Al-Qalam Since
the 10th of June 2021, many South Africans from all walks of life have
responded with outrage when they learnt through the media of the scurrilous
attack on the integrity of Judge Siraj Desai, an eminent advocate of human
rights at home and internationally. The perpetrators of this action are the
unreconstructed South African apartheid collaborators, the South African
Zionist Federation (SAZF). They define themselves as a body that “looks after
matters relating to Israel
and its image in South
Africa.” Thus, it is plain, no values or
principles: just image!
The form of this recent assault was to publicise Zionist falsehoods in a
scatter-shot manner by leaking their so-called complaint against Judge Desai to
the media before formally lodging it with the Judicial Conduct Committee (JCC).
Principally, the aim of this campaign is to silence critics of Apartheid Israel, a
regime accused of committing war crimes and violating human rights with
impunity. By attacking human rights activists and organisations, the SAZF wants
to deflect criticism of Apartheid Israel and conceal the ethnic
cleansing of Palestinians.
International resistance to the policies of Apartheid Israel has led to serious restrictions on
organizations by Apartheid Israel.
Their agents worldwide are growing, and the effects of their work have been
increasingly noticeable in many places, including South Africa. These restrictions
may include influencing laws, policies, state practices, administrative
decisions, arrests, judgements, and incitements.
In his response to the SAZF complaint, Judge Desai submits that the complaint
is without merit and falls to be dismissed.
South African civil society has spoken and they will not be silenced by those
who abhor universal human rights. In South Africa several individuals
and organisations have responded to the unmeritorious complaint of the SAZF.
They have answered this challenge in creative ways, by supporting the Judge and
establishing a HANDS-OFF JUDGE DESAI campaign. Some of their activities include
mural paintings, engaging radio talk shows and editors of newspapers, writing
on social media, and talking about the campaign in sports fields, malls, places
of worship and so on. Others have decided to go the formal route and have
penned letters of support.
Professor Usuf Chikte
Spokesperson for Judge S. Desai
