The governments of South Africa and Israel have expelled each other’s envoys in a tit-for-tat move that has further strained bilateral relations.
On Friday, January 30, 2026, South Africa’s Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) declared Israel’s Chargé d’Affaires Ariel Seidman persona non grata, citing repeated violations of diplomatic norms, including insulting social media attacks on President Cyril Ramaphosa and unauthorized engagements that challenged South African sovereignty.
Seidman was given just 72 hours to leave the country.
Hours later, Israel announced similar action against South Africa’s ambassador to Palestine Shaun Edward Byneveldt.
Relations between South Africa and Israel have been frosty since South Africa accused Israel of genocide against Palestinians at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), a charge Israel has rejected.
South Africa accused Seidman of using official social media platforms to attack Ramaphosa and of inviting Israeli officials to the country without permission.
“These violations include the repeated use of official Israeli social media platforms to launch insulting attacks against His Excellency, President Cyril Ramaphosa,” the department said.
The South African government also urged Israel to ensure that its diplomatic representatives adhere strictly to international norms in the future.
“We urge the Israeli government to ensure its future diplomatic conduct demonstrates respect for the Republic and the established principles of international engagement,” the statement said.
The announcement drew a rapid response from the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which said it had declared senior South African diplomat Shaun Edward Byneveldt persona non grata and was giving him 72 hours to leave the country.
“Additional steps will be considered in due course,” the Israeli government told the BBC.
The statement reads: “Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar decided – following South Africa’s false attacks against Israel in the international arena and the unilateral, baseless step taken against the Chargé d’Affaires of Israel in South Africa – that South Africa’s senior diplomatic representative, Minister Shaun Edward Byneveldt, is persona non grata and must leave Israel within 72 hours.
Additional steps will be considered in due course.”
Pan-Atlantic Kompass reports that the two countries expelled each other’s envoys amid strained diplomatic relations.
South Africa withdrew its ambassador to Israel in 2018, accusing Israel of an indiscriminate deadly attack on civilians in Gaza. Israel recalled its ambassador to South Africa in 2023 after South Africa took Israel to the ICJ.
Seidman was appointed chargé d’affaires at Israel’s embassy in South Africa last year, and his role also extends to the neighbouring countries of Eswatini, Lesotho, Madagascar, Mauritius, and Namibia.
Since then his close ties with Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo, a controversial South African king who is also Nelson Mandela’s nephew, have come in for criticism from Ramaphosa’s government.
Dalindyebo visited Israel in December – and met high-ranking officials, without the knowledge of the South African government. On his return home, an Israeli delegation visited the monarch’s home province of the Eastern Cape with the promise of aid.
Israeli officials recently posted videos and images on X of their trip, which they said was to discuss “concrete assistance in water, health, and agriculture.”
South Africa has several recognised monarchs representing different ethnic groups and clans, but they have no formal political power.
