Government is ‘not a proxy for Iran’

The government and political experts have dismissed claims South Africa has become the proxy of Iran, working with Hamas against Israel.

The allegations spread like wildlife on mainstream and social media this week as a recording went viral of comments made by former Institute of Race Relations CEO, Dr Frans Cronje, on Jewish radio station Chai FM.

Cronje claimed it was not coincidental that the ANC had suddenly become cash-flush and was able to settle its bills, fund the lavish 112th anniversary conference and be prepared for elections.

Cronje claimed SA was being used by Tehran for its expertise

The money must have come from Iran, he said, claiming SA was being used by Tehran for its expertise in psychological warfare.

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Department of international relations and cooperation spokesperson Clayson Monyela came out with guns blazing against Cronje.

“This is absolutely not true. This is a figment of his imagination which we reject with the contempt it deserves,” he said.

“The minister [Naledi Pandor) went to Iran in October as a special envoy of the president to deliver a letter from the president about a planned state visit. The visit was not related to Hamas or the attacks by Hamas.”

‘Any right-thinking South African will laugh at this’

On whether SA was a proxy of Tehran against Israel, he said: “Any right-thinking South African will laugh at this. Really, it does not deserve to be dignified with our response.”

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On SA’s International Court of Justice case charging Israel with genocide and Cronje’s claim it was a “display of stigmatisation” of Israel, Monyela said it was “clear propaganda” by Cronje.

Political science senior lecturer at Unisa, Dr Ahmed Jazbhay, said for Cronje to infer SA was a lackey of Iran is “to pander to Zionist and Western propaganda that seeks to demonise the Islamic republic”.

‘Cronje’s statement was most unfortunate’

Another analyst, Sandile Swana, said Cronje’s statement was most unfortunate and “is provocative and insulting to native Africans here in South Africa that they can’t think for themselves” but need to be handled by Iran.

“This is not intellectual scholarship, not academic but it is just pure outright propaganda that is inspired by Western imperialism, settler colonialism and apartheid.”

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ANC spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu-Motsiri failed to respond to a phone call, a WhatsApp message and voice note on her cellphone for a comment.