Your Excellency, President Cyril Ramaphosa,
South African Jews for a Free Palestine (SAJFP) is an organisation focused on justice and peace for the Palestinian people, we must also act in support of those in South Africa who are marginalised and censored due to their refusal to remain silent on the genocide in Gaza.
We are therefore compelled to send you this open letter to speak out in support of Gabrielle Goliath, whose brave submission representing South Africa at the 2026 Venice Biennale has been scrapped in a blatant act of censorship by Sports, Arts and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie.
McKenzie’s unilateral and unconstitutional cancellation of South Africa’s curated submission to the 2026 Venice Biennale represents a dangerous breach of our constitutional values and threatens the integrity of the Government of National Unity (GNU). We therefore strongly urge you to relieve Minister McKenzie of his duties and remove him from the GNU to uphold our nation’s commitment to artistic freedom, constitutional rights, and coherent foreign policy.
A direct assault on constitutional rights and artistic freedom
Minister McKenzie’s censorship of artist Gabrielle Goliath’s work Elegy constitutes a clear violation of Section 16 of our Bill of Rights, which guarantees freedom of expression, artistic creativity, and academic freedom. His ministry explicitly threatened to terminate support unless the artwork’s “curatorial and artistic direction” was changed, an act the official selection committee rightly condemned as “an abuse of executive authority.”
The artwork in question connects themes of femicide in South Africa, the historical genocide in Namibia, and the current loss of life in Gaza. By silencing this work because it addressed Gaza, the Minister has:
- Weaponised vague concepts like “social cohesion” and “nation-building” to stifle legitimate artistic critique, a tactic the artists warned “silences dissenting voices.”
- Overridden a transparent, independent selection process involving respected curators and institutions, reinstating a culture of state control over artistic expression.
- Acted contrary to the spirit of the Constitution, which protects the right to “receive or impart information or ideas,” not just those deemed politically convenient by politicians with preconceived agendas.
Undermining national policy and government unity
Minister McKenzie’s actions directly contradict South Africa’s official foreign policy and legal stance regarding Gaza. While our government has taken a principled stand at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on the issue, the Minister dismissed the artwork’s subject as a “highly divisive political narrative.” A senior Department of International Relations and Cooperation (Dirco) official familiar with the ICJ case labelled the Minister’s reasoning “absolute nonsense and disingenuous,” pointing to a “false equivalence” in his logic.
This incident highlights the destabilising risk of mixed messaging from ministers within the GNU. It places the government in a “precarious” position, as noted by the Dirco official, where one minister’s executive authority can be used to sabotage the nation’s coherent international posture. Such behaviour is incompatible with the collaborative spirit essential for a functioning GNU.
A pattern of divisive conduct
This act of censorship is not an isolated incident but fits a pattern of behaviour from Minister McKenzie that is fundamentally at odds with the GNU’s founding principles. Past incidences of racist and xenophobic rhetoric from the Minister are a matter of public record. Elevating such a figure to a portfolio dedicated to culture and social cohesion was always a questionable decision; his recent actions confirm he is unfit for an office that must protect and nurture the diverse voices of our nation. His leadership fosters division, not unity.
The Venice Biennale is a global platform where nations present their cultural vision. Minister McKenzie has chosen to present a vision of censorship, constitutional disregard, and policy incoherence. To protect our democracy, South Africa’s artists, the right of individuals to speak out against the genocide in Gaza, and the stability of the GNU, decisive action is required.
We therefore call on you to:
- Immediately remove Gayton McKenzie from his position as Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture.
- Remove McKenzie from the Government of National Unity, sending a clear message that unconstitutional conduct and the sabotage of state policy will not be tolerated.
- Publicly reaffirm the government’s commitment to Section 16 of the Constitution and the independence of artistic expression.
- Reverse McKenzie’s decision to prevent Gabrielle Goliath’s Elegy from being shown at the 2026 Venice Biennale if this is still possible. If this is no longer possible, we kindly ask you to publicly call on McKenzie to apologise to Goliath for interfering in a lawful, independent selection process that had already been finalised.
It is time to defend the rights our democracy was built upon and ensure that our government speaks with one, constitutional voice. The truth about Gaza cannot be buried, and those who speak out against genocide will not be silenced.
Respectfully,
South African Jews for a Free Palestine
Contact:
+27 82 829 7199 – External Coordinator Trevor Sacks
+31 62 733 6315 – Writing Coordinator Daniel Friedman