The article attempts to define the origins and consequences of the identity crisis of the white community of the Republic of South Africa at the present stage. The complex internal political context in South Africa is caused by a number of problems, among which it is necessary to highlight: the unstable socio-political situation, the problem of overcoming the socio-political barriers created in the recent past, the overcrowding of large cities, the inability of the "new" political elites to make decisions. All of the above-mentioned creates difficult to overcome obstacles for the successful development of the country, affect the standard of living of various segments of the population and prevent creative activities in the international arena. Based on the experience and opinion of foreign experts, primarily South Africans, and also taking into account the prospects for mutually beneficial cooperation between Russia and South Africa, the author gives an expert assessment of the current state of South African society by analyzing foreign scientific and web sources on the topic chosen.