Historical grievances and iconic countrymen, whose esteemed revolutionary speeches carry a leftist order, have boosted South Africa's foreign policy, amid ostensible tectonic shift in global power.
As the world's 24th largest country, and bigger than rich G7 countries France, Germany and former colonial master Britain combined, is of conviction that it can therefore, move geopolitical mountains in an instant, from the Gaza-Israel debacle.
This, amidst rare display of ethno-racial sentiments, came closer to reality immediately after the country dragged Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), against violations of the Genocide Convention of 1948.
Alongside invocations of post-apartheid leader Nelson Mandela's South Africa-Palestine brotherhood, the ruling African National Congress (ANC) government in Pretoria, and global south counterparts view the Palestinian cause at the ICJ, as "jewel in the crown" of the country's 21st-century foreign policy.
From genocidal accusations, to petition against the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) to halt an assault against Hamas battalions in the city of Rafah, among some provisional measures, the ICJ has become a de facto South African court, and the country's laws, the ANC domain.
Late last year, the country's lawmakers voted in favour of a motion calling for the closure of Israel's embassy in Pretoria, and suspending all diplomatic relations with Tel Aviv, citing the Jewish state's "refusal to respect international law".
Now threats of arrest, have been issued against citizens fighting in IDF, upon returning to the country.
There are reports of South Africans of Jewish descent who have fought for Israel on several occasions, and Naledi Pandor the Foreign Minister, reiterated this at a solidarity conference with Palestinians in Pretoria.
Nonetheless, the country that is basking in convenient political echo chambers, is 9,395 kilometres away from Israel.
A "remarkable democracy" in the leftist and liberal mindset, just like BRICS counterparts Brazil and India but, illiberal realistically and structurally, post-apartheid South Africa is capitalising ideologically on the politics of identity, and a sharp demographics shift in Western capitals.
Since the tragic events of October 7, antisemitic incidents and pro-Palestinian protests in major European and American cities not least elite colleges and universities, are proof of South Africa's political niche and wager.
Indeed, Pretoria boldest foreign policy against the State of Israel amid calls for a ceasefire in Gaza, has been glorified in the entire Middle East and war-torn enclave, including West Bank city of Ramallah, which immortalized Mandela in 2013.
However, in order to win the lucrative and fiercely contested multipolar gamble, the country's human rights crusade, is justifiable around its immediate and vast borders.
Pro-East South Africa, which shares the northern border with ideological and revolutionary ally Zimbabwe, a failed and lawless state under veteran dictator Robert Mugabe, is notorious for xenophobic attacks against African immigrants.
On one hand, the country brags of mainstream media's favourite political figures and activists such as Julius Malema, leader of the opposition Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), an offshoot of the ANC party, and Ntokozo Qwabe, a Rhodes scholar.
Both are anti-white demagogues. The former has on many occasions threatened with impunity "to defer the slaughtering of the country's whites", and has extended similar warnings to the Indian community.
Over the years, South Africa has shielded and supported authoritarian regimes such as China, Iran and Russia among others, and had remained silent on the treatment by Beijing, of Uyghurs and ethnic minorities in the Xinjiang region.
In a striking example of strategic pan-Africanism towards adverse international laws in 2015, the country became embroiled in a dispute with two International Criminal Court (ICC), over Sudanese dictator Omar al-Bashir's arrest warrant for war crimes and crimes against humanity, as well as genocide in Darfur.
Despite calls for his detention during the African Union (AU) summit in Johannesburg, from then secretary general Ban Ki-moon, the EU and US, Bashir's presidential plane took off without any hassle, from Waterkloof Air Base outside the capital Pretoria.
Again, the country's human rights portfolio, is void of massacres that took place in post-independence Zimbabwe.
Known as Gukurahundi (the first rains that cleanse all dirt) in the Shona language, and targeted at mainly the Ndebele, a tribe that ironically migrated to Zimbabwe from South Africa during the 19th century, killed at least 20,000 people.
The International Association of Genocide Scholars (IAGS), has classified these massacres by North Korean-trained Fifth Brigade, an infantry battalion of the Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA), as genocide.
Political murders that run into thousands alongside abductions, disappearances, rape and torture, have occurred in this former British colony under Pretoria's radar since 2000, notably during the election period.
Human rights activists and members of opposition political parties, together with commercial farmers of European ancestry, are among innocent victims.
With elections expected in South Africa on May 29, amid Lebanon-style socioeconomic downturn and ranking third, among crime-infested countries according to World Population Review's 2024 report, there are some grounds for prowess in the Gaza-Israel conflict, as a key distraction to domestic failings.
For the first time since the end of apartheid in 1994, opinion polls are showing the ANC losing its parliamentary majority to the main opposition parties the Democratic Alliance (DA), and Malema's EFF.
Finally, behind the manifestation at the ICJ, and cause celebre for multipolar advocates, are stark incompatibilities in Pretoria's foreign policy regarding Russia's war on Ukraine.
On the eve of the first anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, South Africa together with 31 countries abstained from voting on the UN resolution condemning Russia's revanchism.
Thus, as a distinct state and populated by an exclusive race, pro-West Israel in the discordant philosophy of South Africa's ruling elite, is inherently at fault towards Palestinians, as opposed to Slavic Russia an ally, against fellow Slavs in Ukraine.
