CAPE TOWN, Sept. 25 (Xinhua) -- The South African government on Tuesday denied press reports that its ambassador to Israel, Sisa Ngombane, has returned to Tel Aviv to resume his duties.
"The South African Ambassador is still recalled for consultations and has not resumed his duties as an ambassador for South Africa in Israel," the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) said.
The Times newspaper in Israel reported last week that Ngombane had returned "silently" to Israel a few days ago. The Israeli Foreign Ministry has confirmed the news.
Ngombane travelled to Israel to deal with urgent family and personal issues and is expected to return to South Africa as soon as these are completed, DIRCO said in a statement.
"The conditions that prompted the recall of our Ambassador to Israel for consultations in Pretoria have not changed," the statement said.
Any change in status in South Africa's diplomatic relations with Israel will be communicated by DIRCO after due consultations with President Cyril Ramaphosa, said the statement.
In May this year, the South African government recalled its ambassador to Israel with immediate effect in protest against Israeli attack in the occupied Gaza Strip.
The decision was made following Israel's deadly attack in the Gaza Strip where Israeli forces opened fire on Palestinians who were protesting against the provocative inauguration of the U.S. embassy in Jerusalem. Scores of other Palestinians were injured.
