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Lamola also hit back at a US congressman for 'peddling lies, untruths and propaganda' about SA.
International Relations Minister Ronald Lamola. Picture: Screengrab of video.
International Relations Minister Ronald Lamola has dismissed reports that South Africa knew that Hamas was planning the 7 October 2023 attacks on Israeli citizens and foreign nationals.
Lamola and Trade and Industry Minister Parks Tau briefed the media on South Africa’s strategic approach to the new US tariffs, among other issues.
Hamas attacks led to Israeli retaliation in Gaza, which has claimed over 50 000 Palestinian lives and ceasefires being violated.
Responding to US Congressman Ronny Jackson’s US-South Africa Bilateral Relations Review Act of 2025, Lamola slammed the Congressman for “peddling lies, untruths and propaganda” about South Africa.
Jackson’s proposed Act would mandate a full review of the bilateral relationship between the US and South Africa.
This is a follow-up of legislation that passed the House of Representatives in the last Congress but was not taken up by the Democratic-led Senate. Republicans now control both houses.
ALSO READ: US Congressman Ronny Jackson introduces bill to hold SA accountable
Lamola said they had taken note of the bill.
“The bill also has some falsehoods and characterisations of itself that need to be cleared from time to time and one of those is the fact that we are leaning towards a particular direction.
“South Africa has always maintained its non-alignment posture. We have engaged with all countries of the world in a non-aligned posture as a developing and emerging economy. It is in our interest to be able to engage with everyone, including China, Russia and everyone in the world,” Lamola said.
Lamola also clarified that he had seen a letter sent to the incoming US ambassador to South Africa, Leo Brent Bozell III, indicating that South Africa and Dirco officials were aware of Hamas’ attacks.
Lamola dismissed the claims.
“I have also seen the letter that was sent to the incoming ambassador with regard to the same matter that we were somehow aware of the 7 October incident. I want to state again categorically that, as a South African government, we were not aware. There was no Dirco official who was aware of this planned attack on 7 October.”
Jackson introduced the US-South Africa Bilateral Relations Review Act, providing tools to impose sanctions on “corrupt South African government officials” who support America’s adversaries like China, Russia and Iran, among others.
“South Africa has brazenly abandoned its relationship with the United States to align with China, Russia, Iran and terrorist organisations, a betrayal that demands serious consequences,” said Jackson.
The bill comes as relations between the US and South Africa are at an all-time low after US President Donald Trump cut financial aid to South Africa, citing Pretoria taking Israel to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and “strengthening ties with Iran, which supports terrorism globally”.
ALSO READ: SA won’t drop ICJ case against Israel, even if Trump waives restrictions – Dirco
Lamola added that engaging all players globally has always been South Africa’s foreign policy position.
“It is in this context that we engage with Iran, Russia, China and everyone across the globe.”
Lamola also dismissed reports that South Africa’s ICJ case against Israel was funded by Iran.
“We continue to clarify the misconceptions and the propaganda out there that somehow we were funded or forced to go to the ICJ by Iran.
“It is public knowledge and in our reports that we paid for the legal fees of the lawyers at the ICJ. It’s the South African government but despite this, propaganda continues to rise across from time to time,” he said.
Lamola said the fact that South Africa funded its application is public knowledge and contained in annual reports.
“We will not get tired. We will continue to clarify that the South African government continues to pay the bill. So, it’s not true that we were beholden to Iran to go to the ICJ. It was a matter of principle.
“The South African government took a decision on its own, in line with its Constitution and in line with the Genocide Convention that is domesticated in our courts, to go to the International Court of Justice. So, no one put a gun on our heads, and no one paid for us to go to the ICJ. It’s a lie. It’s untrue. It’s propaganda,” Lamola said.
Lamola said South Africa will continue to stand firm and clarify misconceptions about South Africa’s non-aligned stance.
ALSO READ: ‘Clearing the air’: Inside Dirco’s meeting with US officials
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