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Trouble brewing in GNU? McKenzie unhappy as his deputy condemns Israel’s participation at Olympics
Deputy Minister Peace Mabe asked why Israel is allowed to compete at the Olympic Games, but South Africa was barred during apartheid.
Sport, Arts and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie. Picture: Anton Geyser/Gallo Images
In an early sign of disharmony in the government of national unity (GNU), Sports Minister Gayton McKenzie has voiced his displeasure at a statement issued by his deputy minister, Peace Mabe.
On Friday, Mabe issued a statement condemning Israel’s participation in the Paris 2024 Olympics. She said it ‘undermines’ the spirit of the Olympics.
It, however, didn’t seem to have the approval of McKenzie.
McKenzie ‘displeased’ by statement
On Saturday morning, the sports minister said he was unhappy with Mabe’s statement and will respond to it once the Olympic Games are over.
“I don’t want politics to take centre stage now, this is the time for Team SA, let’s rally behind them,” he said.
McKenzie is the leader of the Patriotic Alliance (PA), while Mabe is an ANC member.
There have been calls from across the globe for Israel to be barred from competing in the Olympics. Some even used apartheid South Africa as an example of how it had been done before.
‘In contravention of Olympic values’
In her statement, Mabe said Israel being allowed to compete at the Olympics is “indicative of scant regard for thousands of Palestinian lives lost as a result of continued genocide by Israel against women, children, men, the elderly and the sick”.
“The people of Palestine continue to face a barrage of attacks and dehumanisation despite the International Court of Justice (ICJ) rulings on provisional measures in the case taken by South Africa against Israel under the Genocide Convention to cease its military attacks and allow sufficient humanitarian aid into Gaza,” she added.
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She also seemed to question why Israel hasn’t been treated the same way that South Africa was during apartheid.
“As was the case with apartheid South Africa, there can be no normal sport with an abnormal society and the genocidal state of Israel should not be allowed to participate in the Olympics as its conduct is in direct contravention of the Olympic values of excellence, respect and friendship.”
Palestine’s Olympic Committee slams IOC
The head of the Palestine Olympic Committee on Thursday criticised the “double standards” from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) over its decision to allow Israel to compete in Paris.
Palestinian Olympic head Jibril Rajoub demanded a boycott in a letter to the IOC earlier this week which was rejected by the head of the international Olympics body, Thomas Bach.
“This confirms that there are international institutions that insist on applying double standards and not adhering to the Olympic Charter, laws and regulations, or morals,” Rajoub said as he arrived at Paris’s Charles de Gaulle airport with the Palestinian sporting delegation.
Around 100 people were there to welcome the athletes with dates and shouts of “Free, Free Palestine!”.
Around 400 Palestinian athletes have been killed, while others have been unable to train or travel because of Israeli bombing or restrictions, the Palestine Olympic Committee says.
Additional reporting by AFP
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