Africa4Palestine joins legal case brought against govt over Miss SA stance

Human rights organisation Africa4Palestine has submitted an application with the Gauteng High Court in Pretoria to join, as a friend of the court, the case against the government of South Africa over its stance on Miss SA.

In a statement, NGO Citizen for Integrity announced it had approached the High Court to have government withdraw its statement to not support the Miss SA organisation at the Miss Universe event, due to be held in Israel.

Citizens for Integrity wants the High Court to rule that the boycott is unconstitutional, irrational and is a violation of several human rights and laws.

In court papers, Citizens for Integrity argues that the Miss SA organisation is a private organisation. They argue that it receives no state funding and that Miss SA has the right to compete in the Miss Universe competition.

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“The government has not only failed but has deliberately transgressed its obligation to respect and protect human rights guaranteed to all in the Bill of Rights. It has just as flagrantly denied Miss SA and the South African public the right to fair administrative decision-making,” it said.

According to the NGO, the boycott could open potential international sanctions being imposed on SA and its trading entities.

Their attorneys have written to President Cyril Ramaphosa, “to demand that the government immediately and unconditionally retract its statement on withdrawing its support and that of South Africa for Miss SA, and to apologise to citizens for exceeding the bounds of its authority, and interfering in the rights of citizens.”

READ MORE: NGO takes government to court over Miss Universe boycott

Africa4Palestine says it will be holding a picket outside the court on Tuesday at 10am.

Additional reporting by Sandisiwe Mbhele