South Africa has declared Israel’s Chargé d’Affaires, Ariel Seidman, persona non grata and ordered him to leave the country within 72 hours, citing repeated violations of diplomatic norms.
The announcement was made on Thursday by the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO), marking a sharp escalation in diplomatic tensions between the two countries.
According to DIRCO, the decision follows what it described as conduct that directly undermines South Africa’s sovereignty and breaches established diplomatic protocols.
The department accused the Israeli diplomat of making insulting attacks on President Cyril Ramaphosa through official Israeli social media platforms and of failing to properly notify South African authorities of visits by senior Israeli officials, as required under diplomatic practice.
The South African government said the actions amounted to a gross abuse of diplomatic privilege and a fundamental violation of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.
It stressed that the country’s sovereignty and the dignity of its institutions are inviolable, adding that mutual respect is essential for the maintenance of bilateral relations.
DIRCO urged Israel to ensure that any future diplomatic engagement with South Africa adheres strictly to international law and established diplomatic standards.
