SA calls for ICC to probe genocide in Israel-Hamas conflict

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The South African cabinet has called on the International Criminal Court to investigate genocide in the conflict between Israel and Hamas.

The ongoing conflict has seen thousands of Israelis and Palestinians being killed and others wounded.

Briefing the media on the outcomes of yesterday’s cabinet meeting, Minister in the Presidency, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni said: “Israeli’s bombing of the al-Ahli Arabi hospital that killed well over 500 people and injured over a thousand is in fact a war crime as hospitals are considered a safe haven under international humanitarian law. Cabinet calls on the International Criminal Court to investigate the bombing and the crime of genocide in this conflict.”

Minister Khumbudzo Ntshavheni briefs the media:

Mediation?

Cabinet says South Africans will be informed if the country will play any mediation role between Israel and Hamas. This comes after Ntshavheni was probed on whether South Africa has offered to mediate.

The minister says South Africa remains available and ready.

“As South Africa, we’ll continue to engage with other players with…the Arab league. We will engage with other players in the area in terms of what is the mediation. We’ll engage the Secretary-General of the United Nations and also the Middle Eastern countries…that’s the role that we can play. We remain available and ready and when that decision is taken, because we are consulting, we are engaging. We will inform South Africans of our role if we are going to play any role…”

VIDEO | SA’s UN Ambassador calls for ICC action on alleged Israeli war crimes:

SOEs

Cabinet says it has not discussed the resignations of executives and board members of state-owned entities.

Power utility, Eskom is currently without a CEO and a board chairperson following the resignations of Andre de Ruyter and Mpho Makwana.

Ntshavheni says that the place of government is to ensure that there is immediate restoration of stability.

“Cabinet has not discussed the resignations of executives either and the chairperson of the board of Eskom…But that being, executives resign at one point or the other for instance; the CFO of Transnet has joined Telkom, which is another SOE. The two CEOs at Transnet have resigned to pursue other issues and it is not the place of government to say whether they resign or not. The place of government is to ensure that there is immediate restoration of stability.”

VIDEO | Resignations at SOEs under the spotlight:  

Support for national teams

Meanwhile, the cabinet has called on South Africans to rally behind two national teams that are playing against England in the cricket and rugby world cups.

On Saturday, the Springboks will play against England in the rugby semi-finals, while the Proteas will play England in the round-robin stage.

Ntshavheni says that it is South Africa’s responsibility to let the teams feel that the whole nation is behind them.

“Cabinet calls on the nation to rally behind our national teams in their battle against England in the Cricket World Cup in England and the Rugby World Cup in France. Our national teams continue to remind us of the best of South Africa, and they are the best display of our unity as a nation with a single national identity. As the Proteas and the Springboks enter the battlefield, it is our responsibility as a nation to let them feel the spirit and the vibe of the resilient nation behind them.”

Boks braced for England clash: