Apartheid and Israel – evergreens that are always trending online
Displaced Palestinians ferry bags of food aid after storming a World Food Programme warehouse in Deir el-Balah in the central Gaza Strip.
Ever hot topics, apartheid and Israel trending on social media yesterday, often in the same sentence. This is what users on X had to say:
@NalediChirwa They want to get rid of Apartheid resistance songs but don't want to get rid of Apartheid statues, Apartheid Die Stem in our National Anthem, Apartheid Springboks, Apartheid flag, Apartheid spatial planning, Apartheid street names, Apartheid school names. They don't hate Apartheid. They hate those who resist it. We shall sing! Kill the Boer! If you have an issue go be a refugee in America!
@English_blood_ Black people are killing white people in South Africa, it's apartheid in reverse, so where is the worldwide condemnation and sanctions?
@LandNoli I was in the Apartheid army, posted in Mtubatuba The SA Black on Black violence was deliberately stoked, armed and maintained by Apartheid govt to perpetuate the myth that Blacks can't get along & need Whites Apartheid took existing rivalries & inflated them. We trained IFP Zulus to stoke trouble in townships. Israel taught us because they used it on Palestinians for them not to unite & resist the Israeli occupation. We did the same thing'.
@Partisan_12 You don't get to just hold five million people captive for nearly 60 years with no voting rights and claim to be a democracy. That's an APARTHEID REGIME, this is why Israel is not a democracy.
@IamMzilikazi 'There is nothing the apartheid government has not done to me. There isn't any pain I haven't known.' ~ Winnie Madikizela-Mandela #WakeUpEverybody
@pieterkrielorg The DA didn't uplift the poor, they just landscaped around them. Cape Town isn't progress. It's apartheid with better branding. #southafricapolitics #politicalcommentary #politicalanalysis
@MbuyiseniNdlozi There is no greater evil on earth than the actions of Israel in Gaza.
@Robert_Martin72 My message to all those supporting Israel will never change: You're on the side of genocide, apartheid, and ethnic cleansing. History won't forget – neither will we.
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South Africans lived through such a regime, where race determined every aspect of one's life: where you could live, work, go to school and whom you could marry. This system was enforced through draconian laws, forced removals, passbooks and a militarised state apparatus. Similarly, Palestinians today live under the regime of segregation and control. In the West Bank, there exists a dual legal framework implemented by the Israeli government: one system applies to Israeli settlers, while a different one governs Palestinians. Israeli settlers are governed by civil law and benefit from well-supported infrastructure, whereas Palestinians are governed by military law, encounter movement limitations and live under the constant threat of demolition or eviction. Meanwhile, Gaza has been subjected to a stifling blockade for over 15 years, effectively transforming the area into what numerous human rights organisations have termed an open-air prison. In 2022, both Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch published reports asserting that Israeli actions in the occupied territories amount to apartheid. These concerns extend beyond mere territorial disputes or security concerns as they involve systemic control and entrenched discrimination. As South Africans, we recognise this language. We have witnessed the strategies of divide and conquer; collective punishment; suppression of political voices and the use of security narratives to legitimise oppression. These are the very tactics once employed by the apartheid regime in Pretoria. South Africa's moral responsibility and legacy of solidarity South Africa bears a distinct moral responsibility to denounce apartheid in all its manifestations, wherever they might occur. During our own fight for freedom, the support of the international community was crucial. Nations, organisations, religious institutions and individuals worldwide backed the movement for boycotts, divestments and sanctions against the apartheid government. The global indignation and moral conviction contributed significantly to our democratic transition in 1994. Palestinians have consistently looked to the South African experience as a source of hope. The ANC, the South African Council of Churches and figures such as the late Archbishop Desmond Tutu, have long been vocal in their support for Palestinian rights. South Africa's foreign policy after apartheid has frequently been guided by this ethical framework. At the United Nations, South Africa has regularly supported Palestinian self-determination through its votes. In South Africa, civil society remains engaged, with groups like the South African Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions Coalition advocating for peaceful opposition to Israeli policies until international law is respected. While the situations are not identical, the similarities are significant enough to warrant action. As South Africans, we must amplify the voices advocating for justice. Remaining silent or neutral in the face of such suffering betrays our own history and principles. The role of the international community: A call for moral consistency The tepid response of many Western powers to the crisis in Palestine has long been a source of frustration for the Global South. While nations are quick to condemn violations of international law in one context, there has been a notable reluctance to hold Israel accountable for its actions. This double standard undermines the credibility of international institutions and erodes the foundations of a rules-based international order. That is why the recent shift in rhetoric by countries such as the UK, France and Canada is important. It signals a growing recognition that the international community can no longer turn a blind eye. Words must now translate into action: through arms embargoes, economic sanctions and diplomatic pressure — tools that were effectively used against the South African government in the 1980s. I am also of the view that the International Criminal Court must also be allowed to do its work without political interference. War crimes, the use of collective punishment and the illegal annexation of land must be investigated and prosecuted, where evidence warrants it. These are not radical demands, they are the minimum requirements of international law. Toward a just and inclusive solution The path to peace must be based on justice, equality and dignity for all. Any solution that does not recognise the full rights of the Palestinian people — whether in the form of a viable two-state solution or a democratic, binational state — will not endure. The goal must be an end to occupation, equal rights for all people between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea and a just resolution for Palestinian refugees. One potential model is a federated or confederal solution, in which Israelis and Palestinians share sovereignty over the land while maintaining distinct national identities. This would require mutual recognition, compromise and international guarantees — but it is not impossible. The South African experience teaches us that even the most entrenched systems of oppression can be dismantled when there is moral courage, principled leadership and sustained public pressure. Crucially, such a solution must be inclusive. It must ensure that both Palestinians and Israelis live in safety and dignity, free from fear, occupation and discrimination. The struggle is not against Jews or Israelis, it is against policies that deny rights and perpetuate suffering. Justice must be indivisible. History will judge us by where we stood in moments of great moral crisis. As South Africans, we have the benefit of hindsight and the burden of memory. We know what it means to be dehumanised, displaced and silenced. We also know the power of international solidarity and the possibility of reconciliation after conflict. Most importantly, the world must act to end apartheid in all its forms, including in Palestine. We must call for accountability, support peaceful resistance and work toward a just and lasting solution that respects the humanity of all. Anything less is a betrayal of the very principles upon which our own freedom was built. Sifiso Sonjica is an ANC member in Ward 13 Mtubabtuba, KwaZulu-Natal. He writes in his personal capacity.
