South Africa’s government is preparing to brief Parliament on the high-profile legal action against Israel at the International Court of Justice. In a letter from last month and seen by The Common Sense, International Relations Minister, Ronald Lamola, requested that the Department of International Relations and Co-Operation (DIRCO) and the government’s legal team jointly update two key parliamentary committees as soon as their work resumes in September.

The briefing will focus on the three dossiers South Africa has submitted to the ICJ under the case titled “Application of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide in the Gaza Strip (South Africa v Israel).” According to Lamola, these documents are public and may be shared freely with committee members.

The move follows consultations between DIRCO, the Department of Justice, the Presidency, and South Africa’s legal team handling the case. The aim is to ensure parliamentary oversight and transparency as the landmark case proceeds before the world court.

South Africa’s action at the ICJ has attracted global attention and allegedly reflects Pretoria’s stated commitment to upholding international law and human rights standards, not something all observers believe hold true in this case. The parliamentary briefing is set to provide lawmakers with an update on progress and legal arguments as the case advances.