Inclusion, Empowerment & Social Justice
Global Sumud Flotilla: South Africa calls for release of activists
2 Oct 2025
Global Sumud Flotilla: South African detainees to be released
The South Africans who were detained by Israeli forces while trying to deliver aid to Palestinians on the Global Sumud Flotilla will be released today. In a statement, the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) said that it had received confirmation from Israeli authorities that the South Africans would be released from detention and would be repatriated, departing via Jordan. This decision follows ongoing diplomatic engagement between the parties.
Mandla Mandela, grandson of Nelson Mandela, prepares to board a flight to Tunisia to join the Global Sumud Flotilla aiming to deliver humanitarian supplies to Gaza, at O.R. Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg, South Africa, September 3, 2025. Image credit: Reuters/Siyabonga Sishi/File Photo
The six South Africans are: Nkosi Zwelivelile 'Mandla' Mandela, Nelson Mandela's grandson, Zukiswa Wanner, Carrie Shelver, Dr Fatima Hendricks, Zaheera Soomar, and Reaz Moola.
The Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ronald Lamola, extended his gratitude to the local and international stakeholders for their cooperation and coordination in ensuring the return of South African citizens.
Providing a broader context, AFP reports that the 45-vessel flotilla had been aiming to break an Israeli blockade to deliver aid to Gaza. The United Nations says famine has taken hold after two years of devastating conflict.
In response to the interception of the flotilla, President Cyril Ramaphosa had called it "a grave offence by Israel (against) global solidarity and sentiment that is aimed at relieving suffering in Gaza and advancing peace in the region."
Egypt said that it was working with Qatar and Turkey to convince Hamas to accept US President Donald Trump's plan to end a nearly two-year-old war in Gaza. They’ve warned that the conflict would escalate if the militant group refused.
The White House unveiled a 20-point document that called for an immediate ceasefire, an exchange of hostages held by Hamas for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel, a staged Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, Hamas disarmament, and a transitional government led by an international body.