Mandela's speech from today’s Palestine protest (full text)


Chief Mandela at today's Palestine protest in Cape Town

 

 

Below find the speech by Chief Zwelivelile Mandla Mandela, the grandson of South African icon Nelson Mandela, which he delivered at today’s over 5000 person Palestine solidarity protest in Cape Town. The protest, organized by the MJC and others, was against Israel's siege on the Al-Aqsa Mosque and recent restriction on movement and religion as well as the Israeli regime's increased violence against the Palestinians which have left four young Palestinians dead since last week. The protest called for the an end of diplomatic relations with Israel and the shutting down of the South African embassy in Tel Aviv.
 

Mandela said at today's protest: "Today we raise our voices in protest because Apartheid Israel denies peace justice and dignity to the Palestinian people just as it has done since the day it was created. Today we raise our voice in protest because what Madiba described as 'the greatest moral issue of our time' has become 'the greatest disgrace of our time' as the world stands by in silence whilst Palestine bleeds."

 

Chief Zwelivelile Mandla Mandela is the chief of the Mvezo Traditional Council. In 2007 as the tribe looked to Nelson Mandela to reclaim his clan, he suggested his grandson assume the role. When the younger Mandela became chief, he was only 32 years old. Mandela is also a South African parliamentarian for South Africa's governing African National Congress.