South Africans: Register with the South African consulate online

The following was posted in on the South African Embassy in Seoul in June this year following the unrest after the Cheonan sinking:

STATEMENT TO SOUTH AFRICAN CITIZENS IN SOUTH KOREA

The Embassy wishes to inform South Africans residing in South Korea that though tensions in inter-Korean relations have ratcheted up a degree or two since the sinking of the war-ship “The Cheonan” and the announcement of the results of the official joint investigation team, the current situation has not escalated to the point where war is imminent.

We therefore urge all our citizens to remain calm. It is important in this period of interlude for all South Africans to register themselves on the Register of South African citizens abroad ( ROSA).

According to our official records on ROSA to date, only thirty-nine South Africans live in South Korea.

By all measures, this record is a gross underestimate. We are advised that a plethora of myths surround ROSA, amongst others, that the information will be used for tax purposes. As much as we believe that it is a patriotic duty to pay taxes, we must emphasize that ROSA is nothing more than a tool for Government to plan and communicate to you about emergency situations both natural and man-made. Citizens must not, we emphasize, register themselves at the Embassy but they must do so on ROSA.

The system that supports ROSA, occasionally goes off-line for an hour or two at most due to maintenance. So please try again later if the system is down, or crashes whilst you work on it.

The registration on ROSA is the most important thing to be done now for citizens, if Government is to be of service to you in an emergency.

In the event, which we must emphasize is not imminent, that there is a further deterioration in the security situation the South African Government will provide early warning of this via the contact details you provide us through ROSA. Early warning will be coupled with advice on whether to depart the country or not.

The South African Government only provides transport in situations of rapid deterioration or man-made sudden disasters, where we will communicate where the collection points are through the mass media, personal contact and the warden system.

We again re-emphasize that the situation is far from grim and so it is vital that we remain calm and calm those around us.

Kindly monitor the Embassy website for further communication in this regard.  South African Embassy

Click here to register online with the Embassy. It only takes 5 minutes.