The Western Cape Provincial Parliament welcomed Sarah Bernardy, the newly appointed Consul General of Germany in Cape Town, during a courtesy visit on 3 September 2026.
Bernardy was received by Speaker Daylin Mitchell and Deputy Speaker Reagen Allen, marking an early engagement between the newly appointed German Consul General and the leadership of the provincial legislature.
The visit comes shortly after Bernardy assumed her position as Consul General of the Federal Republic of Germany in Cape Town in August 2026. According to Germany’s Federal Foreign Office, she previously served in Berlin as Head of Division responsible for policy issues relating to Sub-Saharan Africa, the African Union, Southern Africa and the Great Lakes region.
Strengthening Germany–Western Cape Engagement
The courtesy meeting provides an opportunity for continued engagement between German diplomatic representatives and institutions in the Western Cape.
The German Consulate General in Cape Town covers the Western Cape, Eastern Cape and Northern Cape, as well as St Helena and neighbouring territories. Its work includes supporting political, economic, cultural and scientific relations between Germany and the Cape region.
Germany’s Federal Foreign Office describes the relationship between Germany and the Cape region as encompassing areas including business, culture, science, tourism and civil society.
Against this background, engagements between diplomatic missions and provincial institutions provide an avenue for discussing areas of mutual interest and strengthening institutional links.
Deputy Speaker Reagen Allen
Sarah Bernardy’s Diplomatic Background
Bernardy brings extensive experience from Germany’s Federal Foreign Office to her new assignment in South Africa.
Before becoming Consul General in Cape Town, she served from 2022 to 2026 as Head of Division for Sub-Saharan Africa, the African Union, Southern Africa and the Great Lakes at the Federal Foreign Office in Berlin. Her previous assignments included work relating to the Middle East, planning and policy, human rights and political affairs, as well as diplomatic postings in Abu Dhabi and Damascus.
Her appointment places her at the German Consulate General responsible for a significant part of South Africa’s southern regional diplomatic and economic landscape.
Germany’s Presence in the Cape Region
The German Consulate General in Cape Town plays a broad role in advancing Germany’s engagement with the region. Beyond consular services, the mission works with partners on bilateral cooperation, cultural and scientific exchanges and economic relations.
Germany’s diplomatic representation notes that the Consulate General works alongside organisations such as the Goethe-Zentrum Cape Town, the German International School Cape Town and the German Academic Exchange Service, as well as other local partners. It also works with the German-South African Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s Cape Town branch on matters concerning German businesses and economic relations.
A New Chapter in Diplomatic Engagement
The courtesy visit by Sarah Bernardy to the Western Cape Provincial Parliament comes at the beginning of her tenure in Cape Town and highlights the importance of engagement between diplomatic missions and provincial institutions.
For the Western Cape, Germany represents an important international partner across areas including economic cooperation, investment, tourism, education, science, culture and institutional exchange.
The meeting between Bernardy and the leadership of the Western Cape Provincial Parliament therefore provides a platform for continued dialogue and engagement between German representatives and the province.
As Sarah Bernardy begins her tenure in Cape Town, further engagements with government, business, academic and civil society stakeholders are expected to form part of Germany’s broader engagement across the Cape region.
