ANC welcomes decision to declare Israeli diplomat persona non grata

The African National Congress (ANC) has welcomed the decision to declare Israel’s chargé d’affaires in South Africa, Ariel Seidman, persona non grata.

Seidman has been ordered to leave South Africa by Monday amid escalating tensions with Tel Aviv.

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Pretoria said Seidman’s actions have been inappropriate for a diplomat, citing, among other things, his use of social media to allegedly attack President Cyril Ramaphosa.

While the ANC said attacks on Ramaphosa by diplomats should never be taken lightly, Department of International Relations spokesperson Chrispin Phiri said South Africa will not accept such.

“Such actions represent a gross abuse of diplomatic privilege and a fundamental breach of the Vienna Convention. This decisive action follows a series of unacceptable violations of diplomatic norms and practice, which pose a direct challenge to South Africa’s sovereignty.”