The Global Sumud Flotilla and the South Africans who sailed with it

THIS is about Palestine and the largest civilian humanitarian mission in history. It’s about "big versus small" and "might versus right". This is the story of the Global Sumud Flotilla and the six South Africans who participated in this historic humanitarian initiative.

So, what was the Global Sumud Flotilla?

Simply a collection of approximately 50 small civilian boats crewed by over 500 international humanitarian activists.

"Sumud" is the Arabic word for steadfastness, the ability to resist and overcome adversity. The Sumud Flotilla followed the path of the "Handala", the "Conscience", the "Madleen" and the ill-fated "Mavi Marmara". All civilian boats despatched by the Gaza Freedom Flotilla to breach Israel’s illegal naval blockade to deliver vital humanitarian aid to besieged Gaza. All were boats which had been violently attacked and intercepted by Israeli military forces.

In the case of the "Mavi Marmara" in 2010, Israeli forces brutally killed several of the unarmed participants. This flotilla was different from its predecessors. Not just in the sheer number of boats and participants, but also in the nature of the crews. The crews of the Sumud Flotilla included members of the European Parliament, mechanics, doctors, retired soldiers, nurses, activists, lawyers, artists and students. The common thread linking them is their shared love for humanity, a sense of anger at Israel’s continued genocidal campaign against the Palestinians and the courage to confront one of the most heavily armed military forces in the world.

It seems almost tragically farcical. Fifty small boats plagued with constant mechanical issues and crewed by mostly first-time sailors? Trying to take on Israel, the military powerhouse of the region? It was ridiculous. Ridiculous and gloriously brave… It was the sort of self-less bravery that many people are incapable of understanding. The bravery of people who are fighting for a cause that they know is just. Some people find it easy to laugh at the flotilla, I do not. It was a serious initiative, and it sent a serious message.

It sent a message to the Palestinian people that they were not forgotten and that there were people in the world who were prepared to sacrifice everything in service to a humanitarian cause. Israel attacked the flotilla, of course. Israeli drones dropped incendiary bombs on flotilla boats. They were targeted by electronic warfare attacks. Communications equipment was jammed and the Israelis played loud songs over the flotilla’s hacked communications systems to disrupt the sleep patterns of the flotilla members.

The Israel military launched a full attack on the Sumud Flotilla on October 1, 2025, while the boats were still in international waters. They intercepted all the boats and took the crews captive. The last boat to be intercepted was the "Marinette", which made a heroic run for the beach of Gaza despite knowing that all other flotilla boats had been intercepted. The "Marinette" got so close that people in Gaza could see it.

Among the Flotilla crew members taken captive, were our six South Africans. Do you know their names? The names of the six people who represented South Africa on the Global Sumud Flotilla? If you don’t know their names, then you should learn them now. These are the people who showed the world the best South Africa has to offer, the spirit of "Ubuntu".

Nkosi Zwelivelile Mandla Mandela, grandson of our iconic late President Nelson Mandela and a dedicated humanitarian in his own right. Dr Zaheera Soomar, a businesswoman and academic scholar. Reaaz Moola, a community leader from Newcastle in KwaZulu-Natal. Zukiswa Wanner, an author and outspoken humanitarian. Dr Fatima Hendricks, an occupational therapist and decolonial scholar. Carrie Shelver, a feminist and gender rights activist.

They were captured by the Israelis, blindfolded and eventually taken to a notorious Israeli torture prison known as "Keziot". The Israelis reserved their worst treatment for the South African, Irish and Colombian nationals. All countries had governments which were outspoken on Israeli atrocities. When captured by the Israelis, male Israeli soldiers ripped the traditional hijabs off the women’s heads and female soldiers stripped them naked. They were the only flotilla crews that were stripped naked and insulted.

Kept in Israeli captivity for six days, the South Africans were denied proper drinking water and food. The Israelis denied them access to legal representation, and subjected them to inhumane treatment. Armed soldiers and vicious attack dogs entered the cells at two hour intervals to carry out "head counts", but it was really to disrupt any possible sleep. Chemical gas was used on the flotilla members. Only the South Africans were denied showers during their period of captivity.

Eventually released, the South Africans returned home on October 8, 2025. They came back with first-hand accounts of the brutality of the Israeli regime, as well as the sheer racism displayed by the Israeli soldiers and officials. From all accounts, Israel has every sordid quality that South Africa’s previous apartheid regime possessed. They came back furious at what they had seen. They had seen another apartheid state. They had been detained by it. They had seen the inside of the Israeli prisons, the blood left behind by tortured Palestinian prisoners.

They had first-hand experience of the apartheid system in Israel. All the South Africans came back with a consistent message, just one message. That the South African government needs to stop paying "lip-service" to solidarity with the Palestinian people. That South African must stop the Glencore and African Rainbow Minerals mining companies from shipping South African coal to Israeli power plants, because our coal is directly fuelling Israel’s weapons industry and illegal settlements. That South Africa must prosecute the many South African nationals serving in the Israeli military. That South Africa needs to cut all ties with Israel and should close the Israeli embassy.

And they came back saying "Free Palestine, from the River to the Sea".

Yesh Govender writes in his capacity as an active member of the Durban-based South Africa Palestine Movement (SAPM). 

** The views expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of IOL or Independent Media.  

THE POST