The South African government announced Sunday that it is withdrawing its support for Miss South Africa Lalela Mswane due to her decision to take part in the Miss Universe pageant in December in Eilat, Israel.
South Africa opposes Israel’s occupation of Palestine and says it cannot in good conscience associate itself with the pageant, which will be held on Dec. 12.
Local beauty pageant organizers have insisted that Mswane should participate in the contest.
“Following unsuccessful consultations initiated by the Ministry of Sport, Arts and Culture, it has proven difficult to persuade the Miss SA pageant organizers to reconsider their decision to partake in the Miss Universe event scheduled to be held in Israel during the month of December 2021,” the South African government said in a statement.
It noted that the atrocities committed by Israel against Palestinians are well documented.
“In an attempt to demonstrate what partaking in Miss Universe means for South Africans and many others across the world, the Miss SA pageant organizers were referred to Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu’s views following his visit to the area [Palestine]. Indicating that Israel was guilty of the apartheid treatment of Palestinians, he said, ‘Their humiliation is familiar to all black South Africans who were corralled and harassed and insulted and assaulted by the security forces of the apartheid government.’”
Several civil society organizations and pro-Palestinian groups in South Africa welcomed the government’s announcement.
‘‘It is indeed a proud moment for all South Africans to witness our government reflecting the will of the South African people by taking action to uphold the cultural boycott in support of the Palestinian people and their liberation struggle,” they said in a joint statement.
