Latest news with #Apartheid
The National
4 days ago
- Politics
- The National
Scottish isle has shown leadership our leaders sorely lack
I'm referring to the community-owned Isle of Eigg – population, 120 – which has signed up to the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions campaign. Modelled on the movement which brought down Apartheid South Africa, it seeks to isolate the genocidal state of Israel by, for example, boycotting its goods and divesting from its economy. No more Israeli goods will appear in the local shop, and the residents declare that this is 'part of a continuous commitment to fundraising and solidarity with oppressed peoples.' Eigg is taking the action that Westminster will not. Our leaders have a different approach to the violent depravity and deliberate starvation inflicted by Israel on Gaza: statements which express distress and anger, but mean nothing, while they continue to arm Israel. READ MORE: Keir Starmer defers recognising Palestine amid pressure from 221 MPs and Macron On Friday evening, the UK, France and Germany issued a statement which declared that the 'time has come to end the war in Gaza', while demanding that the civilian population's needs must be met. I bet they're trembling in their jackboots in Israeli military headquarters. Sure, they got away with 21 months of slaughtering plausibly well over 100,000 Palestinians in Gaza alone, indiscriminately wiping out civilian infrastructure and the pillars of civilisation, imposing a wantonly illegal siege while destroying local food production, and subjecting the survivors to torture, kidnapping and rape. But the British, French and German governments have sent yet another really disappointed letter, so the game is up, boys! Let's be candid here. As Israel's entirely manufactured famine ravages Gaza's traumatised survivors, and photographs of children and babies reduced to skin and bone belatedly make it on to front pages, the Western public is increasingly disgusted and angry. Letters such as this are not, in actual fact, aimed at Israel at all. They are intended to deflect scrutiny about the role of Western leaders in manufacturing one of the great crimes of our age. Israeli protesters demonstrating against the genocide Sure, France has finally agreed to recognise an independent Palestinian state – an act which still eludes the Labour Government – but this is hardly the most pressing action. Western governments know exactly what Israel has been doing for nearly two years. Their leaders and officials have insisted on declaring their genocidal intentions with uncompromising honesty, day after day. On Thursday, the Israeli Heritage Minister declared that Israel is: 'racing ahead for [[Gaza]] to be wiped out. Thank God we are wiping out this evil. We are pushing this population that has been educated on Mein Kampf', adding 'All [[Gaza]] will be Jewish.' Not exactly subtle, is it? You may wonder why on earth Israel's rulers would self-incriminate themselves so willingly. Don't they know the world can hear them? Well, alas, they know almost the entire Western media – with exceptions like The National – will suppress these bloodcurdling promises. And they know that Western leaders will take no meaningful action. Western leaders know that the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants against the Israeli leadership for war crimes and crimes against humanity. They know that South Africa's genocide case at the International Court of Justice led to devastating rulings and provisional orders. They know that a consensus of genocide scholars and NGOs from Amnesty International to Medicins Sant Frontieres have concluded this is genocide. They are also familiar with the deluge of videos and photographs exposing Israeli atrocities, as well as confessions by Israeli soldiers, such as that they are deliberately shooting at the unarmed civilians they starved. Our government could stop providing Israel with weapons, including components crucial for the functioning of its F-35 death jets. It could impose sweeping sanctions on Israel, as it has had no problem doing in other cases. It could impose a trade embargo on Israel, on the grounds that there is no worse crime than genocide, rather than continuing annual trade worth nearly £6bn. READ MORE: Freedom Flotilla ship 'surrounded by drones' as signal briefly lost It's not just the British government rendering itself actively complicit. Ursula von der Leyen – the president of the European Commission – declared that 'the images from Gaza are unbearable'. But they are clearly entirely bearable, because earlier this month, the EU refused to impose sanctions on Israel, leading Amnesty International to condemn it for a 'cruel and unlawful betrayal' of the Palestinian people. The EU is Israel's biggest trading partner, and Israeli campaigner Ami Dar declared that 'the EU could make Israel open the gates to virtually unlimited aid into Gaza on a day's notice. Not doing so is a choice.' The active decision of Britain and its Western allies to facilitate genocide is exactly that – a choice. The Israeli state knows it has been able to get away with anything – from reducing Gaza to apocalyptic ruin to proposing a concentration camp before the strip is removed of all living Palestinians. Israel understands that its Western allies have domestic pressures, and they must occasionally respond to that anger with statements that are ultimately meaningless. Which brings us back to Eigg. This small island will not end the genocide alone. But all injustices are overwhelmed by collective power, by acts that are big and small. In the here and now, Eigg has shown the leadership that is currently lacking. They will inspire others to take action. Struggles against injustice are often contagious. So while our leaders continue to make themselves actively complicit in the crime of the century, here's to the spirit of Eigg. For generations to come, people will ask – what did you do during Israel's genocide of the Palestinian people? Eigg has a good answer. Make sure you do, too.
Eyewitness News
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Eyewitness News
New docuseries revisits Moses Sithole's reign of terror amid South Africa's ongoing GBV crisis
Thando Ngeno 23 July 2025 | 9:07 Serial killer Television (TV) Moses Sithole Moses Sithole's name is perhaps one the most chilling in South Africa's history. JOHANNESBURG - 1994 was a year that marked a new beginning for South Africa. With the fall of Apartheid, the nation was ready to breathe again and heal after living through the atrocities. Little did the country know that it would be plunged into another form of darkness, not an event, but rather a man who weaponised trust and poverty to prey on the most vulnerable. Moses Sithole's name is perhaps one of the most chilling in South Africa's history. He murdered more than 30 women, many of them young and desperate for employment. With a calm voice and quiet demeanour, he posed as a recruiter offering jobs- but this was a trap. His crimes were not just isolated acts of brutality- but the symptoms of a broader, deeply entrenched culture of misogyny and societal inequality. Sithole's victims were not just his victims alone; they were victimised by a system that repeatedly failed to protect them. Now, nearly three decades later, A new three-part documentary series, detailing the life and crimes of the man dubbed the ABC killer, premiered on Showmax on 22 July- it explores various themes, but one that is perhaps the most chilling is that of gender based violence. South Africa is a country that has been grappling with GBV for many years- according to the most recent statistics, one woman is murdered every three hours- and thousands of rape cases are reported every single year (although experts believe the actual number is far higher due to underreporting). Director Jasyn Howes' docuseries doesn't just dwell on the past, but it asks urgent and uncomfortable questions of the present- what has South Africa done to protect women since the days of Moses Sithole? "It's interesting to note that 30 years ago, this was a very prevalent issue in our society, and 30 years later, it still is. So what has or has not changed? Is there a conversation that could be sparked by looking at this and looking at the vulnerability of women in our society and asking ourselves what we have really done to make them less vulnerable, because GBV stats in this country remain staggeringly high?" Howes said. The documentary-series which will be released in three bulk episodes, introduces us to what Howes has called "new heros"- he tracked down those closest to the story, including the police officers who worked tirelessly to bring Sithole to justice, as well as then-rookie journalist Tamsen de Beer- who was working the nightshift at The Star Newspaper when she received a call from Sithole. Sithole's first victim, Buyiswa Doris Swakamisa, also makes the series. She details how he threatened to kill her if she did not have sex with him. When she reported the crime to the police, she was ostracised by those closest to her; her husband even beat her up, perpetuating the same Gender Based Violence that she had just endured from a stranger. In the years that followed, many didn't believe her and even said she may have had a role to play in this situation. This series gave her a chance to vindicate herself. Howes said putting her in the documentary was a sober and conscious choice. "Buyiswa was surprised I'd found her. She was surprised that no one had ever wanted to speak to her before, and this is often the case. She gives such a detailed account of what happened to her on that day bearing in mind that this happened in 1989. When I first contacted her, she was reluctant, but she saw the opportunity to share her side of the story". Moses Sithole has cited what he termed Buyiswa's "false rape accusation" as motivation for his later crimes. Sithole's story- while told and re-told many times- is not just about a serial killer, but highlights South Africa's war on women. And while he was eventually sentenced to life in prison, stopping serial killers like him requires institutional reform and a dismantling of a system that enables such behaviours to continue.
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Business Standard
7 days ago
- Business
- Business Standard
Lavish homes left by fleeing Gupta brothers up for sale in South Africa
South Africa is selling off three multimillion rand mansions owned by the Gupta brothers, a trio of influential Indian-born businessmen at the center of a corruption scandal that triggered the country's worst political and economic crisis since the end of Apartheid. Atul, Rajesh and Ajay Gupta began buying the properties in Thursday's auction in 2006. There, in Saxonwold, one of Johannesburg's oldest and most affluent neighborhoods, they entertained top politicians and businessmen for at least a decade. But as their public profile grew, so did allegations that they exerted undue influence over the state for their own enrichment. Protesters gathered regularly outside the compound's high walls and perimeter fences, demanding accountability. The brothers fled to Dubai shortly before the ruling African National Congress in 2018 forced Jacob Zuma to quit as president to stem a loss in electoral support, partly due to his links to the family. Their compound has been largely empty ever since. Protected by private armed guards, it became a symbol among opposition members and activists of the staggering levels of corruption in the country, and the challenges in holding those implicated in that corruption to account. President Cyril Ramaphosa has estimated that more than 500 billion rand ($28 billion) was plundered during his predecessor's near nine-year tenure and said that tackling graft — which has hobbled key institutions such as state power utility Eskom Holdings SOC Ltd. and freight rail and ports operator Transnet SOC Ltd — is a priority. But to date, no senior official has been successfully prosecuted in connection to it. During a Saturday viewing of the compound organized by the auction house, Park Village Auctions, traces of the lavish lifestyle the brothers led in Africa's richest city were on display: a Cartier jewelry catalog, a Royal Caribbean cruise brochure and a hand-written inventory of fine whiskeys and champagne. Elsewhere green water fills an indoor pool, and moss grows on water features and a mini cricket pitch. Deep cracks run through window panes. Paint and plaster are peeling off walls. And the thatched roof of an outdoor bar is in tatters. The neglect means that although the three properties — which have different title deeds and will be auctioned separately — have a combined municipal value of about 64 million rand, they're likely to sell at a 'bargain price,' according to auctioneer Clive Lazarus. Individual residences in the neighborhood can sell for as much as 20 million rand, he said. Proceeds from the sale will help settle claims by creditors since Confident Concept Pty Ltd., the Gupta-linked company that owns the properties, entered into a local form of bankruptcy protection in 2018. The auction had been held up because it was in litigation over financial distress and disputes about property development with local authorities. The compound's role as the epicenter in what became known as 'state capture' was highlighted during a probe led by former chief justice Raymond Zondo, which began in 2018 and implicated more than 1,400 persons and entities. His panel heard that the brothers held clandestine meetings in their homes, where many people were offered kickbacks to help the family and their associates influence government decision making and secure contracts. The Guptas and Zuma have denied any wrongdoing. Atul was the first of the brothers to arrive from India in South Africa in 1993, just as the country was transitioning to democracy. Dispatched to the continent in search of fortune by his father, a trader of spices and soapstone powders, he founded Sahara Computers Ltd., a year later. The company, an importer and distributor of Windows PCs, grew and his brothers joined him. A single introduction to a member of the new political elite paved the way for the Guptas to mingle in powerful circles. During the viewing of the mansions, a safe that appeared to be forced open, boxes of prescription medicine, as well as spices and cupboards piled high with dinnerware suggested the Guptas left South Africa in haste. Atul and Rajesh — who are wanted in South Africa on charges including money laundering and fraud, and sanctioned by both the US and UK government — were arrested in United Arab Emirates in 2022. That's after Interpol placed them on its most-wanted list. But a UAE court, in 2023, denied South Africa's plea to extradite the brothers and their arrest warrant was canceled. South Africa provisionally withdrew its arrest warrant for Ajay in 2019, according to Reuters. Spokespersons for the President and Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development referred questions, including about plans to extradite the fugitive brothers and prosecute others implicated in graft, to the National Prosecuting Authority. The Investigating Directorate Against Corruption, a unit of the National Prosecuting Authority, declined to answer questions. A fourth property in the compound still bears a 'SAHARA ESTATE' sign on the outer wall but it is not up for auction this week. It's registered to a separate company linked to the family, according to Deeds Office data. The three mansions in the auction are zoned for residential use. Should the new owners want to use them for something else, they'd have to apply for permits, which aren't guaranteed to be approved. For Lumkile Mondi, a senior economics lecturer at Johannesburg's University of the Witwatersrand, the auction is an important step but challenges lie ahead. 'The reality is that when corruption, fraud, and destruction happens, it doesn't only take place the top, it filters down to other levels,' he said. 'For many South Africans, the biggest impact has been on the supply of water, electricity and fixing of roads. To change that requires serious commitment and it's going to take a long, long time before we get things right.'
eNCA
7 days ago
- Politics
- eNCA
'It is a mockery' - ANC slams US move to sanction its officials
JOHANNESBURG - The ANC has slammed the US' moves to sanction some of its leaders. ANC spokesperson, Mahlengi Bhengu-Motsiri says the idea of targeted sanctions against a party that led 'the freedom struggle,' is a 'mockery' and is 'embarrassing' to anyone who entertains such thoughts. The US South Africa Bilateral Relations Review Act cleared its first legislative hurdle when it was passed by the House Foreign Affairs Committee on Tuesday. The bill demands a full review of ties and possible sanctions against some ANC officials. Bhengu-Motsiri claims these sanctions are a product of 'nefarious' propaganda led by right-wing extremist organisations both at home and in the US. She adds they will carefully assess the situation. "We will have to calmly sit down and reflect on the situation and the implications of this proposed bill that is still going for debate in one of the houses of the US Congress," "We are also in contact with our historical allies who were active in the fight against Apartheid and are residents in the US," she said. The Committee Chairman, Brian Mast, says the ANC's direct engagement with Hamas leaders and the country's case against Israel at the International Court of Justice are further proof of worsening relations between South Africa and the US. Meanwhile, International Relations analysts and experts have previously told eNCA that the time has now arrived for South Africa to address its relations with the US. They've also urged parties to get their ducks in a row inside the GNU, as the cracks are starting to show. Bhengu-Motsiri agrees. "There has to be a discussion here at home among various state and non-state actors about the implications of this bill. The idea that the targeted sanctions are going to be aimed at ANC leaders is just a start..." she said.
IOL News
21-07-2025
- Politics
- IOL News
R700 million ‘National Dialogue' ignores evangelical voices
While the President insists the dialogue is meant to be citizen-led and non-partisan, the deliberate exclusion of evangelical voices, such as those of Pastor Bert Pretorius, who represents over 19,900 churches and half of South Africa's Christian population, raises serious concerns about the inclusivity and legitimacy of the initiative, says the writer. On behalf of SAFI (the South African Friends of Israel), I must share how deeply dismayed we are by the shocking absence of evangelical representation on the panel of 'eminent persons' selected for President Ramaphosa's R700 million National Dialogue. While the President insists the dialogue is meant to be citizen-led and non-partisan, the deliberate exclusion of evangelical voices, such as those of Pastor Bert Pretorius, who represents over 19,900 churches and half of South Africa's Christian population, raises serious concerns about the inclusivity and legitimacy of the initiative. This glaring omission undermines the credibility of a process billed as a path toward national unity. Faith-based organisations have always been central to South Africa's moral and political awakening, from resisting Apartheid to fostering reconciliation. Ignoring their contribution today suggests this dialogue is less about unity and more about political optics - perhaps even a thinly veiled prelude to the ANC's local election campaign. South Africans have already spoken through the ballot box in 2024, giving rise to a Government of National Unity. What citizens demand now is implementation, not more rhetoric. With unemployment at 32.9%, basic services failing, and daily life growing more difficult, a taxpayer-funded talkshop feels like a distraction at best and an insult at worst. It's time to govern, not consult. Daniel Jacobi Executive Director, South African Friends of Israel
