MEDIA INVITE: High Profile & Well Known Personalities to Join Today's Major Palestine Protest March Calling for "Decisive Action" by the South African Government against Israeli Violations of International Law [Saturday 9 August, Cape Town]

9 August 2014

Nobel laureate Archbishop Desmond Tutu and South African struggle hero Ahmed Kathrada along with several grandchildren of the leaders of the 1956 Women’s March will be leading the massive march for Gaza, this morning (Saturday 9^th August) in Cape Town. Others to speak and join the protest will include the grandson of Nelson Mandela, Mandla Mandela; well known cartoonist who also happens to be Jewish, Jonathan "Zapiro" Shapiro; daughter of one of the organisers of the 1956 Womens March, Esther Barsel: Sheila Barsel; Shaka Sisulu, the grandson of one of the leaders of the 1956 Women's March Albertina Sisulu; Deputy Minister in the Presidency and National Secretary of YCL, Buti Manamela; Deputy Minister and Head of International Relations for the ruling ANC, Obed Bapela; General Secretay of Nehawu; General Secretay of FAWU and several others.

 

The protest march will be calling on the South African government to take decisive diplomatic action against the ongoing Israeli attacks on Gaza and hold Israel accountable for its ongoing violations of international law. Amongst other things, our government must: withdraw our South African Ambassador from Tel Aviv as a form of diplomatic protest; expel the Israeli Ambassador from South Africa as a form of diplomatic protest; prosecute those South Africans serving in the Israeli Defence Force; follow the example of the more than 17 European Union countries that have issued warnings against doing business with Israeli settlements or companies in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

 

This historic protest is being compared to those of the 1980s under the United Democratic Front and is expected to be one of the largest in South African history since democracy. The protest will start at 11h00 from Keizersgracht and is being organised under the banner of the National Coalition 4 Palestine which includes BDS South Africa, MJC, Jamiat Ulama, ANC Youth League, COSATU, PSC, Jewish Voices for a Just Peace and various others.

Date: Today (Saturday, 9 August)
Time: Starting at 11AM

Venue: Keizersgracht to SA Parliament, Cape Town
Organizers: National Coalition 4 Palestine which includes BDS South Africa, MJC, ANC Youth League, COSATU, PSC and various others.

 

Nobel Lauretate Archbishop emeritus: Desmond Tutu

Former Robben Islander and struggle hero: Ahmed Kathrada

Nelson Mandela’s grandson and South African Member of Parliament: Mandla Mandela

Deputy Minister in the Presidency: Buti Manamela

General Secretary NEHAWU: Beren Soke

Deputy General Secretary NUMSA: Karl Cloete

Daughter of one of the organisers of the 1956 Womens March, Esther Barsel: Sheila Barsel

Cartoonist,  Jonathan Shapiro (Zapiro)

 

To date over 1800 Palestinians have been killed, including 350 children with hundreds of thousands left homeless due to Israeli attacks on the Palestinian Gaza Strip. The national protest march will take place on Women's Day to also celebrate the mothers and sisters of Palestine who stand steadfast, every single day, against Israeli oppression.

The national protest march comes on the back of over 40 protest actions across South Africa and is organized by a wide-range of South African civil society organizations, trade unions and political parties under the banner of the National Coalition 4 Palestine which includes BDS South Africa, the MJC, ANC Youth League and others

ISSUED BY MUHAMMED DESAI ON BEHALF OF BDS SOUTH AFRICA. FOR COMMENT:

FOLLOW BDS SOUTH AFRICA ON TWITTER FOR LIVE UPDATES FROM THE MARCH: @BDSsouthafrica