In Johannesburg, South Africa, Fatima Seedat, a social worker and counselor, has been advocating for Palestine for two decades, initially joining the Palestinian Solidarity Committee during her first year at the University of Witwatersrand. At 39, she remains engaged in pro-Palestine activism, participating in rallies and supporting Healthcare Workers 4 Palestine (HCW4P South Africa), a group that has raised over 100,000 rand ($5,000) for ambulances in Gaza and organized vigils in Cape Town and Johannesburg. HCW4P South Africa calls for an end to the targeting of healthcare workers, facilities, ambulances, and civilians in Gaza, advocating for a permanent ceasefire and a diplomatic solution for lasting peace.
Seedat, who has always been conscious of the daily atrocities faced by Palestinians, emphasizes the need for greater efforts to support Gaza. Alongside millions of global protesters opposing Israel’s actions in the enclave, Seedat expresses horror at the images from Gaza, where over 23,000 people, including nearly 10,000 children, have been killed since October 7. She asserts that Israel should be held accountable for violating Palestinians’ basic human rights and freedom, despite presenting their actions as for their safety.
This sentiment resonates widely in South Africa, where the government has taken Israel to the International Court of Justice (ICJ, charging it with committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza. The South African government draws parallels between the Israeli occupation and the apartheid era that prevailed in South Africa from 1948 to 1994. Veterans of the anti-apartheid struggle, lawmakers from the ruling Africa National Congress (ANC), and the opposition Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) all support the case before the ICJ, which commenced hearings in The Hague on Thursday.