South Africa House in London in such a poor state the High Commission had to close

South Africa’s embassy in London, based at South Africa House, has been closed without warning due to the building’s poor condition.

South Africa House in London is the home of the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) offices in Britain, located in the famous Trafalgar Square.

The area is known as the cultural and democratic heart of London, hosting the city’s national gallery and a host of other embassies.

These include the High Commissions of South Africa, Canada and Uganda, all of which are close to the Country’s main parliamentary buildings.

This places South Africa House in a prime location and makes it one of South Africa’s most prestigious foreign assets.

The building has been the base of operations for DIRCO’s diplomatic missions in England and was initially opened in 1933.

The building has deteriorated in recent years, as years of neglect have left it uninhabitable.

DIRCO staff members in the building have struggled to work due to the intermittent water supply and broken heating systems.

South Africa’s diplomatic staff also reported that a strong urine smell persisted in many rooms in the building.

The exterior of the building, including its entrance, has also never been maintained, according to local business owners.

These issues have led to the building being immediately closed for repairs, and DIRCO will have to find alternative offices for the foreseeable future.

The building repairs will cost an estimated R70 million, a cost which could have been avoided if regular maintenance had been performed.

Democratic Alliance (DA) MP Ryan Smith said DIRCO has allowed one of the most prestigious items in our country’s property portfolio to fall into ruin.

“Repairs to the building will now cost just under R70 million, money South African taxpayers could have saved had DIRCO embarked on regular maintenance,” he said.

The department has not provided a specific timeframe for the repairs, and diplomats will work in temporary offices until the repairs are completed.

London house is not the first embassy to close

South Africa’s embassy in Britain is not the only property neglected by DIRCO. Its High Commission in the Netherlands is in a similar state.

This building in The Hague was closed in November 2025 for repairs, with diplomatic operations moved to a temporary location.

To date, the historic building has not reopened, and some locals in the area say they have not seen any work being done.

This has left South Africa’s diplomatic efforts in limbo, as DIRCO staff in the Netherlands are forced to work from temporary offices.

Smith said the closed embassy in the Netherlands was gathering dust, with no scaffolding erected and no workers entering the premises.

He said the failure to adequately maintain foreign assets was a poor display from South Africa’s government and from DIRCO.

“South Africa’s embassies and high commissions stand as an international testament to the corruption and state failure of our government,” he said.

He accused DIRCO of failing to properly prioritise its budget towards maintaining its bases of operations for diplomatic efforts.

He accused the Minister of DIRCO, Ronald Lamola, of prioritising humanitarian aid to allied countries at the expense of maintaining its embassies.

He also accused the department of advancing the interests of the African National Congress (ANC) rather than serving the country effectively.

For the 2025 financial year, the Auditor General (AG) reported that DIRCO was struggling with mismanagement of foreign assets.

The AG said this had led to many DIRCO-operated buildings becoming uninhabitable, forcing the department to enter into costly rental agreements for temporary spaces.

The report also found that the department had severe financial mismanagement, resulting in irregular expenditure of over R300 million.