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17/11/2021
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The South African government has withdrawn its support for reigning Miss South Africa Lalela Mswane's participation in Miss Universe because it's being held in Israel next month.
Contestants congratulate Lalela Mswane on her crowning as Miss SA 2021 on 18 October 2021. Picture: @Official_MissSA/Twitter
Saya Pierce-Jones | Nov 17, 2001
CAPE TOWN - Amid debate around a cultural boycott of Israel, it's emerged that the Miss SA pageant has links to a PR company used by the Jewish National Fund.
The South African government has withdrawn its support for reigning queen Lalela Mswane's participation in Miss Universe because it's being held in Israel next month.
The Arts and Culture ministry said that the decision was due to ongoing human rights violations against Palestinians.
READ: SA Zionist group backs Miss SA Lalela Mswane's decision to go to Israel
Amid calls from government and civil society to boycott the Miss Universe pageant in Israel, Miss SA CEO, Stephanie Weil, made it clear that they were not in favour of snubbing the event.
"Miss South Africa and Miss Universe are around the empowerment of women. We all know that boycotting is not necessarily going to be the way that we are going to make a substantial difference and I truly don't believe that not attending is going to be the right thing," Weil said.
Weil is the CEO of Nine Squared, a PR company that currently represents Miss SA and the Jewish National Fund, which describes itself as a pro-zionist organisation.
The NGO began in 1901 to re-establish a homeland in Israel for Jewish people everywhere, but it's been accused by some academics of actively covering up human rights violations of Palestinians.
The Miss SA company has yet to comment on its connection to the fund and has given no indication on whether it may heed calls to boycott Miss Universe.
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