South Africa has expelled Israel’s top diplomat in the country, triggering a swift retaliatory move by Israel and further straining already fragile relations between the two states.
In a statement, South Africa’s Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) declared Ariel Seidman, Israel’s chargé d’affaires in Pretoria, persona non grata and ordered him to leave the country within 72 hours. The government accused Seidman of “violating diplomatic norms” and engaging in conduct that amounted to a “gross abuse of diplomatic privilege.”
Hours later, Israel responded by expelling South Africa’s ambassador to Palestine, Shaun Edward Byneveldt, also giving him 72 hours to depart. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Foreign Minister Gideon Saar described South Africa’s action against Seidman as “unilateral and baseless,” adding that further steps against Pretoria could follow.
“The decision comes in response to South Africa’s false attacks against Israel in the international arena,” the Israeli government said in a Media statement .
The latest diplomatic standoff is rooted in long-standing tensions that have intensified since South Africa accused Israel of committing genocide against Palestinians at the International Court of Justice (ICJ). Israel has strongly rejected the allegations.
According to South African authorities, Seidman used official diplomatic social media platforms to criticise President Cyril Ramaphosa and facilitated visits by Israeli officials to South Africa without the required government approval.
The expelled diplomats were the highest-ranking representatives of their respective countries. Israel does not currently have an ambassador in South Africa, while South Africa has not maintained an ambassador in Israel for several years.
Following Israel’s retaliatory move, a spokesperson for South Africa’s foreign ministry criticised what they described as a “farcical arrangement,” noting that Byneveldt is accredited to Palestine through Israel, “the very state that occupies his host country.”
Diplomatic relations between the two countries have been strained for years. South Africa withdrew its ambassador to Israel in 2018 after accusing Israeli forces of indiscriminately killing civilians in Gaza. Israel, in turn, recalled its ambassador to South Africa in 2023 after Pretoria initiated proceedings at the ICJ.
Seidman was appointed chargé d’affaires to South Africa in 2025, with his mandate also covering Eswatini, Lesotho, Madagascar, Mauritius and Namibia. Since his appointment, his close ties with Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo—a controversial traditional leader and nephew of former president Nelson Mandela—have drawn criticism from the South African government.
Dalindyebo visited Israel in December 2025, where he met senior Israeli officials without the knowledge or approval of the South African government. Shortly after his return, an Israeli delegation visited his home province of the Eastern Cape, promising support in areas including water, health and agriculture.
Israeli officials later shared images and videos of the visit on social media platform X, describing the trip as discussions on “concrete assistance” to local communities.
South Africa recognises several traditional monarchs who represent different ethnic groups and clans, though these leaders hold no formal political authority.
As diplomatic tensions escalate, analysts warn that relations between Pretoria and Tel Aviv could deteriorate further, particularly as South Africa maintains its firm stance on the Israel–Palestine conflict at international forums.
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