Gov’t withdraws support for Miss South Africa at Israel event

The government says it is distancing itself from the organizers’ decision to participate in the Miss Universe pageant in Israel.

The South African government has said it is distancing itself from the decision by the organizers of the Miss South Africa pageant to participate in next month’s annual Miss Universe pageant in Israel.

Sunday’s decision came after growing calls for Miss South Africa, Laleela Maswane, to boycott the pageant to be held in Elliot on 12 December.

Local beauty pageant organizers are adamant that the recently crowned Miss South Africa should go to the event, arguing that the Miss Universe pageant is not a “politically motivated event”.

“It has proved difficult to persuade the Miss SA pageant organizers to reconsider their decision to participate in the Miss Universe event,” the Ministry of Arts and Culture said in a statement. Statement,

The government therefore “withdraws its support” after the “inaction” and “disregard for advice” of the organisers.

“The atrocities committed by Israel against the Palestinians are well documented and the government, as the lawful representative of the people of South Africa, cannot in good conscience condone itself as such,” it said.

South Africa supports the Palestinian issue, with formal diplomatic relations established in 1995, a year after the end of apartheid. It downgraded its embassy in Tel Aviv in 2019 and ousted its ambassador.

Arts Minister Nathi Mathewha said the move to go ahead and participate in the program could prove disastrous for him. [Mswane’s] future and public standing as a young, black woman”.

In a statement, the governing African National Congress party urged organizers to “hear and listen to the overwhelming call by the Miss South Africa team to boycott Miss Universe organized by the upcoming apartheid Israel”.