The United States has revoked the visa of former South African Foreign Minister Naledi Pandor without providing an explanation, Pandor confirmed on Wednesday, in a move that follows her prominent role in South Africa’s genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice.
Pandor said she was informed of the decision in an email from the United States Consulate this week, shortly after returning from her most recent visit to the United States.
“I’ve no understanding of why my visa has been revoked. There’s no explanation offered. According to the section mentioned in the email, no reasons need to be provided by the United States,” Pandor said in a statement to the broadcaster.
Pandor, 71, who retired from active politics in 2024 after three decades in South Africa’s parliament, had been granted a multiple-entry visitor’s visa for short-term stays following her departure from government. In July, she delivered a keynote address at the United Nations in New York to commemorate Nelson Mandela International Day.
As South Africa’s top diplomat from 2019 to 2024, Pandor was instrumental in launching South Africa’s case at The Hague-based International Court of Justice in December 2023, accusing Israel of committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza. The Trump administration has rejected South Africa’s case.
The ICJ in January 2024 ordered provisional measures requiring Israel to prevent genocidal acts and ensure humanitarian assistance reaches Gaza, though it stopped short of ordering a ceasefire. Israel has denied the allegations and characterized South Africa as functioning as “the legal arm” of Hamas.
Pandor currently serves as chairperson of the Nelson Mandela Foundation, a position she assumed in October 2024.
The United States State Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Report Focus News could not independently verify the visa revocation.
The Trump administration has previously revoked visas of officials connected to the ICJ case. In August, Secretary of State Marco Rubio revoked visas of Palestinian Authority officials ahead of the UN General Assembly.
South Africa’s Department of International Relations and Cooperation did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Pandor’s visa revocation.
I don’t like Trump’s bullying of Africa. But this woman deserves it. You cannot condemn America and still want to visit it. A sellout the black struggle to arabs who treat us as slaves. The are still killing us in Darfur and mocking our deaths in UAE.