Publications
Partners
Cape Town - South African activists belonging to various civil society and faith-based organisations have issued a call demanding that former FIFA presidency candidate Tokyo Sexwale resigns from the international football governing body.
This comes ahead of Friday's FIFA Council meeting taking place in India.
The South African tycoon is the head of FIFA's Israel Palestine Monitoring Committee.
In their call, the National Coalition 4 Palestine (NC4P) activist group states that Sexwale is "delaying justice".
"FIFA has delayed in taking action against the Israel Football Association and its violation of FIFA statues. Instead of acting, FIFA has continuously delayed and Sexwale is part of this delaying process. Sexwale and the FIFA Israel Palestine Monitoring Committee was meant to deliver justice, instead, it is delaying justice."
The call has been issued by an initial group of signatories including the South African Jews for a Free Palestine (SAJFP), the Muslim Judicial Council of South Africa and the Christian ecumenical group, Kairos Southern Africa.
The statement is also backed by Benoni Spurs Football Club, various student groups and the NC4P, an umbrella body of over 40 South African organisations.
FIFA had previously expelled Apartheid South Africa in 1961 over its policies.
For the past two years, the Palestinian Football Association, Human Rights Watch, lawmakers, European Parliamentarians, the UN Special Advisor on Sport for Development and Peace and thousands of football players, fans and activists have been urging FIFA to follow its own rules and ensure that football teams based in Israeli settlements are excluded from the Israeli Football Association.
The red card Israel campaign has also asked FIFA to suspend the Israeli Football Association (IFA) because of its refusal to comply with FIFA rules.
According to the statement, activists did meet with Sexwale once in 2016 but since then he has refused to answer emails and letters.
