Al-Qalam 
(The resident’s patio facing Block A, where the pellet gun shots are believed to have come from.)
By Azra Hoosen
A Johannesburg human rights campaigner who is vocal about the genocide in Gaza believes she is being targeted for her activism – but she remains defiant.
Margaret (not her real name) from the Johannesburg suburb of Orchards has had two windows of her first-floor apartment broken, possibly from a pellet gun, a clear attempt to intimidate her, she said.
Margaret told Al-Qalam that the managing agent suggested playing children might have mistakenly broken the glass when throwing stones …or by workers tending to the garden. “I live on the first floor with a trellis and patio. The windows are 33m away from the end of the patio. It’s logistically impossible for stones to have flown up from mowing the lawn as claimed,” she said.
Jeets Natha, a member of Kensington Palestine Solidarity Group, said it appeared the windows broke after being shot with a pellet gun. But it is not just the broken windows that have left Margaret unsettled. “I was removed from our community WhatsApp group after sharing a photo of the damage and asking who was responsible. The managing agent, who also acts as the admin for the group, never responded to my emails when I asked, ‘why?’ she said.
She described the area as “predominantly conservative and Zionist,” adding that her political beliefs have recently drawn unwelcome and targeted attention. Some members in the locality believe that Margaret is being marginalised for her solidarity with Palestinians. While she does not advertise her views, her activism is no secret. “I am a member of the Kensington Palestine Solidarity Group and South African Christians for Palestine, but I don’t walk around in a keffiyeh or wearing T-shirts with slogans,” she said.
Margaret was once friendly with neighbours, but they now distance themselves from her. A neighbour even told her she would be “reported” and “needs to be educated” after she shared information about South African Jews for a Free Palestine (SAJFP).
Nigel Branken, a social worker, pastor and member of KPSG, told Al-Qalam that the group is deeply disturbed by what appears to be the targeted intimidation of Margaret. “This is not an isolated incident; it clearly appears to be a campaign of harassment aimed at silencing her,” he said.
According to Margaret, when police from Norwood police station arrived to investigate, they initially concurred with the pellet gun assumption, but she noted their tone had shifted after speaking with several residents who are said to be staunch supporters of Israel. Natha echoed this: “Initially, SAPS seemed responsive. They agreed with us. But after talking to others, they made a complete U-turn.”
The KPSG group has written to the building management, demanding accountability and calling on SAPS to investigate the matter not as property damage, but as a potential hate crime. “Her solidarity with Palestine should not place her at risk. No one should be targeted for their beliefs, especially not those standing up for the rights of others,” said Pastor Branken.
While Margaret has refused to be intimidated, the emotional toll is real. “This is my home. I refuse to be afraid. But it is disconcerting to know that this kind of environment exists,” she said.
This is not an isolated concern. Natha described how Gaza solidarity posters were repeatedly removed from nearby public areas. “I put up four posters around 1 PM. By 5 PM, they were all gone. I found them in the trash and put them back up,” he said.
