SA foreign policy has undergone a metamorphic process since the democratic dispensation two decades ago; President Mandela declared that human rights would be a guiding principle of our foreign policy. The current government has veered off this principle with our foreign policies now being perceived as inconsistent, flip-flopping, incoherent, lacking direction and rather confused. A paradigm shift is essential if SA is to reclaim its global standing and respect as a leader in human rights, rule of law, respect for international law and democracy. President Zuma has violated the Constitution as indicated by the Constitutional  Court ruling and the Supreme Court of Appeal has also dismissed the government application for leave to appeal on the Al-Bashir matter – this confirms that SA is an embarrassment of its former self.

The essence of diplomacy is premised on the  promotion and protection of national interests, SA’s national interests are defined broadly as the enhancement of a better Africa in a better world. This is abstract and there is a need to define in detail the terms of our national interests – the question is what is SA’s bottom line? The National Development Plan (NDP) also highlights the need for broader consensus and clarity on what constitutes our national interests. We acknowledge the national priorities of poverty, unemployment and inequality together with 5 government priority programs: education, health, crime, jobs, economic growth however this needs to be translated into narrow national interests for clarity of purpose of our international relations strategy. Foreign policy is by definition an extension of domestic policy, our domestic imperatives should always be prioritized in every international relations exercise that we engage in.

The NDP recommends a thorough analysis of the political and economic costs and benefits of SA strategic representation and actions abroad. The DA agrees with the National Treasury 2015 budget review which called for rationalization and review of our missions abroad. The cost of maintaining many of our missions is unsustainable due to high property and staffing costs. SA‘s global foot print should not be determined by quantity of missions abroad but rather by how we remain true and consistent to our principles and values: the Constitution, democracy, human rights, respect for international law and the rule of law, and most significantly return on investment. In place of many missions, we need to investigate alternative methods such as the use of ICT and online services and the regional clustering of missions.

With 125 missions in 107 countries and with accreditation of more than 160 countries and organizations resident in SA, the major programs 2, 3 and 5 cost well over 4 billion which is a lion share of the entire 5,8 billion budget for the Department. This is far too costly for the national fiscus, especially in the current economic climate. The DA believes that South Africa’s missions should be aligned to trade, investment and economic competitiveness to ensure economic growth and value for money.

Chairperson allows me to address you on the aforementioned Departmental programs.

• Program 1: The DA is concerned about the high level of vacancies (currently 287) which will impact on the department’s ability to fulfill its mandate even though the budget has increased.
• Program 2: This is the main driver of DIRCO’s revenue at a cost of R3,1 billion. The question we need to ask is, what is the value of our outgoing and incoming visits both by the Head of State and Ministers? Is there an alignment of our economic and domestic imperatives to our missions and bilateral relations as well as national joint commissions? What is the impact on economic diplomacy?
• Program 3 International Cooperation: outcome 11 of the MTSF 2014-2019 envisages that government seek to create a better SA and contribute to a better and safer Africa in a better world. This requires that SA take the lead in terms of global issues. Furthermore, the NDP also envisages that SA play a greater leadership role in Africa by leading development and growth in Africa, this means that SA needs to speak up in multilateral forums like UN, AU, and SADC when human rights abuses occur in South Sudan; when dictators oppress people in Zimbabwe; when democracy is under threat and civil war and genocide are rife in Burundi; when elections are rigged in Uganda; and when dictators do not want to vacate office in Rwanda. This is the cancer that will erode Africa and take Africa back to the dark ages. SA cannot just sit-back and observe this dire situation – we must speak up and act as well as ensure that the UN resolution to protect is upheld.

SA’s track record in multilateral forums is shameful and inconsistent. Our votes are often against the principles and values of our Constitution, highlighted by the recent damning Human Rights Council report on SA human rights which includes the fact that amongst others women, children, prisoners, indigenous  people, foreigners and protestors are suffering abuse. Furthermore it condemns SA’s commitments to upholding its obligations under international law with the Al-Bashir issue being a brazen example. This has led to SA losing global moral respect and being labeled as a non-compliant signatory of the Rome Statute.

SA’s silence and partnerships with undemocratic and autocratic regimes such as China and North Korean have also dented our international image and compromised our integrity.

The DA welcomes the Foreign Service Bill which is long overdue, to professionalize and regulate our diplomatic core and foreign service. The recent scandals involving our diplomats in Japan, Norway and Ghana have dented our national brand. SA’s image is in disrepute and this Bill will go some way to addressing those shortcomings to ensure that our diplomatic corps and foreign service is no longer a dumping ground for ANC rejects but a service for the country‘s national interests.

The DA is concerned about program 4, public diplomacy; we always call for more funding to this program because of its significance especially considering the unique role that this department is playing in the global arena by communicating and marketing our foreign policy to the global audience.

In Program 5, the DA recongnises that international transfers need to be part of multi-lateral forums and must contribute to candidacy diplomacy. We must ensure that our efforts have influence and we must desist from being blank cheques to be used by others.

The DA is concerned about the audit outcomes of the department. For two consecutive years the department received a qualified audit opinion which revealed millions in fruitless and wasteful expenditure. Three critical issues were raised by the Auditor General namely, lack of leadership, lack of consequences management and lack of requisite skills by senior management. These issues need your urgent attention Minister to ensure that they do not reoccur and that there is stability in the department towards achieving a clean audit outcome.

The department spends over R575 million on property leases abroad and maintenance and the building of chanceries, staff houses, and official residences. The amount spent on infrastructure for the current budget will be R209 million and will increase up to R303 million in the next financial year. This is a source of concern and measures must be put in place to deal with this issue by reviewing missions and costs.

In conclusion, SA needs an independent, values driven foreign policy backed by the DA’ s values of freedom, fairness and opportunity. We need to be a leader in human rights based foreign policy which ensures economic growth to create jobs and focus on economic diplomacy. We must be part of a rules based world order and we must offer a clear definition of SA’s national interests based on national consensus and dialogue. The ANC government has lost all global respect because it protects individuals and regimes not the people. The DA will ensure that SA returns to its core values of human rights based foreign policy and regains our global standing.