On Tuesday, South African lawmakers voted to shut down the Israeli embassy in Pretoria and suspend all diplomatic relations until a ceasefire is reached in the conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas in Gaza.
While the decision to implement the suspension rests with President Cyril Ramaphosa's government, a spokesperson for the presidency conveyed that Ramaphosa "acknowledges and values" the parliamentary guidance regarding South Africa's diplomatic ties with Israel, specifically addressing the embassy's status, Reuters reported.
"The president and cabinet are engaged over the matter, which remains the responsibility of the national executive," Vincent Magwenya said.
Ramaphosa has openly criticised Israel's leadership for their actions during the military campaign against Hamas. On Tuesday, he accused Israel of war crimes and acts "tantamount to genocide" in Gaza during a virtual meeting of leaders of developing countries.
Over 11,000 Palestinians have been killed since Israel's war against Hamas began, and an additional 2,700 are reported missing, according to Palestinian health authorities. More than 1,200 people were killed in Israel when Hamas militants attacked the country on October 7, taking an additional 240 civilians hostage.
On Monday, the Israeli ambassador in Pretoria was summoned back to Tel Aviv for consultations in anticipation of the vote. On Tuesday, the resolution was overwhelmingly adopted with a margin of 248-91.
The parliamentary resolution was introduced by the opposition Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) party last week, coinciding with the governing African National Congress pledging its support.
This stance has been a consistent diplomatic position for South Africa since Nelson Mandela assumed the presidency in 1994 as the country's first democratically elected leader.
For decades, South Africa has consistently supported the Palestinian cause for statehood in territories occupied by Israel. The country has drawn parallels between the plight of Palestinians and the experiences of the Black majority during the oppressive apartheid era. However, it's important to note that Israel vehemently denies this comparison.
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