AfriForum writes a letter to DIRCO demanding SA diplomat’s damage to Vienna apartment to be paid out of his own pocket

16 March 2021 

AfriForum today sent a letter to the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Naledi Pandor, and the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) regarding the recent news that a South African diplomat (adv. David Kweli Nkosi) left the apartment in Vienna, Austria, that he was staying in, in such a damaged state that the estimated cost to repair and restore amounts to around R715 000.

According to the apartment's owner, Karl Widy, as reported in the media, when Nkosi moved out in August 2020 all the electrical appliances in the kitchen were destroyed and all the valuable cutlery was missing. There were no glasses left, the fridge and microwave were destroyed, the window frames and door frames were damaged, the sink, bath and toilet were stained, the walls and floors were dirty and stained with black soot, and the place was infested with cockroaches.

“This behaviour by a South African diplomat is unacceptable and taxpayers should not be burdened with paying for these damages. AfriForum’s stance is that the diplomat adv. David Kweli Nkosi should pay for the damages out of his own pocket,” says Ernst van Zyl, Campaign Officer for strategy and content at AfriForum.

AfriForum hopes to hear from DIRCO and/or the Minister soon.

Issued by ChantéKelder, Media Relations Officer, AfriForum, 16 March 2021