South Africa’s diplomatic mission in Washington, already facing the delicate task of mending strained relations with President Donald Trump’s administration, has been hit with a major infrastructure crisis that’s thrown its operations into disarray.
The embassy, located on Massachusetts Avenue NW, has been battling severe water damage after storm water mixed with raw sewage flooded parts of its building.
The flooding, which began after a 2022 construction project near the premises, has left large sections of the embassy unusable and forced staff to work under difficult conditions.
In a lawsuit filed last week in Washington D.C.’s Superior Court, South Africa is demanding over $2.8 million in damages. The legal action targets the District of Columbia and several contractors who were involved in the road resurfacing near the embassy.
According to the embassy’s claims, construction debris from the project blocked drainage systems, causing repeated flooding that damaged elevators, equipment, and five official vehicles. Even the building’s garage doors reportedly malfunctioned due to the repeated exposure to contaminated water.
The embassy says it raised concerns early on, but authorities failed to take action. The suit accuses local officials and the area’s water and sewage department of poor oversight and negligence.
Despite repeated alerts, the embassy says the damage worsened as no meaningful steps were taken to prevent the flooding or respond to the complaints.
As a result, the embassy is now operating well below capacity. Much of its office space remains unusable, with equipment either destroyed or still undergoing repairs.
Staff have been relocated or forced to work in limited areas of the compound, affecting diplomatic activities at a critical time.
Adding to the embassy’s difficulties is a lack of engagement from the defendants. Legal records show no lawyers have yet been assigned to represent the named parties, while South Africa’s Department of International Relations and Cooperation has not commented publicly.
The incident comes as South Africa navigates rocky diplomatic waters with the United States under Trump’s renewed leadership. Since returning to office, Trump has slashed most aid to South Africa, repeated controversial claims about land seizures, and removed the South African ambassador from Washington.
President Cyril Ramaphosa is reportedly pushing for a reset in the relationship, suggesting new trade terms and expanded energy cooperation.
