5 December 2014
 
The human rights organisation and Palestine solidarity group Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions against Israel in South Africa (BDS South Africa) commemorates the one year anniversary of the passing of our beloved Tata Madiba
 
BDS South Africa staff and volunteers will be remembering Madiba’s solidarity with the Palestinian people and recalling his great contribution to internationalism and the fight for justice by laying Palestine flags outside his Soweto and Houghton residences today, 5 December 2014 starting at 5:30 PM.
 
We remember his words on Palestine, calling on South Africans to stand in solidarity with the oppressed:
 
"The temptation in our situation is to speak in muffled tones about an issue such as the right of the people of Palestine…we can easily be enticed to read reconciliation and fairness as meaning parity between justice and injustice. Having achieved our own freedom, we can fall into the trap of washing our hands of difficulties that others faces…yet we would be less than human if we did so…it behoves all South Africans, themselves erstwhile beneficiaries of generous international support, to stand up and be counted among those contributing actively to the cause of freedom and justice…” - Nelson Mandela, 1997 (http://anc.org.za/show.php?id=3384). See below this press release for a full list of quotes by Nelson Mandela on Palestine.
 
In the year since Madiba’s death, Israel undertook a widescale assault of the besieged Palestinian Gaza Strip killing over 2 000 Palestinians including more than 600 children. Israel also announced the largest land grab of Palestinian territory in over 30 years. However it’s also been a year of increased solidarity with Palestinians in South Africa and worldwide. The largest protest march in South African history since Madiba was freed from prison took place in Cape Town in August this year in solidarity with the Palestinian people. In addition, a BDS campaign, the #BoycottWoolworths campaign, has spread to every corner of South Africa as consumers demand the retailer end ties with Apartheid Israel.
 
In the 1980s Madiba with Oliver Tambo, Archbishop Desmond Tutu and our other anti-apartheid icons advocated for the boycott and sanctions of apartheid South Africa, we continue to be inspired by his legacy of unwavering internationalism and selflessness in our struggle for human rights and dignity. Indeed, we continue to meet Nelson Mandela in struggle and on the picket lines - in the struggle for a better South Africa and better world. Specifically we meet Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela in lending our solidarity to the Palestinian people (a people who derive inspiration from Tata Madiba) in their struggle against Israeli Apartheid.