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South Africa and Israel’s legal teams appeared at the ICJ on Thursday and Friday. Picture: International Court of Justice
South Africa and Israel’s legal teams appeared at the ICJ on Thursday and Friday. Picture: International Court of Justice

Shirley de Villiers neglects to state in “Genocide or Self-defence?” (Cover Story, January 18-24) why the ANC government brought the case in the International Court of Justice.

First, it is an election year and the ANC is desperate to draw the link between Israel and apartheid South Africa, to bring apartheid back into the minds of the people, and [remind them] how the ANC saved the people from apartheid.

Second, it is to draw people’s attention away from 30 years of government corruption and mismanagement.

If the ANC brought the case on moral grounds, then it should have brought a case against Russia for the invasion of Ukraine. The ANC neglected to do so because Russia [may be] bankrolling the party. Russia might even have prompted the ANC to bring the case as a dig against the US.

The moral high ground the ANC is proclaiming for bringing the case in The Hague is simply election politics.

Jan Buurman
Cape Town

The FM welcomes concise letters from readers. They can be sent to fmmail@fm.co.za

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