The South African ruling party, African National Congress, is reported to be considering reviewing the dual citizenship policy in an attempt to clamp down on the members of its country who are said to be intent on joining the Israel army. In a report carried by the local weekly newspaper, The Sunday Times, the ANC is said to have discussed the issue of dual citizenship in its decision making body, the Lekgotla, which was held in July, adding that it is anticipated that the issue will most definitely be discussed again when the party’s National General Council meets in October.

The Sunday Times quoted the head of the ANC’s National Executive Committee on International Relations, Obed Bapela, who said that the committee would attempt to assess if there was still a place in the world for the kind of model offered by the concept of dual citizenship. On the other hand, the publication indicated that there had been sharp criticism from a number of the Immigration lawyers who have described the attempt as “political grandstanding”. In addition, The South African Jewish Board of Deputies has accused the ruling party of attacking South African/Jewish citizens.

This controversy comes barely five months after some frostiness between the two countries. This was when the South African Minister of Higher Education and leader of the South African Communist Party, Blade Nzimande, was refused a visa to travel to that country. In response, Nzimande stated that he would retaliate for that slap in the face. He further called on the government to boycott everything to do with Israel. “We consider Israel’s decision to deny Nzimande and the three officials entry into Palestine an affront to not only the minister and his department, but also as a diplomatic insult to the South African government and its people,” said Solly Mapaila who is the SACP’s second deputy general secretary told those that attended a media briefing in Johannesburg.