Overview
- Artist Gabrielle Goliath and curator Ingrid Masondo have appealed to the presidency and to the foreign ministry after the pavilion was canceled eight days before the January 10 submission deadline.
- The presidency says the minister has not yet briefed President Cyril Ramaphosa and reiterates South Africa’s stance in the ICJ case alleging genocide in Gaza, while DIRCO confirms the matter is under ministerial discussion.
- Minister Gayton McKenzie ended the project on January 2 after calling the Gaza-related section of Goliath’s Elegy “highly divisive” and requesting edits while threatening to withdraw support.
- The ministry denies censorship and claims an unnamed foreign state sought to use the pavilion as a proxy on Israel–Gaza; media reports naming Qatar remain unconfirmed by the governments involved.
- With the Biennale deadline passed, South Africa’s participation is in limbo, though Goliath says the commissioner could seek an extension from the Biennale Foundation, as opposition leaders press the Public Protector to investigate.