Israel ‘a Collapsing Entity’ – Mandla Mandela Says Flotilla Activists ‘Unshaken’

October 8, 2025 News
A group of South African activists, including 'Mandla' Mandela, arrived in Johannesburg after being detained by Israel. (Photo: video grab)

By Nurah Tape – The Palestine Chronicle  

Mandela and five other South African activists arrived home on Wednesday to a hero’s welcome from a crowd chanting ‘Free Palestine!’

South African activist Mandla Mandela, who was detained in Israel for his participation in the Global Sumud Flotilla, has called Israel “a collapsing entity” and emphasized that there would “never be justice on stolen land.”

Speaking at a press conference upon his arrival at the OR Tambo airport in Johannesburg on Wednesday, Mandela described the “harsh” experience endured by himself and five fellow South African activists who were abducted by Israeli occupation forces in international waters a week ago. The flotilla, a humanitarian aid mission of close to 500 activists from over 40 countries, was en route to the besieged Gaza Strip to break Israel’s illegal blockade on the enclave.

The grandson of former South African president Nelson Mandela explained that the mission “anticipated two scenarios,” either that they would be successful in their mission and reach Gaza or “be intercepted by apartheid Israel.”

“As we now know, we were intercepted on international waters, which is a violation of international law, maritime law, and a violation of our human rights,” he stated.

He said 47 boats were intercepted, the activists detained and many denied food as they sailed to the port of Ashdod in Israel.

‘Handcuffed, Paraded’

“On our arrival in Ashdot, we came to the realization that there will never be justice on stolen land,” Mandela stressed, adding that the activists “were harshly dealt with by the brutal Israeli regime.”

He explained that they were handcuffed with cable ties “tied tightly behind our backs, taken off our boats, and put on the platform, paraded for all the Israelis and their allies in Europe and the West, and the global community to see.”

Describing Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir as “the best” Israel could send to the activists, he said the far-right politician attempted “to dehumanize us.”

Mandela said Ben-Gvir tried to get onto the boat where he and other activists were still being held.

“He insisted he wanted to come and address us, particularly because I was on the boat. But the irony of this is that what you would regard as the second in command in Israel was rejected by an ordinary captain in the police and told, ‘No you can’t address individuals, move!’’

Ben-Gvir was then “ushered to the side and denied that opportunity because he wanted to dehumanize us.”

As the activists were taken to join the others already sitting on the port’s platform, he continued, Ben-Gvir, in “his desperate attempt still wanted to walk side by side with me so I can be captured on video.”

Mandela stated, “This is the desperation of a collapsing entity.”

Called ‘Baby Killers, Terrorists’

Ben-Gvir later stood before the activists who were forced to sit in rows on the ground, “and wanted to give an intellectual speech,” the activist continued.

The minister then yelled, “You support baby killers, you terrorists!” Mandela said, adding that he then “froze in disbelief,” wondering whether “this was the best Israel could send?”

Ben-Gvir Threatens Flotilla Activists as Israel Seizes Last Vessel

Mandela continued, “In our unity, we all started shouting, ‘Free, free Palestine. We are not baby killers. You are the baby killers!” adding, “And he had no response.”

The activist said the power of “a people united, can never be defeated” was illustrated at Ashdod.

Mandela emphasized that although they were subjected “to all forms of brutality,” it was “nothing” compared to the daily humiliation of Palestinians.

“We were kidnapped on international waters. Palestinians are attacked, maimed, and killed,” he stressed, urging the journalists present to report on the number of babies, women and men that have been killed in Gaza.

“So this can never be about us. The narrative has to constantly be about the Palestinians and the atrocities that are daily metered against them,” Mandela stated.

‘Blood Stains on Walls’

At the Ketziot prison, he said, “every single item we had was stolen. Just as the Palestinian culture has been stolen, Palestinian lands have been stolen and everything of the Palestinians has been systemically erased.”

The former parliamentarian stressed that the South African nation, “dared through our goverment to take apartheid Israel to the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court and hold them accountable not for the two years of genocide but for the 77 years of the catastrophe that has gone unabated since the Nakba.”

Two Years of Genocide in Gaza, Seventy-Seven Years of Denial

Mandela emphasized that the experience of being held for six days in Israel “will never be about us but but it will be about the memory of what was on the walls within those prisons.”

“We came to the realization of all Palestinians that have been detained there, who have left their names on the walls, who have left their blood stains on the walls, who have been martyred within those walls. This is the memory we will continue to carry until Palestine is liberated.”

The South African delegation also included award-winning writer Zukiswa Wanner, Dr Zaheera Soomar, Dr Fatima Hendricks, gender activist Carrie Shelver and community leader Reaaz Moolla.

Planning ‘Flotilla Number Two’

Denied legal representation as well as engagement with the South African diplomatic representatives, he said the Israelis “in an attempt to save face”, simply brought them in for two minutes “so that we could see we had representation.”

Mandela said that as the group was leaving, “With a smile, I said to them (the Israelis), we will return, we are unshaken.”

He said planning will begin on ‘flotilla number two,’ adding, “We will not rest until the genocide has been brought to an end.”

The activist urged the adoption of the resolutions taken by The Hague Group earlier this year, which call for all companies that are complicit in the genocide to be arrested, “prosecuted and dealt with.” He also urged the South African government to “stop any coal that is being exported to apartheid Israel” with immediate effect.

Latest Flotilla Intercepted

Six Global Sumud Flotilla activists remain in Israeli custody, Mandela said, and urged all solidarity groups to demand their immediate release.

Israel Attacks Freedom Flotilla in International Waters, Dozens of Activists Detained

In the early hours of Wednesday, another flotilla en route to break the Israeli blockade in Gaza was intercepted, and around 145 activists have been illegally detained.

Comprising ten vessels, the flotilla departed from the Italian island of Sicily on September 25, with dozens of activists, including parliamentarians, doctors, and journalists from around the world on board.

(The Palestine Chronicle)

– Nurah Tape is a South Africa-based journalist. She is an editor with The Palestine Chronicle.

Related Articles

1 Comment

Comments are closed.