Pandor: SA will continue to advocate for justice for Palestinian people

Chair of the Nelson Mandela Foundation and former international relations minister, Naledi Pandor, said that South Africa would continue to advocate for justice for the Palestinian people as diplomats intensify calls for a long-lasting solution to the war in the Middle East.

Pandor made the repeated calls at the 23rd annual Nelson Mandela Lecture at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg this past weekend.

During her address, Pandor reflected on leadership and global cooperation.

Pandor said the failure to stop Israel’s attacks on the Gaza Strip had exposed the shortcomings of international legal system.

"The genocide we’ve seen since October 2023 is worse than any conflict we’ve seen in recent years and we felt that government and the people of South Africa could not be silent in the face of such an onslaught."

United Nations special rapporteur, Francesca Albanese, joined Pandor on stage, doubling down on the message.

"The occupation must end. What is to be done is to ensure that Israel must withdraw its troops and then offer reparations to the Palestinians for 57 years of occupation."