Dear Editor
The DA Abroad notes with concern that the Registration of South Africans Abroad (ROSA) portal, managed by the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO), is currently offline.
This outage comes at a time of heightened global instability, with escalating conflicts and crises across multiple regions. It is precisely during such periods that South Africans living, working or travelling abroad must be able to register their whereabouts and receive timely assistance from our government, in line with the Vienna Convention of 1963.
We urge all South African citizens around the world to exercise caution. In cases where the safety of South Africans abroad is at risk, the government has a duty under international law to provide protection and support.
ROSA is central to fulfilling that ability but it is currently unavailable online, leaving citizens unable to register.
Without immediate operational readiness and coordination, citizens remain exposed and vulnerable, particularly in countries where consular services are limited or non-functional.
ROSA is designed to:
- Help DIRCO locate and assist South African citizens in emergencies such as natural disasters, civil unrest, or pandemic, in line with the Vienna Convention,
- Facilitate communication and consular support between citizens and South African missions abroad,
- Provide an accurate record of citizens overseas to support emergency planning and possible evacuations.
Although registration is voluntary, it is strongly encouraged, especially for those in high-risk or politically unstable regions.
With the platform currently offline, a critical tool for citizen protection has been lost at a time when it is most needed.
The DA Abroad is urgently raising this matter with the Minister of International Relations via our parliamentary colleagues.
We will also be engaging DIRCO directly and aim to provide an update by the end of this week.
In the meantime, South Africans abroad who find themselves in difficulty are encouraged to:
Email: rosahelp@dirco.gov.za
Visit: https://dirco.gov.za/contact-us-2/ for contact details of the nearest South African mission
We will continue to advocate for the urgent restoration of this essential system and call on DIRCO to ensure its full functionality as a matter of priority.
Regards
Ludré Stevens
DA Abroad Leader