Poland in South Africa

The premiere of Luc Albinski's play "Nobody Told Me" took place on 28 January 2026 at the "Theatre on the Square" in Johannesburg. It was a moving war drama inspired by the true story of Dr. Halina Rotstein, a Polish Jew, doctor, mother of Wanda Albinska, and grandmother of Luc Albinski. Following the performance, a panel discussion was held, with the participation of, among others, Jan Łazicki, Plenipotentiary of the Minister of Foreign Affairs for Contacts with the Jewish Diaspora.

The Cape Town Holocaust & Genocide Centre and the Johannesburg Holocaust & Genocide Centre, in cooperation with UNIC Pretoria and the Rosa Luxemburg Foundation, commemorated the International Holocaust Remembrance Day in South Africa. The ceremony was attended by Jan Łazicki, Plenipotentiary of the Minister of Foreign Affairs for Relations with the Jewish Diaspora, and representatives of the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Pretoria.

The Consular Section of the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Pretoria kindly informs you that consular fees have changed as of January 3, 2026.

In December 2025, the 5th edition of the Playtopia Festival took place in Cape Town. This year, Polish expertise and experience in gaming industry were represented by Mr. Kacper Szymczak, CEO and Creative Director at Artificer.

The Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Pretoria participated on 6 December 2025 in this prestigious event for the ninth time.

"Sybir - Prison of the Nation" - the twelfth edition of the South Africa-Poland Heritage Conference took place on 7 December 2025 in Johannesburg.

The Dailyfriend.co.za published an article "Why a bad peace in Ukraine is a bad idea for Africa," which summarizes the main points presented by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland Radosław Sikorski during an interview with journalist Greg Mills in Warsaw at the end of November 2025. The head of Polish diplomacy emphasized that Russia's actions against Ukraine constitute an attempt at recolonization, and that respect for international law - including the right to the territorial integrity - is in the common interest of the societies of Europe and Africa.

Music lovers in South Africa recently had the rare opportunity to hear two extraordinary concerts performed by Raphael Alexandre Lustchevsky, a renowned artist in Poland and abroad. The maestro came to South Africa at the invitation of the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Pretoria.

As part of the promotion of the English edition of Polish traveler Antoni Rehman's account, "A Pole under the Southern Cross: Antoni Rehman's journey through South Africa, 1875-1877," literature enthusiasts gathered in Cape Town on 26 November 2025 to hear a lecture by eminent Polish historian Professor Michał Leśniewski, editor and author of the English translation of the memoirs.

The Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Pretoria cordially invites you to the book launch of "A Pole under the Southern Cross: Antoni Rehman's Journey through South Africa, 1875-1877," which will take place in Cape Town on 26 November 2025 at The Athenaeum, Newlands in Cape Town. The event is organized by the Historical Publications South Africa (HiPSA). The project was co-financed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland.