Letter of recognition and appreciation to the South African hardware stores who have taken action to boycott Israeli linked suppliers and companies
08 June 2021
It has come to our attention that over the last month, a group of about 300 South African owned hardware stores, have united and many of them have cancelled contracts with SA based suppliers and companies that have relations with or who have shown support for Israel. It is our understanding that SA suppliers, with ties to Israel, have lost over 30 million rands a month worth of contracts. That totals to over 300 million rands a year (24 million dollars)!
Today, standing with Israel, having ties with Israel or serving in the Israeli military have all, correctly, become similar to, in the past, having stood with Apartheid South Africa or with Nazi Germany. So long as Israel does not respect international law and violates human rights there will be consequences for standing with, supporting, endorsing or trading with Israel. To stand with Israel today is now synonymous to saying “I stand with Germany” during the holocaust or declaring “I stand with South Africa” during Apartheid.
The human rights organization #Africa4Palestine welcomes the ethical position taken by you and your hardware stores. It has been heartwarming to see that in the space of less than a month you have united from across the country and taken such concrete action to align your business practices with your values and principles.
Africa4Palestine welcomes this ethical position as a morally sound example to other stores in South Africa and the African continent to emulate so that we can truly create apartheid Israeli free zones.
We understand that some of the suppliers that are losing contracts and trade with the South African hardware stores (for various alleged links to Israel) include the Essential Buying Group, Keter, Ceaserstone, CapeGate among 20 others.
Palestinian solidarity is a moral issue and indeed a business issue. Your efforts have served as another great blow to those who believe they can support the Israeli regime on one hand and take money and profits from the principled and moral South African people.
You are using your financial muscle in sending a clear message to Israel and their supporters that it is not bussiness as usual anymore.
Muhammed Desai
Director of Africa4Palestine.
#Africa4Palestine is a registered NPO and PBO.
