By Lesedi Sibiya-Diplomatic Insider

The South African government has expelled the South African Israeli Charge d’Affaires at Israeli Embassy as the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO)released a statement today due to various counts of violations with diplomatic protocols which challenge the sovereignty of South Africa.

“This decisive measure follows a series of unacceptable violations of diplomatic norms and practices 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 His Excellency President Cyril Ramaphosa” the statement from DIRCO read.

Spokesperson of DIRCO Chrispin Phiri expressed that Ariel Seidman, who served as the Israeli Charge d’Affaires at the Israeli embassy, did not conduct himself as a diplomat and has also said that his actions systemically undermine the trust and protocols needed for concise bilateral relations.

South Africa and Israel have had tension since the former took Israel to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in the beginning of 2024, as they alleged that Israel is committing a genocide against the people of Palestine.

 “Such actions represent a gross abuse of diplomatic privilege and a fundamental breach of the Vienna Convention. They have systematically undermined the trust and protocols essential for bilateral relations,” the statement said.

The statement also stipulates that Seidman has 72 to vacate the country as well as DIRCO urging Israel to practice better diplomatic conduct in the future.

 Some of the other displays of misconduct include the Israeli embassy visiting various provincial institutions without the approval of the provincial governments such as the Mthatha General Hospital and Nelson Mandela Academic Hospital as the meetings were facilitated by King Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo who has faced major criticism.