The ANC government’s decision to downgrade its embassy in Israel to less than full ambassadorial status says a lot.
To us in the political sphere of South Africa’s non-existent foreign policy, it says the clueless Department of International Relations needs a serious overhaul and a review of its function, which is to represent the country at the forefront of international affairs and foreign policy.
As a former city councillor, I studied political science and obtained my BA (Hons) in international politics and at the time had also wanted to join the diplomatic corps as a cadet under then-minister Pik Botha.
Today, very few ANC cadres, if any, do any kind of cadet internship to become career diplomats. Those becoming such always turn into what I believe are trouble makers, thieves, people who have been caught red-handed and as a result often need to be whisked away, preferably dumped overseas to hide, which is even more embarrassing for South Africa.
Their knowledge of anything, let alone politics at international level, usually leaves much to be desired. They’re mostly clueless, uneducated henchman, hiding from scrutiny.
Ambassadors, diplomatic staff et al, should be the cream of any foreign affairs department and not political discards. South Africa voted in the past along party lines and dictates on various issues at the UN supported by Palestine without asking why they still supported terrorism instead of diplomacy, in their deliberations with Israel. Remember, it was a UN-sanctioned deceleration by a prominent member from Britain which gave Israel its nationhood, not foreign occupation or state-sponsored terrorism such as the Balfour Deceleration.
I am sad to say that very few of those people serving this country overseas in the “diplomatic corps” are educated in any form or kind, of political skills except having the status of loyal cadre.
That’s exactly the reason we have the status overseas and are viewed as a banana republic since the passing of Nelson Mandela, who at least had capable diplomats serving especially in the crucial embassies overseas, like Washington, the UN and our major trading partners.
The war for liberation from the apartheid regime is long over. It is time now that our foreign policy is governed under a renewed and revived Department of International Relations.