JOHANNESBURG/GAZA – Nelson Mandela’s grandson, Mandla Mandela, has declared that the suffering of Palestinians under Israeli occupation is “far worse” than the apartheid endured by Black South Africans.
Speaking to Reuters before departing for Tunisia on Wednesday, the 51-year-old African National Congress (ANC) parliamentarian announced he would be joining the Global Sumud Flotilla, an international maritime mission seeking to break Israel’s blockade of Gaza and deliver food, water, and medical aid to the besieged territory.
“Many of us that have visited the occupied territories in Palestine have only come back with one conclusion: that the Palestinians are experiencing a far worse form of apartheid than we ever experienced,” Mandela said. He stressed that global solidarity for Palestinians must continue, just as the world once stood with South Africa during its liberation struggle.
Mandela is part of a 10-member South African delegation joining activists from 44 countries, including Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg. The flotilla, comprising dozens of boats, departed from Barcelona, Spain, on Sunday, aiming to provide life-saving assistance to Gaza’s civilian population amid Israel’s intensified assault on Gaza City.
In a statement, the ANC said the mission “echoes our own liberation struggle” and reaffirmed its solidarity with the Palestinian cause.
The Freedom Flotilla Coalition, which organized the campaign, said this initiative is intended not only to deliver humanitarian supplies but also to challenge Israel’s ongoing blockade, which has restricted aid routes by land and air.
Previous attempts to reach Gaza by sea were intercepted by Israeli forces. In June, 12 activists aboard the Madleen, including Thunberg, were detained and later deported after their ship was stopped 185 km west of Gaza. In July, another vessel, the Handala, carrying 21 activists from 10 countries, was also intercepted.
Despite these setbacks, organizers in Barcelona confirmed that representatives from 44 nations are committed to the flotilla, though the exact number of vessels remains unclear.
