South Africa House’s £3 million renovation after years of neglect

After years of disrepair, the Department of International Relations and Cooperation has shuttered South Africa House in London for renovations, leaving unanswered questions about the quiet closure and rundown condition of the building on Trafalgar Square in London. The Bigger Picture speaks to Ryan Smith, the Democratic Alliance’s spokesperson on international relations, who said, “it’s such an embarrassment really for our foreign service that we can’t even maintain the buildings that our diplomatic staffers have to operate in, let alone the appointments themselves.” We also get comment from Lord Peter Hain, the former anti-apartheid activist, who describes the neglect of South Africa House as “frankly disturbing and shameful”.