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Dear Friends,

Welcome to the South African Embassy website and a New Year full of hope.

I believe 2019 will be another auspicious year in South Africa’s calendar. Last year South Africa celebrated the Centenary of the first democratically elected President, Nelson Mandela and Mama Albertina Sisulu and will continue commemorating and celebrating their life.  

This month’s highlights;

South Africa assumes Non-Permanent Seat on the United Nations Security Council

South Africa in January officially assumes its seat as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) for the period 2019-2020.

As President Cyril Ramaphosa reflected: “This will be the third time that South Africa will be serving in the Security Council since the dawn of democracy in 1994. We are humbled and honoured by the confidence the international community has demonstrated in our capability to contribute to the resolution of global challenges."

South Africa’s tenure in the Security Council will be dedicated to the legacy of President Nelson Mandela whose values and commitment to peace were commemorated last year during the centenary of his birth. South Africa’s term will also be an opportunity for the country to work towards the African Union’s goal of “Silencing the Guns” on the Continent by 2020.

23^rd East Mediterranean International Travel and Tourism Exhibition- EMITT 2019

South Africa will be participating at the EMITT 2019 in Tüyap Fair Convention and Congress Center, Istanbul from 31 January-3 February 2019. South Africa has been a participant since EMITT’s inception and has continued to support the largest Tourism Fair in Turkey. In 2019 South Africa’s participation will be organised by South African Tourism (SAT) together with the South African Embassy in Turkey. 12 tour operators from across the country will be participating at South Africa’s Stand. 

EMITT, one of the top five tourism exhibitions worldwide, brings together tourist destinations and services with over 46,000 professionals and tourists looking for new and exciting holiday opportunities.

South Africa is a world-class tourist destination, renowned as the place where visitors can enjoy a vast array of attractions and experiences in the heart of tourism in South Africa and the African continent. From safaris to health tourism, extreme sports, diving with sharks, exploring the floral kingdom – South Africa has it all. It is the only country to have an entire floral kingdom within its borders. The Cape Floral Kingdom contains the most concentrated variety of fauna, 8 500 flowers, the richest variety on earth. South Africa has 23 200 plant species, a greater variety than of the entire northern half of the planet.  South Africa also has the “Big Five” – elephant, lion, leopard, rhinoceros and buffalo; the “Sea Big Five” – Right Whale, Great White Shark, endangered Bottlenose Dolphin, Blue Marlin and Tuna; as well as the “Little Five” – elephant shrew, ant lion, rhinoceros beetle, buffalo weaver and leopard tortoise.

South Africa Elections

South Africa elections are scheduled to take on place in May 2019. A special two-day voter registration event for South African citizens living abroad will take place at South Africa’s 120 foreign Missions, including High Commissions, Embassies and Consulates worldwide from 1 to 4 February 2019.

All South Africa citizens aged 16 and older and in possession of an official South African identity document (either a GREEN barcoded ID book, a smartcard ID or a temporary ID certificate) are eligible to register as voters.

I encourage you to visit our website more often to keep up with developments and events in South Africa and check the voter registration for South African citizens living abroad.

I wish you all a better 2019 full of accomplishments.

Ambassador P I Malefane
South African Embassy in Ankara, Turkey