Image: BBC
Reports suggest that the United States is preparing a $400 million lawsuit against President Cyril Ramaphosa, accusing the South African government of knowingly collaborating with Hamas in the lead-up to the October 7 attacks on Israel.
These explosive allegations, put forward by UK-based consultant Justin Lewis, claim that South Africa’s support went beyond diplomatic rhetoric and veered into active complicity. Lewis warns that if Ramaphosa cannot prove there was no knowledge or coordination, he may be personally liable under the Promoting Security and Justice for Victims of Terrorism Act of 2019.
Furthermore, Lewis has cautioned that South Africa’s national debt and financial markets could suffer — with daily interest rate increases estimated at $55 million and bond investors facing heightened legal and reputational risk.
In response, the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) dismissed these claims as “missteps” and “unverified allegations”, accusing the reporting of feeding dangerous conspiracy narratives.