By Nurah Tape 
Addressing more than 10,000 people at a protest in Cape Town on Saturday, the ANC Secretary-General, Fikile Mbalula, called on President Cyril Ramaphosa to close down the Israeli embassy.
The South African government has been called upon to shut down the Israeli embassy with immediate effect.
This follows the demarch of Israel’s ambassador to South Africa, Eliav Belotserkovsky, on Friday, and the recall of all diplomats from Tel Aviv earlier this week.
Addressing more than 10,000 people at a protest in Cape Town on Saturday, the ANC Secretary-General, Fikile Mbalula, called on President Cyril Ramaphosa to “move faster”.
“The embassy of Israel must be closed down. It must close down now!”
Mbabula further said “We are sick and tired of the apartheid state of Israel, and we must demonstrate it with our actions. As the ANC, I say here today, from Nelson Mandela to Ramaphosa, we stand with the people of Palestine.”
“The embassy of Israel must be closed down. It must close down now!”
Fikile Mbalula, ANC Secretary-General, addresses the crowd during a protest in Cape Town, on Saturday, November 11.
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— The Palestine Chronicle (@PalestineChron) November 11, 2023
Adding to the call was Mandla Mandela, grandson of the first democratic president, said, “We did not ask for a consultation process, we asked for the embassy of Israel to be shut down now!”
Mandela said it was not enough for the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) to demarch the ambassador.
“We want you to give true meaning to what Nelson Mandela expects us to do. Expel the Israeli ambassador immediately!”
Anti-apartheid activist Dr Allan Boesak said he had three words for the government: “Shut it down!”
“That apartheid state that has been waging a war of extermination for the last 75 years against our people, shut it down! For every Palestinian child in a coffin, we say shut it down! Every piece of land stolen from our people in Palestine, we say shut it down! We cannot wait any longer.”
Giving true meaning to Nelson Mandela's legacy.
"The Israeli embassy must be shut down now"
Manila Mandela addresses the crowd during a pro-Palestine protest in Cape Town.
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— The Palestine Chronicle (@PalestineChron) November 11, 2023
Dr Boesak reminded the crowd of Nelson Mandela’s promise to the Palestinian people that “our freedom is incomplete without their freedom.”
He said it was not just a slogan, but that it came from the heart, a solemn promise.
“And coming here today we say we will keep our promise. We will not stop until Palestinians achieve their freedom.”
Various political, religious, worker, student, and youth formations supported the protest.
(The Palestine Chronicle)
– Nurah Tape is a South Africa-based journalist. She is an editor with The Palestine Chronicle.
