A recent study from ISGAP claims that Iran and Qatar had financial and political roles in South Africa's ICC case against Israel for alleged genocide in Gaza in December 2023. Based on ISGAP from New York, the ANC in South Africa was on the verge of financial collapse when they received large contributions from two countries shortly after initiating the ICC lawsuit.
The report mentions that South African Foreign Minister Ronald Lamola was present at the inauguration of Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian in Tehran in July last year. While on the visit, Lamola was commended by Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Bagheri for progressing the ICC case. Bagheri praised Lamola as an innovative diplomat and reaffirmed Iran’s complete backing of South Africa’s contributions to the legal endeavor.
The report suggests that commencing an ICC case entails about $10.5 million, with overall legal expenses hitting $79 million, prompting the need for a intricate network of global legal professionals. ISGAP's assessment indicates that the expenses point to substantial financial support from external sources. Speculations about Iranian participation have spread in South Africa, especially among political rivals. ANC officials, including President Cyril Ramaphosa, have declined to reveal the source of an enigmatic donation that assisted the party in recovering from almost $30 million in debt just before initiating legal proceedings.
ISGAP also noted an increase in trade between South Africa and Qatar, which rose from $307 million to almost $1 billion in the last ten years, demonstrating improved economic relations.
The report indicates that Iran sees South Africa as a key location to circumvent Western sanctions and gain access to critical technologies such as satellite interception, hacking, and missile guidance. As a result, South Africa has backed Iran's entry into the BRICS economic group, providing Tehran with access to global finances despite American sanctions.
The report also mentions that 45 out of the 574 citations in South Africa's ICC submission were from organizations openly critical of Israel. ISGAP raises doubts about the credibility of the case.
One of the sources mentioned is Al-Haq, an NGO labeled as a terrorist group by Israel, a classification that has been disputed by the United States and Europe.
Raji Sourani, previously imprisoned in Israel for belonging to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, now heads the Palestinian Center for Human Rights, which is also known as a terror group by several countries.
The allegations have not been addressed by the ANC and its supporters.
