SA delegates recount intimidation and surveillance during the Global March to Gaza in Egypt. Image: Facebook.
(The Post News)– South African delegates participating in the Global March to Gaza (GMTG) have recounted experiences of harassment, detention, and roadblocks by Egyptian authorities as they sought to highlight the plight of Palestinians under siege.
The GMTG is a global solidarity movement that on Friday saw thousands of citizens from over 50 countries mobilise in a peaceful, civic-led demonstration calling for justice, humanity, and an end to what they describe as an ongoing genocide in Gaza. Some South African participants began returning home on Monday, with others expected to arrive by Tuesday.
Among those who travelled to Egypt were civil society members, activists, and former Member of Parliament and grandson of Nelson Mandela, Mandla Mandela. In a social media post over the weekend, Mandela revealed that the group was held at a checkpoint for more than six hours and denied permission to proceed toward Gaza.
Head of the South African delegation, Basheerah Soomar, said approximately 50 South Africans had participated in the march and described the reception in Egypt as “unwelcoming”, noting that several delegates were detained on arrival at the airport.
“They tried to detain as many people as they could, but they couldn’t provide any legal reason,” Soomar said in an interview on Monday. “As soon as the embassy opened, I contacted the secretaries and the ambassador to alert them that our group was arriving.”
The Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) confirmed it was aware of the developments. Spokesperson Chrispin Phiri stated: “Our embassy advised South African march participants that the area near the crossing was restricted and queried whether they had confirmation of authorisation from the authorities. This was not clear to the embassy during the initial engagements, and the participation proceeded.” Phiri confirmed that full consular services were being provided to citizens in Egypt.
According to Soomar, delegates were also subjected to surveillance and questioning at their hotels. “They searched our phones and explicitly asked if we were joining the march. We were aware of leaked information about the hotels hosting delegates from different countries,” she said.
No South Africans were formally detained due to a lack of evidence, Soomar added. “We prepared for this; we cleared all our phones. But there were clear signs of surveillance. Each time we exited the hotel, police were outside. We were followed by men in plain clothes, clearly intelligence officers.”
She also claimed that in some instances, passports were confiscated, and the emotional toll on delegates has been significant. “It’s been frustrating. None of us have had time to process it all; we’re still in fight-or-flight mode,” she said.
Despite the intimidation, Soomar said the mission remains unchanged. “We must keep the focus on Palestine. We just have to keep pushing, like the Palestinians have been doing for over a hundred years. We won’t let this dishearten us. We’ll take these lessons and mobilise again.”
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