The Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) is the foreign ministry of the South African government.

Prior to 1927, the British government attended to the external affairs of South Africa, though the latter did have its own trade commissioners that were sent to various countries.

[2] In 1931, the Statute of Westminster gave South Africa full sovereignty in regards to external affairs, and confirmed by the Status of the Union Act, 1934.

[5] In 2022, when Cuba asked for humanitarian medical and food aid, AfriForum managed to obtain an interdict against a pending R50 million payout by the department, labelling it "squandering of taxpayers' money".

The chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on International Relations and Cooperation, Supra Mahumapelo, decried the ruling due to its perceived impact on South Africa's solidarity work with countries like Cuba.