Al-Qalam 
Palestine solidarity groups in Durban and Cape Town are urging people to join the march, saying every voice makes a difference, writes an Al-Qalam Reporter.
Hundreds of thousands of people are being mobilised to join a Palestine solidarity march to Parliament in Cape Town tomorrow (Saturday) to mark one year of genocide in Gaza and to call for an end to the Zionist massacres that have killed over 41,000 people in Gaza.
And in Durban, the Palestinian Solidarity Front (PSF) has urged people of all denominations to join them in a march in Umhlanga tomorrow afternoon to call for a diplomatic resolution after what many describe as “US-backed Israeli terrorism.”
South Africa will join millions across the world this weekend to demand that the so-called International community step in and force Israel’s hand to stop the genocide and ethnic cleansing of the Palestinian people.
The Durban protest march starts at the Whalebone Pier in Umhlanga at 1:30 p.m. and ends a short distance away at the Oceans Mall.
Raising the question by some sceptics who say another anti-Zionism march will not make a difference, Lubna Nadvi, an executive of PSF, told Al-Qalam that every voice mattered.
“One more march may feel insignificant against the backdrop of countless others, but each step holds the weight of hope and determination. It’s a powerful act of solidarity, a reminder that our voices matter, even when the world seems indifferent.
“Each march can ignite passion, inspire others, and show that we refuse to be silenced. Change is a journey, and every step, no matter how small, adds to the momentum. In moments of struggle, it’s the collective heart that fuels the fight, reminding us that together, we can forge a path toward a better future,” she said.
Genocide
Meanwhile, the huge Cape march– organised by the Palestine Solidarity Front Cape Town and partners – will culminate in South Africans demanding that Parliament pass the “Apartheid Bill”, which will domesticate the UN International Convention on the Suppression and Punishment of the Crime of Apartheid into South African law.
“The time to act is now, to end the genocide against the Palestinian people and eliminate the Israeli threat to international stability and peace,” the statement said.
Since October 2023, Israeli forces have killed more than 41000 Palestinians in Gaza, which includes close to 16,500 children.
“The Israeli apartheid regime has extended their reign of terror to Lebanon, Syria and Yemen, no strangers to Israeli aggression and oppression, seeking to goad these sovereign nations into full-scale, regional war.
“The assassination of leaders and freedom fighters such as Ismail Haniyeh (Hamas) in a foreign country, and Hezbollah leader Hasan Nasrallah is evidence of Israel’s disregard for sovereignty, and its existence, a threat to world peace and the upholding of international humanitarian law.
South Africa has a unique historical role in the global fight against apartheid and can now take the lead in implementing international law. The “Apartheid Bill,” drafted by the PSC Cape Town and its partners, is a step toward operationalising South Africa’s commitment to the Apartheid Convention.
The Bill is designed to hold entities accountable for human rights violations and will provide the legal framework for South Africa to implement Boycotts, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) and establish Apartheid-Free Zones across the country.
