IN PICS | Rallies held in Cape Town, Joburg to support Palestine, Lebanon

Protesters take part in the SA BDS Coalition's rally at the US Consulate.
Protesters take part in the SA BDS Coalition's rally at the US Consulate.
Image: Thapelo Morebudi

As the one year anniversary of the Israel-Hamas war edges closer, hundreds of South Africans took to the streets in Johannesburg and Cape Town to call for an end to the US' continued support for Israel and to commemorate the anniversary.

They are also calling on the South African government to fully implement the UN's International Convention on the suppression and punishment of the crime of apartheid.

“While South Africa ratified the apartheid convention in May, the next crucial step is passing legislation to ensure compliance with its international obligations,” the Palestine Solidarity Campaign said previously.

The march was hosted by the SA Boycotts, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) Coalition in Johannesburg and the Solidarity Campaign, BDS' affiliate in Cape Town.

In the former, participants held a rally outside the US Consulate in Sandton while protesters in Cape Town marched to parliament.

A supporter holds up posters calling for an end to the war in Gaza at the SA BDS Coalition's rally at the US Consulate in Sandton.
A supporter holds up posters calling for an end to the war in Gaza at the SA BDS Coalition's rally at the US Consulate in Sandton.
Image: Thapelo Morebudi
Protesters take part in the SA BDS Coalition's rally at the US Consulate.
Protesters take part in the SA BDS Coalition's rally at the US Consulate.
Image: Thapelo Morebudi

Speaking after the Joburg rally the coalition's Roshan Dadoo said they had a “good turnout” with at hundreds of supporters showing up in solidarity.

“We were just outside the consulate because we wanted to keep making the point that the US is funding and arming the genocide. The US' position in support of Israel has to be broken. 

“And we want to make the point here in South Africa that they can't expect to just be here and for it to be business as normal. South Africans are not just going to accept that, they [US] have the power to stop the genocide and the escalating war.” 

Various speakers also addressed the crowd, including the SA Federation of Trade Unions' Zwelinzima Vavi, a member of the Democratic Republic of Congo's Solidarity Campaign as well as members of the South African Lebanese community.

The SA BDS Coalition protesting at the US Consulate ahead of the one year of the Israel-Hamas war, which broke out last year on October 7.
The SA BDS Coalition protesting at the US Consulate ahead of the one year of the Israel-Hamas war, which broke out last year on October 7.
Image: Thapelo Morebudi

In Cape Town, the Congress of SA Trade Unions (Cosatu) joined the march in “support [of] the people of Palestine”.

“Cosatu is calling on our own government to cut all ties with Israel's racist government. We [also] call for an immediate ceasefire in Palestine and we ask the Israeli government to get out of Lebanon and Palestine,” it said.

The latest bloodshed in the decades-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict was triggered by the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel, killing 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and in which about 250 hostages were taken, according to Israeli tallies.

Israel's subsequent assault on the enclave has killed more than 40,000 Palestinians, according to the local health ministry, while also displacing nearly the entire population of 2.3-million.

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