The government has withdrawn support for Miss South Africa at an Israeli ceremony News

The government says it is moving away from the organizers ’decision to participate in the Miss Universe pageant in Israel.

The South African government has said it is moving away from the decision by Miss South Africa pageant organizers to take part in the annual Miss Universe pageant, which will be held in Israel next month.

Sunday’s decision came after South Africa’s Miss Lalela Mswane called for a boycott of the competition to be held in Eilat on 12 December.

The organizers of the local beauty pageant have firmly said that the newly crowned Miss South Africa should attend the event, arguing that the Miss Universe pageant is not a “politically inspired event”.

“It has proved difficult to reconsider the decision of the organizers of the Miss SA pageant to participate in the Miss Universe event,” the Ministry of Arts and Culture said. statement.

The government therefore “removes support” for the “intransigence” and “disregard for advice” of the organizers.

“Israel’s atrocities against the Palestinians are well documented and the government, as the legitimate representative of the people of South Africa, cannot in good conscience associate with such people,” he said.

South Africa supports the Palestinian cause with formal diplomatic relations established in 1995, one year after the end of apartheid. In 2019 he took down his embassy in Tel Aviv and took out the ambassador.

Arts Minister Nathi Mthethwa said the move to move forward and participate in the event “could be disastrous for him”. [Mswane’s] the future and public attitude as a young woman, a black woman ”.

In a statement, the government’s African National Congress party called on the organizers to “listen and listen to the horrific call by the Miss South Africa group to boycott the apartheid that Israel will take over the Miss Universe.”