South Africa is already seeing evidence of backlash after the International Court of Justice’s (ICJ) favourable ruling last month, ordering provisional measures in the case against Israel.
This is according to presidential spokesperson Vincent Magwenya, who told journalists on Wednesday that the government was expecting more counteractions.
He was speaking to journalists ahead of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s state of the nation address as he begins the conclusion of his first five-year term.
Magwenya hinted that Ramaphosa was likely to use his 2024 Sona to take stock of the performance of his administration, which was elected in 2019 and also look back at the achievements of the country since the first democratic elections in 1994.
Turning to international relations, there was already evidence of misinformation against Pretoria by some countries after its ICJ action against Israel as part of a fightback campaign against SA.
“We are already seeing a pattern of misinformation around this matter, so what the president was cautioning about was not necessarily completely out of place or impossible,” said Magwenya.
“I saw one alleging that the (ICJ) case was funded by the governing party, yet the government is always involved in some form of litigation, and it never goes outside looking for funding.”
A week ago, President Ramaphosa warned the ANC of a looming fightback internationally and domestically over South Africa’s case against Israel at the ICJ.
The fightback, he said, was also likely to manifest in the run-up to the national and provincial elections this year. Ramaphosa made the prediction in his closing remarks at the ANC lekgotla at the Birchwood Hotel in Boksburg, Ekurhuleni.
We’ve already seen religious leaders making faceless claims in this regard. We have seen videos circulating on the internet peddling misinformation about the funding of the ICJ case.
— Presidential spokesperson
Vincent Magwenya
His warning came soon after the conclusion of the first round of the country’s case against Israel in which it accused the Middle Eastern state of committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza.
Magwenya said Ramaphosa’s concerns were legitimate.
“It was responsible of the president to caution the country that our efforts in the ICJ may not be necessarily well-received by everybody, and you may have those individuals or entities that may respond in a manner that seeks to subvert our democratic gains, as well as our democratic order.
“It was a caution of what may happen. We have already seen stories run in some media outlets questioning the integrity of our banks who are internationally acclaimed and who are regulated in line with international best practice.
“We’ve already seen religious leaders making faceless claims in this regard. We have seen videos circulating on the internet peddling misinformation about the funding of the ICJ case,” said Magwenya.
Ramaphosa, who is recovering from a bout of flu, is expected to deliver his eighth Sona at the Cape Town city hall on Thursday, the last of his first term if he gets re-elected.
Magwenya hinted that this year’s Sona address will be different.
“This state of the nation address is different and unique in so many ways, and I think it’s important that it is allowed its own expression and that South Africans can take out of it the celebratory element and remember we are marking 30 years of our democratic dispensation,” he said.
“It is also the last Sona under the sixth administration, and so what you have is a reflection over the past 30 years and with an account of the work of the sixth administration in the last five years.
“It’s important that you allow those key elements to be expressed as much as possible without any other issues.”
The Sona takes place against the backdrop of growing unemployment, high cost of living and load-shedding. It also takes place months before what should be a highly contested general election with polls putting the governing ANC below the 50% required to form a government of its own.
It also remains to be seen whether suspended EFF MPs Julius Malema, Floyd Shivambu, Marshall Dlamini, Vuyani Pambo, Sinawo Tambo and Mbuyiseni Ndlozi will attend the Sona. The high court in Cape Town is expected to make a ruling on the matter on Thursday morning, just hours before Ramaphosa’s address.
The EFF said they will announce their next course of action in relation to the Sona as soon as the court judgment is delivered on Thursday morning.
The six were suspended from parliament for the whole of February for storming the stage during last year’s Sona.
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