DIRCO laments ‘protocol breach’ during Zuma’s Morocco visit
The International Relations Department says the use of the South African flag during a visit by former president Jacob Zuma to Morocco is a breach of diplomatic protocol.
The Umkhonto weSizwe Party leader met with Morocco's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nasser Bourita, last month.
DIRCO says the use of the SA flag during the meeting created an impression that it was an official state visit.
MFA Nasser Bourita received, today in Rabat, the Former President of South Africa and leader of the MK party, who expressed his party's support for the Moroccan autonomy proposal, believing that it guarantees Morocco's sovereignty over the Sahara pic.twitter.com/eUZu6FezXH
— Moroccan Diplomacy 🇲🇦 (@Marocdiplo_EN) July 15, 2025
Diplomatic relations between South Africa and Morocco have been strained since 2004 when South Africa formally recognised Western Sahara.
The department's spokesperson Chrispin Phiri says while Morocco is at liberty to invite anyone to visit the country, it strongly protests the use of South African national symbols.
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"South Africa has indicated to the Kingdom of Morocco that the display of national symbols inherently conveys official state endorsement and elevates the perception of the encounter to that of a state-to-state engagement.
"This characterisation is inconsistent with established diplomatic protocol, as the participants did not represent the official positions or engagements of the South African state.
“Consequently, this portrayal cannot be recognised as an official bilateral meeting, and the implications drawn from it are firmly rejected."
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