South Africa–United Kingdom relations
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South Africa–United Kingdom relations are the current and historical relationships between the United Kingdom (UK) and the
Republic of South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring countri ...
. South Africa is Britain's largest trade partner in Africa and an important partner for the UK in a number of areas. Ties between South Africa and the UK include a shared language (English) and cultural links, similar systems of law and finance, and a shared passion for the same sports as well as a common interest in promoting trade and a rules-based international system. There are also large numbers of South Africans living in the UK as there are a large numbers of British citizens and people of British descent living in South Africa. A sizeable minority of South Africans are of British ancestry due to it being a colony of the British Empire. As of 2011, there were some 1.6 million South Africans of British ancestry. The number of people who described themselves as white in terms of population group and specified their first language as English in South Africa's 2011 Census was 1,603,575. The total white population with a first language specified was 4,461,409, and the total population was 51,770,560. It is estimated that as of 2010 around 227,000 South Africans resided in the United Kingdom.


History of South Africa

The United Kingdom and the area of Southern Africa that is today known as South Africa, have had a long history with the UK playing a deeply important role in the formation of the modern Republic of South Africa. The beginning of relations between South Africa and the UK began on 31 May 1910 when the Union of South Africa was founded as a Dominion of the British Empire. From 1910 until South Africa declared itself a
republic A republic () is a "state in which power rests with the people or their representatives; specifically a state without a monarchy" and also a "government, or system of government, of such a state." Previously, especially in the 17th and 18th c ...
on 31 May 1961, South Africa fought in support and as a part of the British Empire in both World War I and II. When South Africa was pulled out of the Commonwealth of Nations in 1961, the United Kingdom opposed monetary and economic sanctions. Britain had many key trade links and, in particular, needed South Africa's gold. There were also tactical motives for not severing all ties with the apartheid government. As the southernmost nation in Africa, and the juncture at which the Indian and Atlantic Oceans collided, South Africa was still a vital point in sea-trade routes. In 1969, the Commandant General of the South African Defence Force (SADF) confirmed that, "In the entire ocean expanse from Australia to South America, South Africa is the only fixed point offering modern naval bases, harbours and airfield facilities, a modern developed industry and stable government." From 1960-61, the relationship between South Africa and the UK started to change. In his " Winds of Change" speech in Cape Town, UK Prime Minister
Harold Macmillan Maurice Harold Macmillan, 1st Earl of Stockton, (10 February 1894 – 29 December 1986) was a British Conservative statesman and politician who was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1957 to 1963. Caricatured as "Supermac", he ...
spoke of the changes in Africa and how South Africa's racist policies were swimming upstream:
As a fellow member of the Commonwealth it is our earnest desire to give South Africa our support and encouragement, but I hope you won't mind my saying frankly that there are some aspects of your policies which make it impossible for us to do this without being false to our own deep convictions about the political destinies of free men to which in our own territories we are trying to give effect.
In 1984, South African president
P.W. Botha Pieter Willem Botha, (; 12 January 1916 – 31 October 2006), commonly known as P. W. and af, Die Groot Krokodil (The Big Crocodile), was a South African politician. He served as the last prime minister of South Africa from 1978 to 1984 and ...
visited the UK as part of a tour of European nations and met Margaret Thatcher Speaking to the House of Commons of it, she said "I expressed our strongly-held views on apartheid. I told Mr. Botha of my particular concern at the practice of forced removals and raised the question of the continued detention of Mr. Nelson Mandela." Margaret Thatcher's opposition to economic sanctions was challenged by visiting anti-apartheid activists, including South African bishop
Desmond Tutu Desmond Mpilo Tutu (7 October 193126 December 2021) was a South African Anglican bishop and theologian, known for his work as an anti-apartheid and human rights activist. He was Bishop of Johannesburg from 1985 to 1986 and then Archbishop ...
, whom she met in London, and
Oliver Tambo Oliver Reginald Kaizana Tambo (27 October 191724 April 1993) was a South African anti-apartheid politician and revolutionary who served as President of the African National Congress (ANC) from 1967 to 1991. Biography Higher education Oliv ...
, exiled leader of the outlawed African National Congress (ANC) guerrilla movement, whose links to the
Soviet bloc The Eastern Bloc, also known as the Communist Bloc and the Soviet Bloc, was the group of socialist states of Central and Eastern Europe, East Asia, Southeast Asia, Africa, and Latin America under the influence of the Soviet Union that existed du ...
she viewed with suspicion, and whom she declined to see because he espoused violence and refused to condemn guerrilla attacks and mob killings of black policemen, local officials and their families. At a Commonwealth summit in
Nassau Nassau may refer to: Places Bahamas *Nassau, Bahamas, capital city of the Bahamas, on the island of New Providence Canada *Nassau District, renamed Home District, regional division in Upper Canada from 1788 to 1792 *Nassau Street (Winnipeg), ...
in October 1985, Thatcher agreed to impose limited sanctions and to set up a contact group to promote a dialogue with Pretoria, after she was warned by Third World leaders, including Indian prime minister
Rajiv Gandhi Rajiv Gandhi (; 20 August 1944 – 21 May 1991) was an Indian politician who served as the sixth prime minister of India from 1984 to 1989. He took office after the 1984 assassination of his mother, then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, to beco ...
and Malaysian prime minister
Mahathir Mohamad Mahathir bin Mohamad ( ms, محاضير بن محمد, label= Jawi, script=arab, italic=unset; ; born 10 July 1925) is a Malaysian politician, author, and physician who served as the 4th and 7th Prime Minister of Malaysia. He held the office ...
, that her opposition threatened to break up the 49-nation organisation of the
Commonwealth A commonwealth is a traditional English term for a political community founded for the common good. Historically, it has been synonymous with "republic". The noun "commonwealth", meaning "public welfare, general good or advantage", dates from the ...
. In return, calls for a total embargo were abandoned, and the existing restrictions adopted by member states against South Africa were lifted. ANC president Tambo expressed disappointment at this major compromise. In August 1986, however, UK sanctions against apartheid South Africa were extended to include a "voluntary ban" on tourism and new investments. Since the fall of the apartheid system, South Africa has returned to the Commonwealth of Nations as a republic in the Commonwealth of Nations. Former UK Prime Minister
David Cameron David William Donald Cameron (born 9 October 1966) is a British former politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2010 to 2016 and Leader of the Conservative Party from 2005 to 2016. He previously served as Leader o ...
has refuted Margaret Thatcher's policy of
constructive engagement Constructive engagement was the name given to the conciliatory foreign policy of the Reagan administration towards the apartheid regime in South Africa. Devised by Chester Crocker, Reagan's U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs ...
, irking many older
Conservative Party The Conservative Party is a name used by many political parties around the world. These political parties are generally right-wing though their exact ideologies can range from center-right to far-right. Political parties called The Conservative P ...
members.


Post-apartheid relations

Since the end of apartheid, the two countries have enjoyed largely good relations. In 2010, the United Kingdom implemented visa restrictions on South Africans travelling to the country due to concerns about corruption within the South African Department of Home Affairs and the ease with which foreign nationals could get South African passports. This marked a turning point in bilateral relations between the two countries with relations cooling off since. In 2013 the British government announced it would halt the £19 million (R271 million) it gives in development aid to South Africa from 2015. In a tit-for-tat response the South African government imposed visa restrictions on British diplomats in September 2014.


Economy

As of 2012 the United Kingdom remains one of the top two investors in the South African economy.


Trading

From 1998 to 2003 Britain was South Africa's third largest source of imports after which it then dropped to sixth largest in 2008. The UK was the top recipient of South African exports in 2001 and 2002 but dropped to fourth largest by 2008. Exports from South Africa to the UK are dominated by precious stones, mineral products, vehicles (including vessels), machinery and mechanical products, fruit and vegetable products, base metals and articles, prepared foodstuffs and beverages. Exports from the British to South Africa are dominated by turbo jets, turbo propellers, gas turbines, machinery, mechanical appliances, electrical equipment, vehicles (including aircraft and vessels), and chemicals. In December 2011 British Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Henry Bellingham MP, announced that Anglo-South African bilateral trade should be doubled by the year 2015. In a speech on 28 August 2018, Theresa May pledged £4bn in support for the South African economy following a trade mission in an effort to both refocus aid-spending on economic and security challenges in the country and reaffirm commitment to trade following Brexit.


Bilateral Forum

The South Africa-United Kingdom Bilateral Forum was founded in 1997 to promote Anglo-South African relations by serving as a forum for the two countries to meet on a bi-annual basis so as to enhance economic and political relations. Top government officials from both countries often meet through this forum to discuss important issues.


Resident diplomatic missions

* South Africa has a high commission in London. * United Kingdom has a high commission in Pretoria and a consulate-general in Cape Town.


See also

* High Commission of South Africa, London *
South Africans in the United Kingdom South Africans in the United Kingdom include citizens and residents of the United Kingdom with origins in South Africa. Demographics The 2001 UK census recorded 140,201 South African-born people living in the UK. According to the 2011 UK census ...
* White South Africans


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:South Africa-United Kingdom relations Bilateral relations of the United Kingdom United Kingdom Relations of colonizer and former colony South Africa and the Commonwealth of Nations United Kingdom and the Commonwealth of Nations