South Africa needs to reexamine responses to some basic questions if it is to develop a robust push that would enable the higher education sector to maximise the benefits of internationalisation in the context of the "knowledge society" and to serve local needs while being an integral part of the global community. In responding to these questions, this article posits the view that the history and future of the internationalisation of higher education in South Africa would make a useful contribution to ongoing debates on this important topic. The article probes the internationalisation of higher education in South Africa against the backdrop of the internationalisation globally. It also investigates future scenarios and topics ranging from the "Africanization versus internationalization" debate and policies on internationalisation to student mobility, trade in educational services, and how internationalisation is being used to ease skill shortages in developed countries.