South African Jewish leaders have expressed concern over a series of anti-Semitic slogans used by strikers in Cape Town during recent widespread industrial unrest in the country.
Anti-Jewish sentiments crept into country wide labor strikes last week when about 30 members of the National Education, Health and Allied Workers Union protested outside the Israeli Embassy in Cape Town, claiming they had been dismissed in April from their positions at the Highlands House, a Jewish home for the aged.
The protesters’ placards read: “Jews are union bashers,” “Jews dismiss innocent workers,” “Jews are oppressors,” “Jews stop using white police against workers” and “Down with Jews.”
A union shop steward called for the reinstatement of 219 dismissed employees, and said that the management of Highlands House had refused to negotiate.
“It’s not that we don’t like Jews, but they dismissed us. Now the Jewish community must come and tell us they are against what Highlands House is doing,” said steward Walter Mabetshe.
The workers’ anti-Semitic rhetoric became a focus of speeches made by Jewish leaders at the 43rd South African Zionist conference, held in Johannesburg over the weekend.
Abe Abrahamson, outgoing chairman of the Zionist Federation, called the Cape Town incidents regrettable.
“While some may wish to call this racism, I feel that when a (trade union) leader singles out Jewish bosses this is not only unseemly, disturbing and racist, but it is undoubtedly anti-Semitic.”
Julius Weinstein, outgoing president of the Zionist Federation, voiced concern that now that some of the country’s racial tensions have been eased with the all-race elections held in April, “the Jewish question is once again raising its head.”
But Mervyn Smith, chairman of the South African Jewish Board of Deputies, adopted a more moderate line. “Anti-Semitism is not a threat, nor is it perceived to be a threat,” he said, adding, “We must be careful not to believe and accept that every anti-Semitic incident is the end of the world and a new Holocaust.”
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
