Latest News of the German Embassy Pretoria

Germany supports local learners at its international schools in South Africa

For around 25 years the three German Schools in Cape Town, Johannesburg and Pretoria have given access to more than 2000 pupils, who would not have been able to afford the school fees, through their so called "Neue Sekundarstufe" or short "NSek" Programme. Every year the German government spends around 2 million Euro to financially support the education of around 350 talented pupils coming from  difficult social and previously disadvantaged backgrounds.

Neue Sekundarstufe in South Africa

Visa Information System (VIS)

Beginning June 6, 2013, the German Embassy in Pretoria and the German Consulate General in Cape Town will start working with the Visa Information System (VIS).  ALL APPLICANTS MUST APPLY IN PERSON, so that the necessary biometric data – ten fingerprints – can be collected.

Visa Information System (VIS)

Taxi Poetry on Joburg's roads

Johannesburg's mini-bus taxis will show a new face these days. In cooperation with the German Goethe Institute the project Taxi Poetry is providing magnetic stickers to 'tune' taxis in a different way. On May 12 Taxi Poetry kicked-off with a Show and Shine event in Thokoza Park with music, braai and poetry.

Taxi Poetry

German Agriculture Minister Aigner visits South Africa, Ethiopia

German Agriculture Minister Ilse Aigner visited South Africa and Ethiopia from May 5-11, 2013. Alongside political discussions with ministerial colleagues, the trip focused on the Ministry's active commitment to improving food security in important African regions. On the occassion of her visit, an opinion piece of Minister Aigner was published in the South African Farmer's Weekly.

Minister Aigner visits South Africa, Ethiopia

Europawärts volunteers visit Berlin

‘Against oblivion’ reads the inscription of a memorial site in Berlin devoted to those who died from AIDS and AIDS-related diseases. It reminds the visitor of the fact that the infection is real and that everybody, independent of sexual orientation, religion or ethnic belonging is at risk of being infected.The six Europawärts volunteers visited the memorial site during a four-day journey to Germany’s capital, Berlin – a city that made a permanent impression on the youths.

Europawärts volunteers in Berlin

Regional conference on the closer dovetailing of external economic promotion and development cooperation

The interests of private businesses and development cooperation complement one another. With a view to consolidating existing cooperation arrangements and identifying future fields of action, some 80 representatives of the business community and development cooperation met on 26 and 27 April 2013 in Accra, Ghana.

Regional conference - Accra

Article by German Agriculture Minister Ilse Aigner

Hope, confidence, new beginnings – these fundamental concepts have shaped my perceptions of South Africa ever since Nelson Mandela and Frederik de Klerk were jointly awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for their reconciliation work 20 years ago. And these concepts of hope, confidence and new beginnings continue to shape my perceptions of South Africa today – largely due to the potential within South African agriculture.

Opinion piece by Minister Aigner

Ububele Educational & Psychotherapy Trust

The German Embassy in Pretoria supports the expansion of Ububele with approx R 264.000,- Founded as an NGO in 2000, the Ububele Educational &Psychotherapy Trust, with financial support of Anthony Steven and Hillary Hamburger, is based in an old Warehouse in Alexandra, a township close to Johannesburg. Up to date the Warehouse accommodates a cresh, training and therapy facilities as well as offices.

Ububele Educational & Psychotherapy Trust

German Foreign Minister visits South Africa

Germany's Foreign Minister has visited South Africa, the political and economic heavyweight on the continent. It is Africa’s largest economy, present among the BRICS states and a member of the G20, yet a country still struggling with major social injustice twenty years after the end of apartheid. Minister Westerwelle is on his fifth visit to southern Africa, acknowledging the economic and political progress the continent has made in recent years.

Minister Westerwelle in South Africa

Become a fan of the German Missions on Facebook