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South African Indian Muslim company upsets Jewish group

Last Updated 03 May 2018, 04:21 IST

South African Zionist Federation (SAZF) had placed an order with Saleys Travel Goods for 249 bags for a conference. However, the order returned with comments scrawled across it by an unidentified staff member of Saleys.

"We don't want to aid and abet organisations that are responsible for crimes against humanity," read part of the remarks, purportedly in reference to Israeli action against Palestinians, which is a highly emotive issue among South African Muslims.

The invoice was also crossed out with two lines with the message: "Please don't pay! Don't contaminate our account with your blood money!"

SAZF, an affiliate of the World Zionist Organisation, said it was surprised at the action by Saleys, as it had dealt with the company before.

"We believe that (these statements) amount to hate speech," said Ben Swartz of SAZF.
In a letter shared with the media, SAZF conceded that the Saleys could choose whom to do business with, but objected to the comments.

"We have never before been confronted with such naked hostility, such unbridled hatred, such disgusting slander and such overt anti-Semitic sentiment," read the letter.

Saleys did not comment on the matter, but Muslim advocacy group Media Review Network, which openly supports calls for a boycott of Israeli products by South Africans, called the Saleys' move not to do business with the Zionist organisation "a courageous decision."

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(Published 25 October 2010, 11:01 IST)

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