‘We refuse to back down’: Mandla Mandela slams drone raid on Flotilla

Gaza

Cape Town – Mandla Mandela has condemned what he calls an act of intimidation after a drone assault targeted the Global Sumud Flotilla, a humanitarian mission bound for Gaza.

According to IOL, Mandela — who is aboard the flotilla — said more than 17 drones hovered above the aid vessels, dropping stun grenades on several boats. He stressed that despite the attack, the flotilla remains committed to its peaceful mission of breaking Gaza’s blockade and delivering food and medical supplies to civilians under siege.

The drone strike reportedly damaged at least ten vessels, disrupted communications, and sparked scenes of panic, although no deaths have been confirmed.

Across South Africa, civil society organisations, political parties and advocacy groups have intensified calls for accountability.

South African Jews for Palestine (SAJFP) condemned the assault as a violation of international law, saying that branding peaceful civilian aid workers as “terrorists” is a gross distortion of reality. The group called for immediate legal action and urged global pressure to guarantee the flotilla’s safe passage.

The ANC, through its national spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu-Motsiri, hailed the South African volunteers joining the flotilla as making a “vital, non-violent act of defiance” against what they describe as the injustice of Gaza’s blockade.

The ANC stressed that this activism aligns with its long-standing commitment to international solidarity, drawing parallels with South Africa’s own struggle during apartheid.

The flotilla, according to IOL, is made up of over 50 boats from more than 40 countries. On South Africa’s side, activists, health professionals, writers and ordinary citizens are part of the delegation.

Mandela invoked his grandfather’s legacy, saying that this fight for Palestinian rights is as central to his heritage as the struggle that freed South Africans. On Heritage Day, speaking from a vessel on the flotilla, he reminded people that “our struggle for freedom is my heritage,” echoing Nelson Mandela’s belief that the freedom of South Africans is incomplete without freedom for Palestinians.

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