ISRAEL’S ambassador to South Africa was caught having an affair with a female officer in Pretoria’s army intelligence service but was not recalled home, the Haaretz newspaper reported on Monday. The affair between Ambassador Uri Oren and the officer — believed to head a foreign relations unit in the service — was discovered two weeks ago by the foreign ministry, the paper said. Foreign Minister Ariel Sharon, apprised of the married envoy’s dallying, initially took no action. However, rumours spread through the South African Jewish community and Oren was told to break off the relationship. There has been no comment from the foreign ministry as yet but Haaretz quotes an unnamed spokesperson as saying: “As far as we are concerned, nothing prevents Oren from continuing to carry out his job.”