EFFSC commends the UCT council on its resolution on the academic boycott of apartheid Israel

25 June 2024

The Economic Freedom Fighters Students' Command (EFFSC) commends the Council of the University of Cape Town (UCT) on the long overdue resolution to Academically Boycott Apartheid Israel and cut all academic and research ties with the bloodthirsty Israeli Defence Force (IDF) which continues to kill and mutilate children and bomb hospitals in Gaza, Palestine.

The motion to boycott Apartheid Israel was first brought and tabled by the EFFSC-Ied Student Representative Council (SRC) in 2019 before the Senate of the university. This was a culmination of years of struggle and advocacy by different Palestinian student forums, academics, and staff. The Senate of the university supported the motion, and referred it to the university Council, as the final arbiter and decision maker on matters concerning the university. Unfortunately, the racists Zionists won as the Council refused to support the motion to boycott Apartheid Israel.

The EFFSC, together with other progressive student forums, academics and staff did not tire in the pursuit to rid the university of all ties with the Zionist State of Israel responsible for the genocide and ethnic cleansing of the Palestinian people. After years of committed and uncompromising advocacy, the motion was brought and tabled before the university Senate, yet again, on Friday 19 April 2024.

The motion received overwhelming support from Senate.

On Saturday, 22 June 2024, the UCT Council held a historic seating to deliberate on the two resolutions coming from the university Senate on the Israel Genocide in Gaza against the people of Palestine.

The first resolution which was adopted by an overwhelming majority of Council reads:

- call, again, for an immediate ceasefire, the passage of humanitarian aid and the return of all captives as contained in the Senate's resolution of 17 November 2023,

- condemn the destruction of the education sector in Gaza and the massive scale of killing of teachers and university staffin the current war,

- urge the international community to ensure that the provision of humanitarian aid includes the restoration of the education sector in Gaza,

- express concern and opposition to any attempts to curtail academic freedom by labelling criticism of Israel or Zionist policies as antisemitism,

- reject the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance's conflation of critique of Zionism and Israel's policies as antisemitism in favour of the Jerusalem Declaration's dynamic understanding of what constitutes antisemitism,

- express support for academic colleagues in Gaza who are surviving under appalling conditions and our intention to assist in the rebuilding of the academic sector after the war,
- express solidarity with academic colleagues victimised for their willingness to speak out against the educaracide in Gaza.

The second motion which also received overwhelming support from the university Council states that no member of the university community and/or research group may collaborate with members of the Israeli Defence Force (IDF) and the broader Israeli Military Establishment.

As resolved, "no UCT academic may enter into relations, or continue relations with, any research group and/or network whose author affiliations are with the Israeli Defence Force, and/or the broader Israeli military establishment. "

We salute the SRC Deployees of the EFFSC to Council, Palestinian Student Forums, progress academics and staff on this decisive victory and historic contribution to the global struggle to free the people of Palestine.

The Manifesto of the EFF in the recent 2024 General Elections affirmed the right to independence, and self-determination for the Palestinian people in that the EFF Government will, "support the Palestinian assertion of their own independent state, support the Palestinians in opposing settlements within Palestine that violate international law and are a hindrance to the establishment of a viable Palestinian state, continue to highlight the issue of Palestinian refugees, and advocate for the right of return and compensation for those displaced during various conflicts, and support the Palestinians' claim of East Jerusalem as the capital of Palestine. "

This historic resolution of the UCT Council affirms the motion tabled by the President and Commander in Chief (CIC) of the EFF, Julius S Malema, in the National Parliament of South Africa. The CIC tabled a motion to close the Isreal Embassy in South Africa and suspend all deplomatic relations with Apartheid Isreal.

After the EFF motion was supported by an overwhelming majority of Parliament, it has been gathering dust in the office of the captured and toothless President of the ANC, Cyril Ramaphosa, who must ultimatley sign to execute the expulsion of the Isreali Embassy.

This is why we are not surprised by the unholy marriage of the ANC and the Zionist DA to form a Grand Coaltion. The ANC lied and misled the muslim community and South Africans who believe in the Palestinian struggle during the election period, as it has now joined hands with the Zionists to form government. The EFF continues to use its influence in all spheres to advocate for the independence and freedom of the Palestinian people. The EFFSC will continue to work with its SRC deployees across the country to advocate for the total acadmic boycott of the Apartheid State of Isreal.

From the River to the Sea, Palestine will be Free!

Issued by Khanya Bungane, EFFSC Acting Secretary General, 25 June 2024