Poland in South Africa

Due to the appearance of a new variant of the B.1.1.529 coronavirus, EU Member States jointly decided to temporarily suspend flights from 7 countries in the South African region: Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe as of 26 November 2021. Great Britain also made a similar decision.

The exhibition "Granite and death, memory and oblivion" devoted to the history of the German Nazi concentration camp Gusen, which was organized in cooperation with the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Pretoria, was presented for the second time in the temporary exhibition hall of the Johannesburg Holocaust&Genocide Centre. The exhibition was prepared by the Polish History Museum in cooperation with the Polish-German Reconciliation Foundation, financed by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage.

On November 14, 2021, the 8th edition of the Historical Conference Poland-South Africa was held. The conference was organized on the initiative of the Polish Association of Siberian Deportees in Africa , the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Pretoria, the Johannesburg Holocaust&Genocide Centre, Bayreuth University (Germany), Wits University in Johannesburg and Sol Plaatje University in Kimberley (South Africa). Due to the pandemic, the conference was held virtually.

"A nation that does not respect its past, does not deserve the respect of the present and has no right to the future" - recalling these words once spoken by Józef Piłsudski, the celebration of the 103rd anniversary of Poland regaining independence began in Johannesburg.

We invite you to read the content of the letter sent by Minister Szymon Szynkowski vel Sęk on the occasion of Independence Day, addressed to Poles abroad and the Polish Diaspora.

103 years ago, on 11 November 1918, when the war operations in Western Europe were declining, Józef Piłsudski, who had come to Warsaw from Magdeburg, seized power to become provisional chief of state.

Consular Section of the Embassy of the Republic of Poland would like to inform about the next consular duty in Lusaca (Zambia), that will take place on the 24th of November 2021 between 16:00-19:00.

All Saints' Day, celebrated on November 1, is one of the most important Catholic holidays. It is a unique period of reflection and wistfulness. On this day, millions of Poles visit the graves of their loved ones, light candles and remember their relatives and friends. At that time, we also remember about those whose graves are forgotten by others on a daily basis. At the same time, we remember outstanding Poles who made a significant contribution to the development of our country's culture and heritage. We remember outstanding writers, sportsmen, actors, diplomats, but most of all, those who fought for the Homeland.

Andrzej Kanthak, Ambassador of the Republic of Poland to South Africa, took part in the ceremony of presenting the Austrian Holocaust Memorial Award (AHMA) to the director and founder of the Johannesburg Holocaust&Genocide Centre, Tali Nates.

Please be informed that due to the Polish public holiday the Embassy of the Republic of Poland and Consular Section in Pretoria will be closed on 11.11.2021.