Image Source: The New Arab
World – Activists and legal representatives are urging the government to stop South African coal exports to Israel, warning that continued trade risks complicity in the ongoing genocide in Gaza.
The South African BDS Coalition has launched an energy embargo campaign, presenting a legal analysis arguing that the exports contradict South Africa’s constitutional obligations and its position as the applicant in genocide proceedings against Israel at the International Court of Justice.
Data shows that since October 2023, South Africa has exported approximately three million metric tons of coal to Israel. Despite Pretoria leading the ICJ case, exports have not only continued but in some cases increased, a contradiction that campaigners say can no longer be ignored.
Lawyer assisting the SA BDS Coalition Energy Embargo Campaign, Attorney Sirhaan Ché Khan, said the trade cannot be considered neutral given the country’s formal legal stance. He argued that the coal directly sustains Israeli military operations and the illegal occupation.
“South Africa has taken a very strong legal position globally by approaching the ICJ, alleging that Israel is committing genocide. What the report argues is — Can we continue exporting coal into a system that helps sustain what we have already called a genocide?”
State Accountability
Khan dismissed government arguments that responsibility lies with private companies rather than the state. He maintained that the regulatory framework places the obligation squarely on the government.
“These exports don’t happen in a vacuum, and private corporations don’t have the right to trade as they please. It’s the government that controls export permits. It’s the government that regulates the ports — it therefore has the authority over which goods can be exported and to which countries.”
Coal exports to Israel account for less than 3% of South Africa’s total coal exports. Khan emphasised that the potential economic loss from an embargo is minimal compared to South Africa’s greater legal and moral responsibilities.
With South African coal in high demand globally, the coalition warns the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition that it must respond within two weeks or face legal action.
