Consistency in Inconsistency: South Africa’s Foreign Policies in International Organizations

Abstract

Emerging out of the obnoxious apartheid system‚ South Africa sought to transform its post-apartheid foreign policy in terms of orientation, direction and content. In particular, Pretoria sought to rebrand itself from the disparaging image as a regional destabiliser to a global crusader of peace security and human rights. In the aftermath of Mandela’s presidency, however, post-apartheid South Africa showed considerable inconsistency, characterised by the selective application of its foreign policy values. The inconsistencies, even outright contradictions, in Pretoria’s foreign policies have been palpable not just in SADC, but also in other international organizations such the African Union (AU) and the United Nations (UN). In the final analysis‚ South Africa’s foreign policies in international organizations highlighted the dichotomy between what it professes and what it actually practices.