More than 3,000 people took to the streets of Cape Town on Saturday, urging South Africa to sever trade and diplomatic relations with Israel, including closing its embassy, over the ongoing war in Gaza.
Pretoria has emerged as one of Israel’s most vocal critics, having filed a case at the UN’s top court in December 2023 accusing Israel of committing genocide in Gaza, an allegation Israel has firmly rejected.
Saturday’s protest, among the largest in recent months, united pro-Palestinian groups, political parties, and both Muslim and Christian organisations. Demonstrators waved Palestinian flags and carried placards with messages such as “Don’t just feel bad, do something.”
The procession delivered a petition to parliament demanding stronger action, including the expulsion of Israel’s ambassador, suspension of coal exports to Israel, and prosecution of South Africans serving in the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF).
Palestine Solidarity Campaign coordinator Usuf Chikte told the crowd that South Africa must “boycott, divest and sanction Israel, the same way as the world did for us,” a reference to international pressure during apartheid. He also called for Israel to be excluded from international sporting bodies such as FIFA.
The war erupted after the Hamas-led attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, which killed 1,219 people, mostly civilians, according to Israeli figures. Israel’s ongoing retaliatory offensive has since left at least 65,926 dead in Gaza, the majority civilians, according to the Hamas-run health ministry, with figures deemed credible by the United Nations.
What you should know
South Africa remains a leading critic of Israel’s military actions in Gaza, with growing domestic pressure for Pretoria to escalate measures by cutting all ties. The push reflects parallels with the global campaign against apartheid-era South Africa.
