Jewish board wants Bapela to clarify remarks

THE South African Jewish Board of Deputies still wants Deputy Minister in the Presidency Obed Bapela to clarify statements he made about dual citizenship.

This despite both the ANC and the Department of Home Affairs insisting that there are no plans to review South Africa’s dual citizenship laws.

Bapela said the issue of reviewing dual citizenship was discussed at the ANC’s Lekgotla in July, where con- cerns were raised about whether the policy needed to be reviewed to stop SA citizens from taking up arms for other countries at war with SA’s allies.

The SA Jewish Board has since condemned Bapela’s statement, saying that he had undermined democracy.

“This unfortunate political grandstanding by Bapela is motivated by his own narrow understanding of the Middle East conflict, which is based on religious fundamentalism and the BDS (Boycott, Divest- ment and Sanctions movement) lobby within the ANC, and we would hope that in no way reflects the views of the ANC.

“This is not the first time that Bapela has attacked the Jewish community and its leadership,” said the board of deputies’ president Zev Krengel.

Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba yesterday said there are currently no plans to review South Africa’s dual citizenship laws.

“From the point of view of government, there is absolutely no review of the Citizenship Act no plans to review it,” Gigaba said.

ANC spokesperson Zizi Kodwa said: “We want to clarify that the ANC and its government have not taken any decision on such a matter, nor is it intending to introduce such a policy”.

Bapela has agreed to meet with the board after the conclusion of the Jewish New Year celebrations next week. carlo.petersen@inl.co.za

@carlo_petersen