Deputy President of South Africa and the ANC, Cyril Ramaphosa, will go on a hunger strike on May 15 in support of Palestinian prisoners.

1. Press statement
12 May 2017
Ramaphosa to go on hunger strike
Deputy President of South Africa and the ANC, Cyril Ramaphosa, will go on a hunger strike
on May 15 in support of Palestinian prisoners.
Ramaphosa, a former chairperson of the Ahmed Kathrada Foundation, has endorsed the
#DignityStrikeSA campaign. It calls on South Africans to embark on a 24-hour hunger strike
in solidarity with Palestinian prisoners, who have been on hunger strike since April 17.
The Deputy President will eat his last meal ahead of the solidarity hunger strike before 6pm
on May 14. He will only be allowed to have salt water, which is what Palestinian prisoners
have been surviving on for last 26 days, before ending the hunger strike at 6pm on May 15.
May 15 was symbolically selected for the #DignityStrikeSA campaign to mark the Nakba
(Catastrophe) that saw Palestinians being forced to flee their homeland in 1948, and the
establishment of Israeli occupation.
Neeshan Balton, the Director of the Ahmed Kathrada Foundation, said, “We welcome the
endorsement by the Deputy President, and we hope that his actions will inspire other South
Africans to follow suit and support the solidarity hunger strike. Ramaphosa’s commitment to
the campaign sends a strong message that South Africa stands with the Palestinian people in
their quest for freedom and dignity. His support is globally significant as he might possibly
be the most senior politician endorsing the demands of the Palestinian prisoners.”
Ramaphosa will be joined in the hunger strike by a range of other public representatives.
They include: Dr Aaron Motsoaledi (Minister of Health), Ayanda Dlodlo (Minister of
Communications), Naledi Pandor (Minister of Science & Technology), Rob Davies (Minister
of Trade & Industry), Ebrahim Patel (Minister for Economic Development), Mmamoloko
Kubayi (Minister of Energy), Nomaindia Mfeketo (Deputy Minister of International
Relations and Cooperation), Buti Manamela (Deputy Minister in the Presidency), Enver
Surty (Deputy Minister of Basic Education), Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams (Deputy Minister of
Telecommunications and Postal Services), Fatima Chohan (Deputy Minister of Home
Affairs), John Jeffery (Deputy Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development)
and Bongani Mkgoni (Deputy Minister of Police).
Well known personalities, liberation icons, activists and political leaders who have also
pledged to participate include: Ebrahim Ebrahim (79 year old former Robben Island prisoner
and Advisor to the President), Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma (Former African Union
Chairperson), Gwede Mantashe (ANC Secretary General), Jessie Duarte (ANC Deputy
Secretary-General), Faiez Jacobs (ANC Provincial Secretary), Laloo Chiba (86 year old
former Robben Island prisoner), Kehla Shubane (former Robben Island prisoner), Derek
Hanekom (Ahmed Kathrada Foundation Chairperson), Trish Hanekom (former anti-apartheid
detainee), Sidumo Dlamini (President of the Congress of South African Trade
Unions), Mluleki Dlelanga (YCL National Secretary), Khulekani Skosana (Secretary-General
of the Congress of South African Students), Sifiso Mtsweni (NYDA Chairperson), Reverend

2. Edwin Arrison (Chairperson of the National Coalition 4 Palestine), Frans Baleni (Deputy
Chair of the Development Bank of Southern Africa and former NUM GS), Allan Kolski
Horwitz (SA Jews for a Free Palestine), Charles Setsubi (SACP CC member) Bongani
Mbindwane (former anti-apartheid detainee), Parks Tau (President of the United Cities and
Local Government, Chairperson of SA Local Government Association and former Mayor of
Johannesburg) and Mpho Masemola (Chairperson of the Ex Political Prisoners Association of
South Africa).
TV and radio presenters Eben Jansen, Hajra Omarjee, Nina Hastie, Kuli Roberts, Shaka
Sisulu and media personalities Kay Sexwale, Janet Smith, Jimi Matthews and Yusuf
Abramjee have also lent their support to the 24-hour hunger strike.
Kwara Kekana from BDS South Africa urged South Africans to continue pledging their
support for the solidarity hunger strike by emailing their names and details to
palestinianpoliticalprisoners@gmail.com . “We have been receiving tremendous support
from a range of individuals, as can be seen from the growing list of ministers, deputy
ministers and others. We’re encouraging ordinary South Africans to also make their pledges
of support public by emailing us their names and bios, and sharing photos of themselves on
social media with the words” ‘I support #DignityStrikeSA,’” Kekana said.
The solidarity hunger strike will be accompanied by pickets at provincial legislatures in
various cities across the country on May 15 between 12pm and 2pm. It will culminate with a
solidarity rally at Constitutional Hill at 6pm. Details of these activities will be made publicly
available this weekend.
The Palestinian hunger strike is being supported in South Africa by organisations including
the: ANC, Ahmed Kathrada Foundation, Embassy of the State of Palestine, Al Jama-ah
Political Party, Amnesty International (Wits), Cosatu, SACP, UDM, Economic Freedom
Fighters, Equal Education, Ex Political Prisoners Association of South Africa, Gandhi
Remembrance Organisation, Institute of Palestine South Africa, Kairos Palestine Study
Group – South Africa, Palestine Solidarity Alliance, KZN Palestine Solidarity Forum,
Palestine Museum, Palestinian Solidarity Campaign, PMB4Palestine Action Group,
#TheWalkZone Radio Talkshow, UCT Palestine Solidarity Forum, UKZN Theology and
Development, UP Palestine Solidarity, Wits PSC, BDS South Africa, MSA, MJC, Nehawu,
Palestine Solidarity Committee, Al Quds Foundation, South African Jews for a Free
Palestine, Samwu, Johannesburg Against Injustice, South African Prison Organisation and
the National Coalition 4 Palestine (which includes more than 40 Palestine solidarity
organisations, human rights groups, trade unions and political parties).
For enquiries contact:
Zaakirah Vadi - (Ahmed Kathrada Foundation)
+27 76 246 1185 or media@kathradafoundation.org
Kwara Kekana - (BDS South Africa)
+27 74 054 3826 or kkekana@bdssouthafrica.com
Twitter: @fpppsouthafrica

3. Facebook: Free Palestinian Political Prisoners – South Africa