Relationship dossier
New Zealand
South Africa
Relationship assessment
Post-apartheid ties are cordial, with a bilateral tax agreement and a legacy of New Zealand opposition to apartheid.
New Zealand toward South Africa
+5New Zealand opposed apartheid-era South African policy and restricted sporting contact with South Africa. After apartheid, the two governments concluded a double taxation agreement, supporting practical bilateral cooperation.
South Africa toward New Zealand
+15South Africa concluded a double taxation agreement with New Zealand, establishing a concrete framework for cooperation on tax matters. The scope of other South African government cooperation with New Zealand is less clear.
Overall relationship
+15The relationship has shifted from substantial political friction over apartheid to normalized, generally cordial ties. The bilateral tax agreement provides a practical cooperative foundation, while the historical dispute remains a defining feature of the relationship’s earlier period.
How to read these scores
Scores are rough judgments, not objective measurements or current verification. Directional scores describe government policy and conduct, not public opinion. The overall score is an independent estimate, never an average.
- −100
- Extreme sustained hostility
- −50
- Substantially adversarial
- 0
- Mixed or neutral, supported by knowledge
- +50
- Substantially cooperative
- +100
- Exceptionally close sustained partnership
“Not assessed” means there is no recorded score. Pair existence makes no claim about diplomatic recognition or established relations.
Relationship context
Overview
New Zealand’s relationship with South Africa was shaped by opposition to apartheid, including restrictions on sporting contact, and later by normalized post-apartheid relations. The two governments concluded a double taxation agreement, providing a concrete basis for cooperation. The relationship is broadly cordial, though the scale and depth of current bilateral cooperation are unclear.
Areas of tension
- New Zealand’s opposition to apartheid and restrictions on sporting contact with South Africa.
Key developments
New Zealand and South Africa concluded a double taxation agreement.
Major uncertainties
- The scope and implementation of current bilateral cooperation beyond tax matters are unclear.
- The scale of current government-to-government engagement is uncertain.