SA govt ‘sold its soul for cash’ from Islamists

The South African government has “sold its soul for cash”, and made alliances with countries whose ideologies oppose those of this country, according to a new report by United States (US)-based Institute for the Study of Global Antisemitism and Policy (ISGAP).

“The Iranian interest in establishing ties with South Africa is directly linked to the Islamic Republic’s bid to expand its influence, both regionally and globally,” states the damning new report from the organisation that US legislators refer to as the source of information on antisemitism.

The report, titled “South Africa, Hamas, Iran, and Qatar: The Hijacking of the ANC and the International Court of Justice (ICJ)” examines the South African government’s decision to launch its “genocide” case. It also explores “the anti-democratic and terror organisations that the South African government partnered with in order to advance this anti-Israel and overtly antisemitic project”.

ISGAP, founded in 2004, is the first interdisciplinary research centre dedicated to the study of antisemitism. Based in Florida and New York, it researches the origins, processes, and manifestations of antisemitism and other prejudice. Based on its examination, it disseminates analytical and scholarly materials to help combat hatred.

When US Congress summoned the heads of American universities to testify about antisemitism on campuses in December 2023, legislators referred to ISGAP research and information.

ISGAP founding director Dr Charles Small, who was deeply involved in the anti-apartheid struggle, says, “It pains me deeply to publish this report, which reveals that South Africa’s current ANC [African National Congress]-led government has sold its soul for cash, and [made] an alliance with entities whose ideology is incompatible with a free, democratic South Africa.

“As detailed in these pages, the ANC and the government it leads has developed close ties with the Iranian revolutionary regime, despite the latter’s fundamental opposition to democratic principles.

“South Africa’s ANC-led government maintains close relations with Qatar. It’s these nefarious actors that are currently funding the ANC, which has effectively sold out the history of the struggle of the South African people,” Small says.

The government still hasn’t revealed the source of the finances that enabled it to pursue the ICJ case. The preliminary cost is estimated to be about R200 million, and the trial cost is expected to be in the region of R1.5 billion, according to the report. “Given the enormity of the cost, it’s difficult to dismiss the argument that South Africa was the beneficiary of considerable external support,” it stated.

The report looks at how the ANC may have been given cash injections by Iran and a Russian oligarch. It also reveals how some individuals in South Africa’s ICJ legal advisory team are affiliated with internationally-recognised terrorist entities such as the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP).

The report maintained that Shawan Jabarin, on South Africa’s ICJ legal team, was a senior member of the PFLP who was convicted for his involvement with the organisation and served multiple prison sentences. Another member of the South African delegation is Raji Sourani, who served a three-year sentence for his role in the PFLP.

“Curiously, in early January 2024, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that the ANC had mysteriously managed to stabilise its finances,” according to the report. “Crucially, this money appeared in the ANC’s coffers without explanation, mere days after the South African government brought its case against Israel at the ICJ.”

It refers to the oft-quoted points made by analyst Dr Frans Cronje and advocate Paul Hoffman that Iran paid the ANC to litigate against Israel. In addition, former Trump Deputy National Security Advisor Victoria Coates stated that “one has to at least wonder” whether Iran funds the ANC. Coates also referenced how Iran would benefit from such an arrangement. For example, South Africa could provide it with nuclear support.

The report looks at the close relationships that South Africa has with Iran, Qatar, and Hamas. “It’s clear that Iran has viewed South Africa as a hub for circumventing Western sanctions. Today, South Africa serves as a valuable defence and trading partner of the Iranian regime,” it states. In addition, “South Africa’s value to Qatar shouldn’t be understated.”

In November 2023, during Ramaphosa’s state visit to Qatar, he announced that South Africa had taken steps toward lodging a formal complaint against Israel with the International Criminal Court. The ANC also met the Doha-based International Union of Muslim Scholars on 5 May 2024. This organisation was founded by Yusuf al-Qaradawi, the spiritual leader of the Muslim Brotherhood, who calls upon Muslims to “finish what Hitler started”.

The report looks at how relations between the ANC and Hamas have only grown stronger over time, including an official Hamas delegation to South Africa in December 2023, weeks before South Africa launched its ICJ case. The visit included a meeting with ANC Secretary General Fikile Mbalula. ANC spokesperson in the Western Cape, Muhammad Khalid Sayed, reported a “very positive engagement” with the Hamas delegation.

Looking at radical political Islamism in South Africa, the report states, “In effect, South Africa has been used as the territorial crux of Islamists in Africa.” It says some of the radical political Islamist associations in South Africa include Africa4Palestine, the Al-Quds Foundation, the Al-Aqsa Foundation, the Muslim Judicial Council, the Media Review Network, and the Union of Good.

“A review of South Africa’s submission to the ICJ further underlines the political nature of its case, which lacks credible evidence that Israel is committing genocide,” states ISGAP. “The ANC has openly welcomed extremist elements into its ranks and support networks. The activities and relationships of the ANC should serve as a wake-up call.”

South African Zionist Federation (SAZF) spokesperson Rolene Marks says the SAZF is “deeply concerned by these findings, which raise serious concerns about the ANC’s motivations regarding its ICJ case. Of particular concern are connections between members of South Africa’s legal team and terror groups, alongside the reported involvement of anti-Israel nongovernmental organisations shaping the case.

“Equally troubling is the report’s suggestion that the ANC received a significant and unexplained cash infusion shortly after initiating the ICJ lawsuit,” says Marks. “This raises critical questions about whether the ANC’s actions are being dictated by foreign entities.”

The SAZF has called on the ANC to disclose the origins of its funding and the motivations behind the ICJ case. “Moreover, we urge other members of the government of national unity to ensure that South Africa’s foreign policy reflects democratic values and aligns with the priorities of its citizens,” Marks says.

South African Jewish Board of Deputies analyst Adam Charnas says, “These findings raise significant concerns about South Africa’s persistent anti-Israel agenda, and the degree to which its policies may be shaped by nefarious states and actors.”