Nyati pitches pro-Israel stance in bid for DA leadership

As the Democratic Alliance (DA) prepares to elect new leadership at its Federal Congress this weekend, on 11 and 12 April, candidate Nicholas Nyati has positioned himself as one of the party’s most vocal supporters of Israel and the Jewish community. “I love my Jewish friends, I’m a friend of Israel,” he said. 

The congress, the party’s national elective conference, will determine its federal leadership and shape its direction ahead of the upcoming elections. Nyati, who is running for Deputy Federal Chairperson, has used his campaign to call for stronger engagement with Israel and a shift in South Africa’s foreign policy. 

The stance of this former DA Federal Youth Leader and Nelson Mandela Bay councillor stands out in a political environment where the government has taken Israel to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and downgraded diplomatic relations. It also comes as the DA navigates its role in the Government of National Unity (GNU) alongside the African National Congress. 

He said the party should return to what he described as its core values of supporting democracies and promoting peace. “The DA has always supported democracies,” he said. “It has always believed in a two-state solution when it comes to Israel and Palestine.” 

Nyati insisted that South Africa should take a more balanced approach to foreign policy and engage with Israel in areas such as water and technology. He acknowledged that Johannesburg is in the midst of a water crisis, where the loss of water is extreme. “If you look at Israel, it’s got the lowest water losses in the world.” 

He said South Africa should position itself as a mediator in the Middle East, rather than taking sides. Nyati has also spoken out about what he sees as a climate in which certain views about Israel are difficult to express because it is not popular. “When you say these things, people will label you,” he said. “I don’t want to be politically correct, I want to be morally correct.” 

His outspoken support for Israel is unusual in South African politics, where pro-Israel views are often contested. Benji Shulman, executive director of The Middle East Africa Research Institute, said Nyati’s emphasis on Israel appeared to be a deliberate campaign choice. 

“It’s unusual in an internal DA race for foreign affairs to become an issue,” Shulman said. “However, Nyati is relatively young in the field of candidates and clearly feels that by highlighting this issue he can raise his profile among the voting delegates.” 

Shulman said many DA representatives and delegates already hold broadly pro-Israel views, which may make the issue politically advantageous within the party. “A strong pro-Israel position becomes an asset for the campaign,” he said. 

Nyati’s stance has not appeared to hinder his campaign, despite the sensitivity of the issue in South Africa’s broader political landscape. Shulman said Nyati had consistently expressed pro-Israel views in multiple interviews, alongside criticism of Hamas and support for a peaceful resolution to the conflict. 

“He has made his pro-Israel views widely known… and is generally in favour of ways to find a peaceful resolution,” Shulman said. 

However, Nyati has also faced criticism for a past response on the Sizwe Mpofu-Walsh Xperience SMWX current affairs YouTube channel, in which he said Israel was committing a ‘genocide’ in Gaza. He said he made the remark to “open the debate” and has since clarified his position, placing responsibility for the conflict on Hamas. 

“If you go deeper… I do clarify that it is Hamas that started the genocide,” he said. “It is Hamas that is using people as human shields.” Shulman said the comment should be understood in the context of how the Gaza war is framed in South Africa following the government’s case at the ICJ. 

“Public figures are often asked this kind of question in a binary fashion with no context,” he said. “This dilutes the real meaning of genocide and reduces it to commentary on fighting during the war.” He said that Nyati had not repeated the claim in other interviews, and that his broader position had remained consistently supportive of Israel. 

Sara Gon, a fellow at the Institute of Race Relations, said foreign policy positions needed to be understood in the context of broader party dynamics and competing constituencies. “Any party, whether in power or not, should have positions on foreign issues,” she said. “Whether there is agreement on a position or not… is an issue for the party to decide.” 

She said parties often need to balance different views within their support base, especially on issues that can be divisive. “It then becomes a matter of deciding how to respond given the various constituencies the party represents,” she said. 

Gon also emphasised that foreign policy should be guided by national interest. She pointed to potential benefits of engagement with Israel, including expertise in areas such as water management. “The benefit we can obtain from Israel’s water expertise should be hugely important,” she said. 

Nyati said his decision to run for Deputy Federal Chairperson was driven by concern about the party’s direction. “After joining the GNU, I felt that we no longer have a bite,” he said. “The best way I know how to fix an issue is to go myself.” 

The GNU, formed after the 2024 election, has prompted debate within the DA about how strongly it should challenge government policy. Nyati said he wanted to “fight back for the soul of the DA” and ensure it remained a strong voice. 

He described his political values as shaped by his upbringing. “I was born in a mud house, grew up in a shack, moved to an RDP [Reconstruction and Development Programme] house,” he said. “So, I’ve seen injustice and I’ve seen what a failure of politics does to our communities.” He said his approach was grounded in improving the lives of others. 

Nyati also addressed concerns about antisemitism and social cohesion, calling for greater unity across communities. “To our Jewish brothers and sisters… far too long we have been quiet,” he said. “I believe that all of us need to start working together.” 

He said South Africa should be inclusive of all communities. “South Africa is your home, no matter your religion,” he said. 

As the DA heads into its Federal Congress this weekend, Nyati’s campaign has brought foreign policy and relations with Israel into sharper focus. Whether that focus will translate into support among party delegates remains to be seen, but his position has already set him apart in a race where such issues are rarely central.