The Cape South African Jewish Board of Deputies is outraged by the recent antisemitic attack on our children. Yesterday, on eNCA live, during the Pro-Hamas rally, one of the speakers, openly attacked our Jewish Day School stating “We know where the murderers come from, they come from Herzlia, here in Cape Town.”

 

We deplore this baseless, malicious and inflammatory assault on a proud and highly respected local school. These mischievous and bizarre allegations and threats, concocted by the anti-Israel movement, constitute incitement against a South African school that has taught Jewish children about their religion for more than 80 years. This harassment has no place in a constitutional democracy that prides itself on upholding diversity.

 

Chapter 2 of our Constitution contains the Bill of Rights, which is a cornerstone of democracy in South Africa. It enshrines the rights of all people in our country and affirms the democratic values of human dignity, equality and freedom. The state must respect, protect, promote and fulfil the rights in the Bill of Rights along with the right to religious freedom. Our schools and our children should be protected just as we are.

 

We already have assurances from both the Premier’s office as well as the Western Cape Department of Education that Herzlia is in no way under threat from being de-registered or closed. We further call on the City of Cape Town, the Western Cape Provincial Government, the National Department of Education and the office of the President, to protect our children and condemn these pure acts of antisemitism, incitement, hatred and aggression against South African children.

 

The right to a decent education in a safe environment is a solemn one, vouchsafed by our constitution to every child in our country.