President Cyril Ramaphosa delivered the Opening of Parliament Address at Cape Town City Hall on Thursday evening and spoke about a range of issues the seventh administration would be focusing on.
He reiterated government’s intention to get the ball rolling on the contentious National Health Insurance (NHI) scheme and spoke about the procurement of renewable energy as we move towards the Just Transition. He touched on government’s intention to “tackle crime and corruption”.
Ramaphosa paid special attention to how South Africa could get out of its economic rut, rightly saying “growth happens at a local level, where people live and work” and promising to fix our struggling municipalities so that they can attract investment.
The president also threw small business and the informal sector into focus, saying these would also be vital for “inclusive growth and job creation”, provided government pays them on time.
All in all, he rattled off a list of South Africa’s priorities he previously spoke about during the State of the Nation Address on 8 February 2024. But this time, the areas of focus were framed by the country’s new reality – the so-called Government of National Unity (GNU).
This GNU, he said to South Africans’ relief, would also look into making more foods VAT exempt.
“As the Government of National Unity, we will look to expand the basket of essential food items exempt from VAT and undertake a comprehensive review of administered prices, including the fuel price formula, to identify areas where prices can be reduced,” Ramaphosa said.
Where is Ramaphosa’s voice?
But there was one issue that was conspicuous by its absence from Ramaphosa’s speech. Palestine.
During the State of the Nation Address in February, Ramaphosa was unequivocal about the Palestine-Israel war, which has led to the deaths of at least 38,848 people and 89,459 wounded in Gaza as of 19 July 2024, according to Al Jazeera.
“Guided by the fundamental principle of human rights and freedom, we have taken up the Palestinian cause to prevent further deaths and destruction in Gaza.
“We have welcomed the ruling of the International Court of Justice [ICJ] that Israel must take all measures within its power to prevent acts of genocide against Palestinians,” he told members of Parliament (MPs).
This came on the back of the ICJ acceding to South Africa’s plea that Israel be censured and ordered to curtail acts of genocide.
“We condemn the killing of civilians on all sides and call on all parties involved in the conflict to commit to a peace process that will deliver a two-state solution,” he said.
Now, fast-forward five months to 18 July 2024, which ironically is Nelson Mandela’s birthday – a champion of Palestine’s freedom and a close comrade of Yasser Arafat, the late Palestinian freedom fighter.
What did Ramaphosa say about Palestine during his Opening of Parliament Address? Nothing. Zilch. Not a single mention.
Ramaphosa ignores Palestine during Opening of Parliament Address
What has changed? Why did Ramaphosa make zero mention of the ongoing Israel-Palestine war – a cause championed by the political party he leads and a sixth administration he was in charge of?
Could it be that priorities have changed, and if so, why?
When Ramaphosa and the ANC spoke about “apartheid Israel” at every opportunity before the 29 May elections, there was no GNU. The ANC was free to set the terms of government and foreign policy, using its own party ethos.
Now with the GNU, the ANC is working alongside the Democratic Alliance (DA), Freedom Front Plus and the Inkatha Freedom Party in the executive, three parties who – in the National Assembly in November last year – voted against an Economic Freedom Fighters’ (EFF’s) motion to suspend diplomatic ties with Israel and shut down its embassy in Tshwane.
ANC MPs supported the EFF motion and it was adopted, with additions, as included by then-ANC chief whip Pemmy Majodina, “that the House – calls upon the government to close the Israeli Embassy in South Africa and suspend all diplomatic relations with Israel until a ceasefire is agreed to by Israel and Israel commits to binding United Nations-facilitated negotiations whose outcome must be a just sustainable and lasting peace”.
After MPs pushed through the motion, it fell on Ramaphosa to implement it, with his spokesperson Vincent Magwenya saying the president noted and appreciated Parliament’s guidance.
“The president and Cabinet are engaged over the matter, which remains the responsibility of the national executive,” Magwenya said in November 2023.
Have the ANC’s GNU partners gagged the party’s vociferousness over the freedom of Palestine and the pausing of diplomatic relations with Israel?
Malema: Palestine is no longer on SA’s agenda
EFF leader Julius Malema seems to think so.
On Thursday afternoon, hours before Ramaphosa’s address, Malema said the Palestine issue would be negatively impacted by GNU dynamics.
“The DA is a product of an apartheid system which has always been in cahoots with the Israeli state,” Malema said, alluding to the DA’s National Party roots. The National Party forged a close relationship with Israel during apartheid, with the Jewish state supplying Pretoria with arms.
“The GNU being a product of that arrangement of apartheid beneficiaries… there is no way it will fight for the total liberation of the people of Palestine.
“The Palestinian question is threatened by this Government of National Unity because the DA is a beneficiary of the National Party’s government and the DA has remnants – including Freedom Front Plus – of apartheid.
Malema added that the progress the EFF had made on the Palestine issue in South Africa had been reversed by this “elite pact”.
As of now, there is no word on what Ramaphosa plans to do about the passed motion to suspend diplomatic ties with Israel but what we do know is that he completely ignored Palestine on Thursday evening.
And Malema is convinced the silence is a result of Ramaphosa being hamstrung by his GNU partners.
“There is an ongoing aggressive war by apartheid Israel over Palestine, and you never said anything about that because your coalition partners are all fanatics of Zionist Apartheid Israel. Shame on you that you said nothing about the genocide committed right in front of us because o laba poso [you are hungry for positions].
“You choose glory over the dying children and women of Palestine because you are scared to offend your coalition partners. President Mandela, a close friend of Arafat, who you said we must celebrate yesterday should be turning in his grave,” the EFF leader said on Friday afternoon during the debate on the Opening of Parliament Address.
Has the GNU muzzled Ramaphosa and ANC on Israel-Palestine issue?
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