCO had received a letter from DPWI Minister Patricia de Lille identifying officials who would serve on its bid evaluation and bid adjudication committees.
The move, she said, would further strengthen DIRCO’s procurement processes.
