Here’s how much SA is spending to refurbish foreign mission properties in London

Renovation costs for properties in London and De Haag account for only 30% of the overall bill for all foreign mission buildings. The South African government is spending hundreds of millions of rands to get its oversees embassy properties into shape. At least R167.5 million is earmarked for assets in London, with almost four times that amount needed for properties across the world. The buildings requiring renovation in London and elsewhere include consular buildings, official residences and memorial buildings, such as a home once occupied by Oliver Tambo. The figures were revealed by the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (Dirco) via a response to a written questions sent by Democratic Alliance spokesperson on international relations Ryan Smith. “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,” Smith stated. R57 million for new heating system Under South Africa’s High Commission in the United Kingdom, R57 million is being spent on the installation of a new heating system at South African House. Renovation to the chancery building at the same location is to cost R67 million, while renovations to Tambo’s house in Muswell Hill – purchased in 2010 – requires R4.5 million in renovations. Renovations to South Africa’s official residence in London is earmarked to cost R8.8 million, with renovations to the second official residence in Cavendish to cost R25 million. A property listed as The Great Cumberland Flat has a renovation cost of R1.3 million, while a property in Lower Merton requires R3.9 million for refurbishments. In the Netherlands, South Africa’s embassy assets are to receive R110 million for renovations. The chancery building in Den Haag shut in November 2025 and is undergoing renovations at the cost of R61.1 million. South Africa’s official residence in the Netherlands is to be renovated at a cost or R24.3 million, while the consular building requires R24.4 million worth of upgrades. Combined, the properties based in Britain and the Netherlands account for just over 30% of South Africa’s renovation expenditure requirements. “South African embassy buildings with the foreign service have estimated renovation costs of R830.9 based on condition reports over a period of three years,” Dirco confirmed. ‘Political whims’ Smith said the condition of the properties oversees mirrored the care with which government treated infrastructure on home soil. “Much like the local municipalities run by the ANC here in South Africa, our embassies are now a shell of their former selves. “The vitality of South Africa’s embassies, which should be the backbone of our economic diplomacy agenda and our nation’s proud outward face to the world, have been systemically underfunded and undermined by our government,” Smith stated. He claimed Dirco and the government had prioritised agreements with ideological partners, estimating that the country had spent over R1 billion on various deals with Cuba between 2012 and 2022, which the average South African had gained little from. “This money could have been spent on building and maintaining our key diplomatic infrastructure, the cost of which has now reached crisis levels “South African diplomacy will never advance for as long as the ANC prioritises its political whims in Dirco instead of what South Africa truly needs,” Smith concluded.