CAPE TOWN - As controversy surrounding Miss South Africa Lalela Mswane’s participation at the Miss Universe pageant in Israel continues, the South African Friends of Israel (Safi) says Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture Nathi Mthethwa’s withdrawal of support for her was “hypocritical”.
This they say was because another South African competitor, Jonathan "CactuarKiDD" Brown, attended the 13th Esports World Championships in Eilat, Israel, without opposition from the government, among other reasons.
Mthethwa’s office did not respond to several requests for comment on the matter on Thursday.
The Miss South Africa Organisation did also not respond to requests for comment.
“Safi welcomes the South African Government’s support of attendance in Eilat, Israel, of a South African competitor (male) at the 13th Esports World Championships 2021. Why then is the Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture, Nathi Mthethwa, opposing Miss South Africa’s attendance at the Miss Universe pageant in the very same city in a few weeks? Is this hypocrisy? Sexism? Or did he just not know? E-sports are accredited by the South African Government as a sport for which players are eligible to represent South Africa and obtain National Protea colours,” the organisation said.
Safi added that “Mthethwa’s hypocritical stance” on Israel had been widely “derided”.
“The South African Government maintains an embassy in Tel Aviv and works with Israel on a number of issues, yet the government maintains a constant and hardline anti-Israel narrative, which is at odds with the commercial co-operation between the two countries.”
Mthethwa’s department earlier this week said in a statement: “The atrocities committed by Israel against Palestinians are well documented and the Government, as the legitimate representative of the people of South Africa, cannot in good conscience associate itself with such.”
ANC spokesperson Pule Mabe said the group were not being accurate, and added that they stood by their previous statement which welcomed Mthethwa’s announcement.
“The ANC, in its most recent National Conference, resolved to downgrade our diplomatic relations with Israel. Since then our government has made firm steps, recalling our ambassador and not posting one back in Israel - for 2 years now we have had no ambassador in Israel. The South African government continues to actively show our solidarity with this extremely important decision,” the ANC this week said.
The South African Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) Coalition, which welcomed the government’s decision, added that “South Africa will not build bridges with apartheid – we will tear down apartheid walls”.
“As their name implies, the South African Friends of Israel (Safi), is a pro-Israeli lobby group, along with the South African Zionist Federation and the South African Jewish Board of Deputies. It is of no surprise that they are more interested in white-washing apartheid crimes committed by Israel than supporting the anti-apartheid struggle of the oppressed Palestinian people,” the SA BDS Coalition said.
Cape Times