THE South African Jewish Board of Deputies has lashed out at Arts and Culture Minister Nathi Mthethwa.
This comes after he announced the government was withdrawing its support of the Miss South Africa pageant following controversy over its decision to still send Miss SA Lalela Mswane’s to participate in Miss Universe in Israel.
Wendy Kahn said: “Our minister of sports, arts and culture has been noticeably absent these past 18 months. He has been largely silent about artists who appealed to him for help during the Covid-19 lockdown.
“Yet, when it comes to placating the radical anti-Israel lobby who demand that Miss South Africa Lalela Mswane withdraw from the Miss Universe Pageant in Eilat, suddenly Minister Mthethwa finds his voice.”
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The South African Zionist Federation also took aim at Mthethwa.
“He may think that South Africa is making a grand moral statement because the ruling party has been misled by a perversion of facts about Israel, the Middle East’s only democracy, but in fact, our country is simply signalling its isolationism and irrelevance on the world stage.”
Spokeswoman for Palestine Solidarity Alliance, Noor Ahmad said: “We acknowledge the statement by the government and are glad to know that they will be standing in solidarity with the people of Palestine and have withdrawn their support, and that of South Africa, for the Miss South Africa pageant.”
The ANC Women’s League also announced that they support the call to boycott Miss Universe and calls for Miss SA to withdraw in solidarity with the people of Palestine, “
Spokesperson for Miss SA organisation, Janine Greenleaf said: “The Miss South Africa organisation had no comment to make at this stage.”
