EFF joins all South Africans in a call for Miss South Africa to boycott apartheid Israel

10 November 2021

The EFF joins all South Africans and progressive peoples of the world in their call for the boycott of the Miss Universe pageant taking place in Israel. We specifically call on Lalela Mswane, Miss South Africa to refuse, reject and condemn the Miss Universe taking place in Israel which is an apartheid, genocidal and criminal state.

Apartheid is by definition a crime against humanity. The state of Israel is engaged, for over 50 years now, in a policy of racial segregation, ethnic cleansing and colonial land occupation and dispossession against the people of Palestine. Israel has violated international law barring it from its colonial and racist occupation of Palestine with impunity. This policy has led to the dispossession of homes from Palestinians, turning Palestinians into the largest forced immigrant population in the world.

No South African whose liberation came through the international boycott of Afrikaner apartheid by people's of the world should ever negotiate boycotting Israel. No South African should ever arrogate themselves the responsibility of understanding, negotiating or reconciling Palestinians with their oppressor, Israel. Our duty is to isolate Israel from all cultural, sports, religious and economic activities until they end their apartheid and colonial occupation of Palestinian peoples and lands.

Miss Universe cannot be crowned in a country that engages in the obliteration of other people's beauty, humanity and being on a daily basis. Before Israel can hots our queens, it must bestow on Palestine it's beauty by ending its criminal occupation, racial segregation and ethnic cleansing.

To Lalela Mswane, we say stand with the oppressed, let the beauty of Palestine and Palestinians come first. Let it be affirmed through a complete boycott of their oppressor: Apartheid Israel.

Issued by Leigh-Ann Mathys, Elections Spokesperson, 10 November 2021