President of the ACDP Reverend Kenneth Meshoe in a march to the Union Buildings in support of Israel. File Picture: Jacques Naude/African News Agency (ANA)
The ACDP has entered the fray and backed Orlando Pirates in its decision to continue playing a friendly match against Maccabi Tel Aviv in Spain.
The party said Pirates was within its rights to play the game on Thursday.
Pirates is on a pre-season camp in Spain where they will play a few friendly games and one of the matches is against Maccabi Tel Aviv.
The Buccaneers said the match has been organised by a FIFA agent.
The ACDP said sport plays a role of uniting people and the Soweto team has a right to choose who it wants to play against.
“South Africa’s youth must be given more sporting opportunities to express their talent and moreover to make a living. This is another form of fighting the continuous problems of youth unemployment in our country. Opportunities such as these will expose Orlando Pirates players to the world and it will enable them to participate effectively in the development of South Africa’s economy.
“The ACDP therefore supports Orlando Pirates for their unwavering position and we wish them well, all the best in their pre-season fixtures, including the upcoming match against Israeli-based outfit Maccabi Tel Aviv on Thursday,” said the ACDP.
Pirates came under pressure from the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions Coalition (BDS) that it should withdraw from the game against the Israeli team because of human rights abuses in Palestine.
Former Minister of Intelligence Ronnie Kasrils, who is also a Pirates supporter, said the Buccaneers must pull out of the game.
He added that if Pirates proceeded with the game it would be a disgrace.
The South African Federation of Trade Unions also joined calls for Pirates to call off the game on Thursday.
siyabonga.mkhwanazi@inl.co.za
Politics