Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane during the SADC Election Observer Mission (SEOM) Press Conference, Port Louis, Mauritius, 11 December 2014.

Pictures: Yolande Snyman

African Union Professor J A Tesha; Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma; and Chairperson of the Forum, Former President Joachim Chissano; Minister of State Security, Mr Mahlobo; and Dr Mayaki of NEPAD, during the Consultation Meeting on Agenda 2063 of Members of the Forum for Former African Heads of State and Government, Pretoria, South Africa, 11 December 2014.

Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane briefs the media on the outcomes of the recent State Visit to the People's Republic of China by President Jacob Zuma, Pretoria, South Africa, 9 Desember 2014.

Pictures: Jacoline Schoonees

Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane launches the SADC Electoral Observer Mission (SEOM), Port Louis, Mauritius, 1 December 2014.

Pictures: Jacoline Schoonees

Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane and Deputy Minister Luwellyn Landers during the SADC Election Observer Mission (SEOM) Press Conference, Windhoek, Namibia, 30 November 2014.

Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane in her capacity as SADC Electoral Observation Mission Chair to Namibia, visits polling stations at a school in an informal settlement and one closer to the city, Windhoek, Namibia, 28 November 2014.

Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane receives President Mahmoud Abbas from the State of Palestine at the Waterkloof Air Force Base Airport, Pretoria, South Africa, 25 November 2014.

Pictures: Jacoline Schoonees

Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane with the Federal Minister of Foreign Affairs of Germany, Dr Frank-Walter Steinmeier, at the Eighth Session of the South Africa-Germany Bi-National Commission (BNC) in Pretoria, South Africa, 21 November 2014.

Deputy Minister Nomaindiya Mfeketo during a Public Participation Programme stakeholder engagement at the Centre for Conflict Resolution, Cape Town, South Africa, 12 November 2014.

Pictures: Jacoline Schoonees

Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane and Deputy Minister Luwellyn Landers during the SADC Election Observer Mission launch ceremony, Windhoek, Namibia, 10 November 2014.

Courtesy call on President Hifikepunye Pohamba of Namibia by Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane and Deputy Minister Luwellyn Landers, State House, Windhoek, Namibia, 10 November 2014.

Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane meets with Foreign Minister Netumbo-Ndaitwah of Namibia. Deputy Minister Luwellyn Landers is also present, Windhoek, Namibia, 10 November 2014.

Pictures: Jacoline Schoonees

Deputy Minister Luwellyn Landers meets Deputy Minister Martin Tlapa from the Czech Republic at the Johnny Makatini Guesthouse, Pretoria, South Africa, 9 November 2014.

Pictures: Jacoline Schoonees

Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane meets the Minister of Natural Resources and Environment of the Russian Federation, Mr Sergey Donskoy, OR Tambo Building, Pretoria, South Africa, 7 November 2014.

Pictures: Jacoline Schoonees

The South African Embassy in Havana, Cuba, hosts a 20 Years of Democracy Gala Dinner. Deputy Minister Pamela Tshwete of the Department of Water and Sanitation and Deputy Minister Luwellyn Landers attend the event hosted by Ambassador Manana. The South African medical students performed during the event, Havana, Cuba, 28 October 2014.

Deputy Minister of Water Affairs, Ms Pamela Tshwete, and the Deputy Minister of Water Resources of Cuba, Ing. Mr. Abel Salas Garcias, sign a MOU between South Africa and Cuba on Water and Sanitation, Havana, Cuba, 27 October 2014.

Deputy Minister Luwellyn Landers during a public lecture at the Habana Libre Hotel, Havana, Cuba, 27 October 2014.

Deputy Minister Luwellyn Landers lays a wreath at the bust of Oliver Tambo at the African Founding Fathers Park, Havana, Cuba, 27 October 2014.

Pictures: Jacoline Schoonees

Deputy Director General for Americas and the Caribbean, Ms Yolisa Maya, South African Ambassador in Havana, Cuba also serving Dominican Republic are shown the new plans for developing a Mandela Plaza in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic by Mr Jose Miguel Martinez Guridy, Secretary of Environment in the Mayor's office and Ingeneer, Magdalena Diaz de Mazara, Secretary General in the Mayor's office. They also visited the proposed site for the Plaza, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, 23 October 2014.

Deputy Director General for Americas and Caribbean, Ms Yolisa Maya, meets with the Deputy Foreign Minister of the Dominican Republic, Ms Alejandra Liriano, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, 21 October 2014.

Deputy Director General for Americas and Caribbean, Ms Yolisa Maya greets the Deputy Foreign Minister of the Dominican Republic, Ms Alejandra Liriano. Standing next to Deputy Minister Liriano, is Mr Jose Juan Hernandez Ciimadevilla, Ambassador for African Affairs, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, 21 October 2014.

Pictures: Jacoline Schoonees

Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane and Dr José Antonio Meade Kuribreña, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Mexico, during a press conference and a signing ceremony held at the OR Tambo Building, Pretoria, South Africa, 17 October 2014.

Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane and Dr José Antonio Meade Kuribreña, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Mexico, during their meeting at the OR Tambo Building, Pretoria, South Africa, 17 October 2014.

Pictures: Jacoline Schoonees

Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane meets with the Norwegian Foreign Minister, Borge Brende, on the sidelines of the International Donors’ Conference on Palestine, entitled “Reconstructing Gaza”, Cairo, Egypt, 12 October 2014.

Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane meets with the Egyptian Foreign Minister, Amany El-Khayat’s, on the sidelines of the International Donors’ Conference on Palestine, entitled “Reconstructing Gaza”, Cairo, Egypt, 12 October 2014.

Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane delivers her statement at the International Donors’ Conference on Palestine, entitled “Reconstructing Gaza”, Cairo, Egypt, 12 October 2014.

Group photograph - International Donors’ Conference on Palestine, entitled “Reconstructing Gaza”, Cairo, Egypt, 12 October 2014.

United Nations Secretary General, Ban Ki Moon and Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, during the International Donors’ Conference on Palestine, entitled “Reconstructing Gaza”, Cairo, Egypt, 12 October 2014.

Group photograph - left to right:  Egyptian Foreign Minister, Amany El-Khayat’s; Norwegian Foreign Minister, Borge Brende; United Nations Secretary General, Ban Ki Moon; and Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, during the International Donors’ Conference on Palestine, entitled “Reconstructing Gaza”, Cairo, Egypt, 12 October 2014.

Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane greets John Kerry and Baroness Catherine Ashton during the International Donors’ Conference on Palestine, entitled “Reconstructing Gaza”, Cairo, Egypt, 12 October 2014.

Wide view of the International Donors’ Conference on Palestine, entitled “Reconstructing Gaza”, Cairo, Egypt, 12 October 2014.

Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane is seated during the International Donors’ Conference on Palestine, entitled “Reconstructing Gaza”, Cairo, Egypt, 12 October 2014.

Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane greets Baroness Catherine Ashton during the International Donors’ Conference on Palestine, entitled “Reconstructing Gaza”. Behind them on the right, is the Secretary of State of the United States of America, Mr John Kerry, Cairo, Egypt, 12 October 2014.

Pictures: Jacoline Schoonees

Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane; the SADC Executive Secretary, Dr. Stergomena Lawrence Tax; and Deputy Minister Nomaindiya Mfeketo during the Launch of the SADC Observer Mission to Botswana, in Gaborone, Botswana, 9-10 October 2014.

Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane; the SADC Executive Secretary, Dr. Stergomena Lawrence Tax meet with the Vice President of Botswana, Mr Ponatshego Kedikilwe, ahead of the Launch of the SADC Observer Mission to Botswana, in Gaborone, Botswana, 9-10 October 2014.

Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane and the SADC Executive Secretary, Dr. Stergomena Lawrence Tax, meet at the SADC Head Office, ahead of the Launch of the SADC Observer Mission to Botswana, in Gaborone, Botswana, 9-10 October 2014.

Pictures: Jacoline Schoonees

Deputy Minister Nomaindiya Mfeketo addresses South Africans living in Perth during a Public Participation Programme (PPP), Perth, Australia, 6-9 October 2014.

Deputy Minister Nomaindiya Mfeketo participates in the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) Meeting, Perth, Australia, 6-9 October 2014.

Pictures: Unati Ngamntwini

Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane and SADC Executive Secretary, Dr. Stergomena Lawrence Tax, during the launch of the SADC Observer Mission to Mozambique, VIP Hotel, Maputo, Mozambique, 3 October 2014.

Pictures: Jacoline Schoonees

Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, addresses the media after paying a courtesy call on President Armando Guebuza, Maputo, Mozambique, 2 October 2014.

Pictures: Jacoline Schoonees

Deputy Minister Landers briefs the media on international developments focussing on efforts within the SADC region to entrench democratic governance, Pretoria, South Africa, 25 September 2014.

Pictures: Yolande Snyman

Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane chairs a SADC - MCO Ministerial Meeting, at the South African Permanent Mission to the United Nations (UN), New York, USA, 22 September 2014. Seated next to her is the SADC Executive Secretary, Ms Stergomena Lawrence Tax.

Pictures: Unati Ngamntwini

Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane during a press briefing on developments following the collapse of a building at the Synagogue Church of All Nations in Lagos, Nigeria, Cape Town, South Africa, 17 September 2014.

Pictures: Jacoline Schoonees

The Prime Minister of Lesotho, H E Tom Thabane and his Deputy, H E Mothetjoa Metsing, at the SADC Double Troika plus Two, Pretoria, South Africa, 15 September 2014.

President Robert Mugabe, Chair of SADC, peruse his notes before the opening session of the SADC Double Troika plus Two, Pretoria, South Africa, 15 September 2014.

President Jacob Zuma, Chair of the SADC Troika, shares a light moment with Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane before the opening session of the SADC Double Troika plus Two, Pretoria, South Africa, 15 September 2014.

President Jacob Zuma, Chair of the SADC Troika, opens the SADC Double Troika plus Two at the O R Tambo building. Seated with him are Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane and the SADC Executive Secretary, Dr Tax, Pretoria, South Africa, 15 September 2014.

President Jacob Zuma walks towards the conference venue with President Tom Thabane of Lesotho (left on image) and President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe (right of image), Pretoria, South Africa, 15 September 2014.

Pictures: Jacoline Schoonees

Left to right: Director of the SADC Organ on Politics Defence and Security, Colonel Tanki Mothae; SADC Executive Secretary, Dr Stergomena Lawrence Tax; Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane; and the Director General Department of International Relations and Cooperation, Mr Jerry Matjila, Pretoria, South Africa, 15 September 2014.

Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane and her counterpart, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Belarus, Vladirmir Makei, during Bilateral Consultations at the O R Tambo Building, Pretoria, South Africa, 12 September 2014.

Pictures: DIRCO Photography

Bilateral Discussions between South Africa and Australia are held at the O R Tambo Building of the Department of International Relations and Cooperation, Pretoria, South Africa, 11 September 2014.

Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Australia, Julie Bishop, share a light moment as they look at the images from the Bilateral Consultations, Pretoria, South Africa, 11 September 2014.

Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Australia, Julie Bishop during a tête-a-tête meeting, prior to the Bilateral Ccnsultations, Pretoria, South Africa, 11 September 2014.

Deputy Minister Luwellyn Landers with his Cuban counterpart, Deputy Minister Ana Teresita González Fraga, O R Tambo Building, Pretoria, South Africa, 11 September 2014.

Pictures: Jacoline Schoonees

Deputy Minister Nomaindiya Mfeketo holds bilateral discussions with the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs of the United Kingdom, Rt Hon James Duddridge, Pretoria, South Africa, 10 September 2014.

Pictures: Unati Ngamntwini

First Meeting of the South Africa - China Inter-Ministerial Joint Working Group, Beijing, People’s Republic of China, 3-4 September 2014. Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane meets with Minister Goa Hucheng.

Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane meets with the State Councillor of China, Mr Yang Jiechi, at the Great Hall of The People, Beijing, People’s Republic of China, 3-4 September 2014.

Pictures: Unati Ngamntwini

President Jacob Zuma at the Heads of Missions Conference. Seated on the panel is left to right: Deputy Minister Luwelyn Landers, Minister Maite Nkaona-Mashabane and Deputy Minister Nomaindiya Mfekheto, Pretoria, South Africa, 31 August 2014.

President Jacob Zuma addresses the Heads of Missions Conference at the Department of International Relations and Cooperation Head Quarters, Pretoria, South Africa, 31 August 2014.

The Heads of Missions are the Ambassadors and High Commissioners representing the Republic of South Africa abroad.

Pictures: Jacoline Schoonees

Department of International Relations and Cooperation Spokesperson, Mr Clayson Monyela, briefs the media on recent activities in the Kingdom of Lesotho, O R Tambo Building, Pretoria, South Africa, 30 August 2014.

Pictures: Jacoline Schoonees

Minister of Trade and Industry, Mr Rob Davies, during the SADC Ministers Council Meeting, Elephant Hills Resort Conferences Centre, Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe ahead of the 34th Ordinary Summit of SADC Heads of State and Government to follow. Seated next to him is Deputy Director General, Ms Maud Dlomo, and Director General, Mr Jerry Matjila, from the Department of International Relations and Cooperation, 8-13 August 2014.

Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa pays a courtesy call on President Michelle Bachelet of the Republic of Chile at the Sheraton Hotel, Pretoria, South Africa, 8 August 2014.

Budget Vote - Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane delivers her Budget Vote in Parliament, Cape Town, South Africa, 22 July 2014.

Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane at a Press Briefing before her Budget Vote Address to Parliament, Cape Town, South Africa, 22 July 2014.

Pictures: Jacoline Schoonees

Meeting between Deputy Minister Nomaindiya Mfeketo and the Ambassador of Israel to South Africa, Mr Arthur Lenk, Pretoria, South Africa, 16 July 2014.

Pictures: Unati Ngamntwini

Deputy Minister Luwellyn Landers and the President of the South African Youth Consultative Forum (SAYC), Mr Thulane Tshefuta, during the National Youth Consultative Forum on the AU’s Agenda 2063, Pretoria, South Africa, 11 July 2014.

Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane is seated next to the Minister of Defence and Military Veterans, Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, during the Joint SADC-ICGLR Ministers' Meeting, Luanda, Angola, 1-2 July 2014.

Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane greets delegates during the Joint SADC-ICGLR Ministers' Meeting. On the left is the Foreign Minister of Angola, Georges Rebelo Chicoti, and on the right is the Foreign Minister of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Raymond Tshibanda, Luanda, Angola, 1-2 July 2014.