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South African deputy minister describes Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood as a peaceful organisation

March 10, 2014 at 3:46 pm

South Africa’s Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Ebrahim Ismail Ebrahim told the participants of a symposium that: “Whether we like Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood or not, the group has shown us how deeply their members value democracy and that they want their country to progress abiding by [democratic] values.”


The symposium was held in South Africa on Tuesday to address the future of Egypt, bringing together a number of prominent Egyptians who oppose the military coup, as well as other commentators. The event addressed key issues including: circumstances surrounding the July 2013 coup; the role, mechanisms, influence and future trajectory of the ‘deep state’; the opposition to the coup and the current state of repression; and the military ‘roadmap’.

Ebrahim also pointed out that: “The Muslim Brotherhood is a peaceful organisation and not an advocate of violence. The group denounces violence, and there has been no evidence to prove that the Muslim Brotherhood has ever sought violence, not now or in the past. On the contrary, Egypt has a long history of peaceful coexistence among all communities.”