Cape Town, South Africa, 15 October 2023: South African member of parliament, Steve Swart, has pledged his support for Israel by attending a pro-Israel event at the Holocaust Museum in Cape Town. Swart is a member of Parliament for the African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP) which holds 4 seats in South Africa’s 400 seat national assembly.

The position taken by Swart and the ACDP is in contradiction to the policy of the South African government and its ruling party, the African National Congress (ANC). The ANC took a position at its 54th national conference in 2027 to downgrade relations with Israel.

Access to the event which was held in the complex housing the South African Jewish Museum was controlled by heavily armed and masked security personnel. Attendees had to register via an online portal and provide personal details before the location of the event would be provided.