Cyril Ramaphosa coronavirus stream speech

President Cyril Ramaphosa replies to questions for oral replies in the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) today, 10 October 2019 in Parliament, Cape Town.

The President engaged the NCOP on a wide range of issues including government’s mechanisms to strengthen border control and security in order to deter illegal migration, proliferation of drugs and various forms of cross-border crimes; gender-based violence and femicide; strategic interventions to protect the economy and domestic industries, Energy supply and interventions to assist victims of asbestosis. – Elmond Jiyane, GCIS

Ramaphosa: Closing of South African embassy in Israel may be reviewed

The closing of the embassy in Israel stands to have a detrimental effect on the trade relations between the two countries.

Cyril Ramaphosa coronavirus stream speech

President Cyril Ramaphosa replies to questions for oral replies in the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) today, 10 October 2019 in Parliament, Cape Town.

The President engaged the NCOP on a wide range of issues including government’s mechanisms to strengthen border control and security in order to deter illegal migration, proliferation of drugs and various forms of cross-border crimes; gender-based violence and femicide; strategic interventions to protect the economy and domestic industries, Energy supply and interventions to assist victims of asbestosis. – Elmond Jiyane, GCIS

The closure of the South African embassy in Jerusalem is continuing apace, President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced in Parliament, but may be reconsidered if South Africa feels that there is genuine efforts to improve the lot of Palestinians.

International Relations Minister Naledi Pandor gave the particulars in answer to a question by NFP MP Mr Ahmed Shaik Emam, NFP MP. He wanted to know whether there are any delays with the implementation of the ANC resolution, taken in 2017 at its national conference at Nasrec, to close the embassy.

South African ambassador to Israel recalled

Ramaphosa answered that the South African government remains engaged with the modalities of downgrading the South African embassy in Israel. The South African ambassador to Jerusalem has been recalled and South Africa intends only maintaining a liaison office in Tel Aviv, which will oversee South Africa’s continuing provision of consular services and ant trade and economic relations.

According to Ramaphosa, the proposed model is to be similar to the South African liaison office currently maintained in the Moroccan capital, Rabat.

Arrangement likely to be reviewed

Importantly, Ramaphosa stated that once South Africa confirms genuine efforts at resolving the impasse in Palestine, the arrangement will be reviewed.

The President did not say so, but the ANC decision to close the embassy in Jerusalem is one of several headaches which that Nasrec conference left him with, all of which are economically nonsensical at a time of great weakness for the South African economy. Other such decisions include the nationalisation of the Reserve Bank and expropriation without compensation.

Insofar as the closing of the embassy in Israel is concerned, it stands to have a detrimental effect on the trade relations between the two countries.

Many South African citizens reside in Israel and South Africa boasts a large Jewish community mostly harbouring very supportive views on Israel, despite the ANC decision, which was largely motivated by Israeli treatment of the Palestinian population, both inside and outside of Israel’s borders.