Al-Qalam 
In order to embargo shipments of coal to Israel, South Africans must stand up in their millions, say advocacy groups, Ismail Suder, reports.
Hundreds staged a simultaneous protest action yesterday outside the offices of the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (DTIC) in Pretoria, Durban and Cape Town demanding our government stop selling coal to Israel that fuels the genocide in Gaza.
The South African BDS Coalition, which organised the protests, said Israel is one of the recipients “of our coal which is perpetuating genocide against the Palestinian people as well as administering an apartheid-style state.”
In Durban, Al-Qalam witnessed a protest action on the Victoria Embankment where dozens of people waved flags calling for an end to genocide and for South Africa not to be complicit. Many motorists hooted in support. There was sizeable police presence.
An executive of the SA Palestine Movement Saydoon Sayed said a memorandum would be handed over to the management of the DTIC.
Yesh Govender, another executive said: “Our coal is helping to supply half the energy needs of the Israel apartheid regime. As South Africans, it is our duty, regardless of race, religion and language, to stop the supply of South African coal to an apartheid state. We went through apartheid and we cannot let our mineral resources support another apartheid state”, he added.
Govender said activists are not in conflict with the SA government, they interact with it.
He said SA was under pressure from the United States and European countries to “stop us from our advocacy.” He pointed out that if SA was able to show that it has the support of its citizens, has the backing, then it can impose the coal embargo.
A BDS Coalition spokesman said: “As South Africans, how can we look ourselves in the mirror, as a nation, as individuals, knowing that our mineral resources are supporting an apartheid state?”
“We are the world’s leading experts on apartheid and we know about the collective trauma we carry as a nation.”, he said
South Africa’s biggest trade union, COSATU had joined the ongoing protest action to force South Africa to help end the genocide. South Africa is among the largest coal producers in the world.
Glencore, the Swiss mining giant ships South African coal from the Richards Bay Coal Terminal to various Israeli ports. In the first half of this year South Africa has been the largest exporter of coal which goes directly into the Israeli electricity grid. Since mid-March, Israel cut electricity provision to Gaza along with a total blockade on all humanitarian assistance, food, water and medical supplies.
“Fuelling the Israeli electricity grid is directly fueling the Israeli war machine committing genocide, destroying all means of life for the people in Gaza, powering the military destruction of towns and refugee camps in the West Bank and illegal settlements. Fuelling the Israeli electricity grid is directly fueling the Israeli war machine committing genocide, destroying all means of life for the people in Gaza, powering the military destruction of towns and refugee camps in the West Bank and illegal settlements. “
“It is beyond urgent” said Roshan Dadoo, energy embargo campaigner. “Now is the time for the South African government to heed the Palestinian people’s call for action. We called on the world for boycotts, divestment and sanctions against apartheid South Africa. People-power pressured governments to take action that helped us bring down the apartheid regime. How can we ignore the same call on us from the Palestinian people as Israel openly declares its intent to commit genocide and ethnically cleanse the entire population?”
Last year Colombia declared an embargo on coal sales to Israel. In July this year Colombian President Gustavo Petro instituted additional measures to ensure that the embargo is not breached by ordering the Colombian navy to intercept any ship carrying coal heading towards Israel.
“We call on Parks Tau, Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition to show leadership and commit to upholding South Africa’s international legal obligations – DTIC must lead in implementing a coal embargo and stop our complicity in feeding the Israeli electricity grid that fuels the genocide, illegal occupation and Apartheid Israel’s military industrial complex, said Dadoo.
