Pretoria – South Africa has declared Israeli chargé d’affaires Ariel Seidman persona non grata and ordered him to leave the country within 72 hours, a move that has drawn attention across the region, including in Eswatini, where diplomatic developments in Southern Africa are closely watched.
The Department of International Relations and Cooperation announced the decision on Friday, accusing Seidman of a series of actions said to challenge South Africa’s sovereignty.
Dirco spokesperson Chrispin Phiri said the department had formally informed the Israeli government of the decision.
“This decisive measure follows a series of unacceptable violations of diplomatic norms and practice, which pose a direct challenge to South Africa’s sovereignty.
“These violations include the repeated use of official Israeli social media platforms to launch insulting attacks against President Cyril Ramaphosa, and a deliberate failure to inform Dirco of purported visits by senior Israeli officials,” Phiri said.
He added that Seidman’s conduct amounted to an abuse of diplomatic privilege and a breach of the Vienna Convention.
“They have systematically undermined the trust and protocols essential for bilateral relations. South Africa’s sovereignty and the dignity of its offices are inviolable. Mr Seidman is required to depart from the Republic within 72 hours.”
Phiri said Dirco has urged the Israeli government to ensure that its future diplomatic engagement demonstrates respect for South Africa and accepted international principles.
The decision follows reports that officials from the Israeli embassy undertook an unofficial visit this week to provincial institutions without the knowledge or consent of the provincial government. The visits included health care facilities and Walter Sisulu University and were facilitated by AbaThembu King Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo.
According to reports, David Saranga from Israel’s Foreign Ministry led a delegation to Mthatha General Hospital and Nelson Mandela Academic Hospital to discuss ties with the Sheba Medical Centre, following Dalindyebo’s December 2025 visit to Israel.
Dalindyebo has since come under criticism from Mandla Mandela and other traditional leaders, who accused him of making “delusional statements” and betraying South Africa’s pro Palestine stance. The monarch recently trended on social media after publicly supporting Israel and declaring United States President Donald Trump as his ally.
The South African Jewish Board of Deputies reacted strongly to Dirco’s announcement. Its national chairperson Karen Milner said the organisation was “outraged” by the decision.
“This is a troubling escalation in South Africa’s increasingly hostile diplomatic posture,” Milner said.
She accused the South African government of hypocrisy, saying, “The decision to expel an Israeli diplomat over social media posts and alleged procedural oversights stands in stark contrast to South Africa’s wilful blindness toward ongoing international atrocities. While Dirco claims to champion diplomatic norms and human rights, it has consistently applied these principles selectively.”
Milner cited what she described as government silence on human rights abuses in countries such as Iran and Sudan as examples.
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