Al-Qalam 
By Al-Qalam Reporter
George Galloway, the UK politician and a powerful voice for Palestine, said he was looking forward to his “People Power” tour of South Africa later this month – and also to meet the “brave South Africans” who charged Israel in the International Criminal Court.
Galloway will be accompanied by UK Journalist, author and advocate for Palestine, Yvonne Ridley, to “confront global imperialism head-on and to fight for real justice” amidst SA’s case at the ICJ.
Their first stop will be in Durban before proceeding to other major centres across the country.
In a video message, Galloway said he was looking forward to meeting the brave South Africans who put together the original charge of Israeli genocide at the ICJ. He said South Africa had paid a heavy price for taking the case to the ICJ, including being disinvited to the G20 Summit.
“South Africa, I salute you and I look forward to meeting the heroes of the ICJ case.” He added.
The organisers have urged the public to support the fund-raising engagements by the two powerful advocates for Palestinian justice.
The Durban leg of the tour is hosted by Palestine House South Africa and Wage Peace International, and features a press conference, mosque talk, and a university event designed to bridge geopolitics and grassroots action, united against imperialism, according to Shabnam Palesa Mohammed
The main event, however, will be a fundraising dinner at the NMJ hall on September 26 costing between R750 (Early Bird) and R1000 per person. To book, go online: www.GallowayRidley.co.za
George Galloway
George Galloway is a prominent British politician who served as a Member of Parliament seven times across five decades, from 1987 to 2024.
He shares a deep, historic connection with South Africa. During the 1980s, Galloway worked closely with the London cell of the African National Congress (ANC) under the guidance of Aziz Pahad and Ismail Coovadia. On behalf of the London-based ANC leadership, he travelled extensively throughout South Africa during the Apartheid era to support the liberation movement.
His activism came at a high personal cost; he was once severely beaten at the Guguletu Police Station for his involvement. Over the decades, Galloway collaborated with numerous high-profile struggle leaders, both internally and internationally, and later received personal recognition from Nelson Mandela for his contributions to the anti-apartheid cause.
A dedicated Socialist, Galloway currently leads the Workers Party of Britain. He is also the founder and host of the “Mother of All Talk Shows”, a twice-weekly broadcast that attracts an average of 10 million views per week, alongside a social media following of millions.
At 23, Galloway promised “to devote the rest of my life to the Palestinian and Arab cause, whatever the consequences.”
He has kept that promise. But his vision extends far beyond Palestine. He has argued that “poor countries are poor because the rich countries became rich in part through making them and keeping them poor,” and called for a “seismic shift of wealth” to achieve global justice. This is a critique of imperialism itself, not just a plea for peace.
Galloway founded the Stop the War Coalition, campaigned against sanctions on Iraq, and was expelled from the Labour Party for his outspoken opposition to the Iraq War. His political identity is rooted in a tradition of anti-imperialism, anti-colonialism, and solidarity with the working class of every nation.
Yvonne Ridley
In September 2001, while working for the Sunday Express, Ridley crossed into Afghanistan disguised in a burqa.
She was captured by the Taliban and held for 11 days. Rather than returning to Fleet Street as a hero, she shocked the world by describing her captors’ “courtesy and respect.” She promised to study the Qur’an if released. Two years later, she reverted to Islam.
Since then, Ridley has become one of the most recognisable women in the Islamic world. But her politics are rooted in the radical fire of Scottish working-class heroes like Jimmy Reid, John MacLean, and Mary Barbour. She was a member of the Labour Party but resigned over the invasion of Iraq, aligning herself with left-wing, anti-imperialist causes. She has led the Viva Palestina convoy to Gaza, spoken at universities across the globe, and continued to expose the injustices of Western foreign policy.
