The South African Friends of Israel, a group that organised a “secret” trip to Israel for the DA, PA and the African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP) delegation, said the MPs will be able to confirm that there was no evidence of apartheid and, to the contrary, Israel is a vibrant progressive multi-racial society.
A video and pictures released by the group which IOL has seen, revealed that at least nine MPs from these parties visited Israel on what was understood to have been a “fact-finding mission” trip.
Delegates visited the sites of Kibbutz Aza and the Nova Music Festival, where they heard testimonies from survivors of the October 7 massacre.
“They also engaged in high-level meetings with Israeli President Isaac Herzog, senior Foreign Ministry officials, and visited communities in Bethlehem, Judea, and Samaria,” the group said in a statement.
The delegation featured prominent figures including DA spokesperson for justice, Glynnis Breytenbach, and DA spokesperson for international relations, Emma Louise Powell.
They were joined by fellow DA MPs: Katherine Christie, Bridget Masango, Nicholas Myburgh, Liam Jacobs, and Bonginkosi Madikizela.
As previously reported by IOL, PA MPs Ashley Sauls and Millicent Mathopa were also part of the trip, along with ACDP MP Steve Swart.
While both the DA and PA are constituents of the Government of National Unity (GNU), the ACDP is not affiliated with the coalition.
In response to the delegation’s travel, GNU partners including the GOOD Party and the ANC have called for full transparency and accountability. Parliament has yet to issue an official statement on the matter.
Here are some of the statements that some of the delegates made:
Masango (DA) shared: “This trip was aptly called the ‘fact-finding peace mission’ but nothing could have prepared me for what I have just witnessed.”
Sauls (PA), declared: “I am a friend of Israel, and I stand with Israel unapologetically. A nation is not only defined by what it does but also by what it tolerates - and no nation should be expected to tolerate terrorism.”
Swart (ACDP) quoted a German pastor who opposed Nazism, to describe the lack of support Israel has received in its efforts to protect its citizens today: “Silence in the face of evil is itself evil.”
Meanwhile, DA spokesperson Willie Aucamp told IOL that “the trip was arranged and attended by individuals in their private capacity and not through the party".
The PA defended their MPs, stating that their policies and political positions were known when they entered the GNU.
The party added that the trip was not a secret.
A spokesperson for Minister Ronald Lamola, Chrispin Phiri told IOL that the Department of International Relations and Cooperation was not informed about the visit.
"The Speaker's office would be in a better position to clarify and reassure the public about this so-called fact-finding mission,” he said.
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