RAMALLAH, Despite the organizers of Miss South Africa declaring that Lalela Mswane will still represent the African nation in the Miss Universe pageant in apartheid Israel, the youth wing of the Palestine Solidarity Alliance, a Johannesburg-based pro-Palestine group, has upheld its call for her to withdraw from the event.
On Friday, the youth league posted on its Instagram page that it had handed a memorandum to the Miss SA organizers in Johannesburg detailing its demands.
“The memorandum handed over today by the PSAYL members to the Miss SA Organization, stating exactly why Lalela should not attend the Miss Universe beauty pageant held in Apartheid Israel as well as also stating our demands to the Miss SA Organization.” the youth league stated.
“We will not stop making our voices heard until the demands are met. Having said this we hope Miss SA and Stephanie Weil joins the call to boycott Apartheid Israel!! It is time for an immediate withdrawal?”
Last week, Africa4Palestine, a South African human rights organization lending solidarity and support to the Palestinian people, released a statement welcoming the intended withdrawal of Miss South Africa Lalela Mswane from the upcoming Israeli hosted Miss Universe.
A couple of hours later, the CEO of Miss South Africa Organization, Stephanie Weil, made an announcement on behalf of Miss South Africa, that Miss Lalela Mswane will still be proceeding to the Apartheid State of Israel.
“This u-turn is disappointing. CEO of Miss South Africa, Stephanie Weil, clearly supports Apartheid Israel by defending the indefensible,” Africa4Palestine said in a press statement.
The statement added, “It is clear to us that there are divisions within the organization and company of Miss South Africa. We had, in fact, been reliably informed of Miss Lalela Mswane’s withdrawal from the upcoming pageant in Israel, but it seems that there has been interference and pressure, with Miss South Africa now making a u-turn and reversing the withdrawal decision.”
“The Miss South Africa brand is getting uglier by the day by ignoring the history of South Africa, by disregarding the suffering of the Palestinians and by dismissing its own supporters who have urged the company to do the right thing and not endorse the Apartheid State of Israel.”
Source: Palestinian News & Info Agency