Foreign Service Act, 2019 (Act No. 26 of 2019)3. Foreign Service |
| (1) |
| (a) | There is a Foreign Service that shall promote and advance the international relations and cooperation of the Republic by representing the Republic in an effective, coherent and comprehensive manner abroad. |
| (b) | The Department is responsible for conducting and coordinating the international relations and cooperation of the Republic at bilateral, regional and multilateral levels through the Foreign Service abroad and through interactions with foreign representatives in the Republic, in accordance with the foreign policy of the Republic. |
| (2) | The Foreign Service consists of all South African Missions and those persons who serve in a position in the South African Missions, including Heads of Mission, and who are accredited to a foreign state for the period of time that they hold that position, regardless of whether they are ordinarily employed by the Department or by any other national department or appointed on a contractual basis for a fixed period. |
| (3) | The Foreign Service is managed and administered by the Department and to this end the Department must— |
| (a) | administer all foreign representations in the Republic; |
| (b) | lead the coordination and alignment of the Republic’s international relations between all spheres of government; |
| (c) | render protocol services to designated foreign and national dignitaries as prescribed; |
| (d) | render consular services in line with the Guidelines for the Provision of Consular Services; |
| (e) | act as the custodian of international agreements to which the Republic is a party, as well as of the national reports submitted in accordance with international obligations and render legal advice to government on all matters related to international law; |
| (f) | conduct all diplomatic communications between the Republic and foreign states, international organisations or entities; and |
| (g) | perform any other functions required for the effective management and administration of the Foreign Service. |