January 30, 2026 l Dalena Reporters
Pretoria, South Africa — The South African government on Friday declared Israel’s Chargé d’Affaires, Ariel Seidman, persona non grata and ordered him to leave the Republic within 72 hours, in a sharp escalation of diplomatic tensions between the two countries. The Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) said the expulsion was necessary in response to “a series of unacceptable violations of diplomatic norms and practice which pose a direct challenge to South Africa’s sovereignty.”
In an official statement, DIRCO accused the Israeli diplomat of repeatedly using official Israeli social media platforms to launch what it described as “insulting attacks” against President Cyril Ramaphosa and for failing to inform South African authorities of purported visits by senior Israeli officials — actions Pretoria said undermined established diplomatic protocols and bilateral trust.
“These violations include the repeated use of official Israeli social media platforms to launch insulting attacks against His Excellency, President Cyril Ramaphosa,” DIRCO said in its communique. The department added that such conduct constituted “a gross abuse of diplomatic privilege” and breached the Vienna Convention governing diplomatic relations.
South Africa’s government said the decision was a decisive measure to defend national sovereignty and reaffirmed its expectation that all diplomatic representatives respect international norms of engagement. The chargé d’affaires has been instructed to depart within three days of the notification.
The move marks a significant escalation amid long-running tensions between Pretoria and Tel Aviv, particularly following South Africa’s genocide case brought against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) over Israel’s conduct in the Gaza conflict. South Africa has consistently criticised Israel’s military actions and accused the government in The Hague of violating international law, claims Israel strongly rejects.
In a reciprocal action, the Israeli government declared South Africa’s senior diplomatic representative, Shaun Edward Byneveldt, persona non grata and ordered him to leave Israel within 72 hours, underscoring the deepening rift between the two governments.
The diplomatic expulsions come amid broader international attention to the conflict in the Middle East and reflect strained relations not only between South Africa and Israel, but also between Pretoria and some Western allies aligned with Tel Aviv. Analysts say the incident could have far-reaching implications for bilateral, regional, and multilateral diplomatic engagement going forward.