The ANC has warned that a fightback campaign against South Africa is likely to take place after the country hauled Israel before the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which granted provisional measures to prevent Israel from committing genocide against the Palestinian people.

Ramaphosa was addressing the National Executive Committee (NEC) lekgotla on Tuesday afternoon at the Birchwood Hotel in Boksburg, Ekurhuleni, when he highlighted the risks of the country’s stance on the war in the Middle East.

“As we reflect on this matter we must be mindful that our success has exposed not only atrocities that have been carried out by the state of Israel, but it has also exposed the moral bankruptcy of those countries who, by their acts of omission and commission, are allowing genocide to take place in Gaza on their watch. We say this humbly, without pointing fingers.

“We are aware there will be systematic fightback campaigns, and I say this so that we are aware of it. There will be no doubt that these forces will do anything in their power to prevent SA from concluding their case on the merits of the matter,” he said.

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As the country gears up for what has been dubbed the most important election since 1994, Ramaphosa claimed these forces may want to have a hand in the upcoming polls.

“The fightback may focus on our domestic politics and our electoral outcomes in order to pursue a regime change agenda. Some people have said this was a David and Goliath contest,” he said.

“We must be aware that while we have done what we believe was driven by our conscience and principles, and while we took the matter to the courts which were set up by those who were there, we are blamed for taking the matter to the courts that they have set up and we should be blamed for that.

“We need to be absolutely vigilant and resolute and so we must end by saying the path ahead is not an easy one, but we should never doubt the capacity of the ANC-led government,” he said.

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Former president Thabo Mbeki at the African National Congress National Executive Committee Lekgotla Programme in Boksburg on 30 January 2024. (Photo: Gallo Images / OJ Koloti)

Ramaphosa said the ANC would contribute to negotiations in the conflict between the two nations, adding to speculation that former president Thabo Mbeki could be part of the team representing the governing party.

“Following our case, we are now being asked if we are willing to participate in whatever form of discussion that could end this conflict, and we said yes.”

Last Friday, a majority of judges presiding over the ICJ case granted most of the measures requested by South Africa to prevent a rising genocide in Gaza and the rest of Palestine. But it stopped short of the most important — ordering a ceasefire in a one-sided war that’s been dragging on for three months.

The court said that while accurate figures are not available, it accepted that the conflict had caused the deaths of 25,700 people, most of whom are Palestinian women and children.

More than 63,000 people had been injured, while over 300,000 homes (the majority of Palestinian housing stock) had been destroyed.

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Ramaphosa also used the opportunity to praise those who were involved in ensuring South Africa’s victory at the ICJ.

“The lekgotla came to a unanimous view that South Africa’s unwavering support and solidarity with the people of Palestine is consistent with [the] ANC-led alliance’s traditions and policy positions.

“We take this opportunity to thank all South Africans who have come out in their tens of thousands, in fact in their hundreds of thousands, to support the just cause of the Palestinian people.

“We also pay tribute and commend the legal team and those who worked very hard behind the scenes to make sure that our government’s case is well represented, and we have thanked our two ministers who have played a key role.

“I have called all of the lawyers personally and thanked them for the work they have done,” said Ramaphosa.

The South African legal team includes senior counsel Adila Hassam and Tembeka Ngcukaitobi as well as international lawyer Max du Plessis and Professor John Dugard, an expert in international law. The team also consists of lawyers Tshidiso Ramogale, Sarah Pudifin-Jones and Lerato Zikalala. Irish lawyers Áine Ní Ghrálaigh and British barrister Vaughan Lowe are providing external counsel. DM