African National Congress (ANC) President Cyril Ramaphosa has hailed the South African legal team for representing the country well in the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in the Netherlands.
“I must say that I have never felt as proud as I felt today when our legal team was arguing our case in the Hague and I never felt as proud when I see Ronald Lamola the son of this province [Mpumalanga] standing there in that court introducing our case,” Ramaphosa said.
“I am told that the Palestinians who were there, many of them cried because they have a sense that South Africa is probably the only country that is standing by them through these trials and tribulations.”
On Thursday, the SA legal team presented its case before the ICJ against the Israeli government in the Hague in the Netherlands, accusing it of committing what it described as genocide against Palestinians who live in Gaza.
Ramaphosa addressed the ANC Women’s League Umanyano event in Mbombela Mpumalanga on Thursday.
During his address, Ramaphosa said that late former president Nelson Mandela set the tone in the fight against freedom and democracy.
He stated that the country was bound to act against Israel.
“Our freedom will never be complete until the freedom of Palestinians is also attained, we felt duty bound to launch the court case,” he said.
His address was ahead of the party’s 112th anniversary celebrations this weekend.
The party is also campaigning for the 2024 general elections in the country. The date for the elections is yet to be announced.
The January 8 statement is expected to set a record straight for the ANC’s plan of action ahead of its manifesto launch lined up to take place at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), in February.
The statement could also speak to some of the hints that might be in his State of the Nation Address (SONA) next month.
kamogelo.moichela@inl.co.za
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