Faizel Patel, Radio Islam News, 2014-08-09

Thousands of people marched through the streets of the Cape Town CBD in protest against the ongoing violent conflict in Gaza.

The pro Palestinians supporters gathered in Keizergracht Street before embarking on a march to Parliament in one of the biggest rallies the city has seen in 20 years.

Several high profile dignitaries including Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Mandla Mandela, grandson of former president Nelson Mandela and Radio Islam’s Moulana Sulaimaan Ravat participated in the march.

The huge crowd, which stretched halfway across the inner city brandished placards that read “save Gaza, free Palestine, stop the bombing and killing of our children”. Another held up a sign stating “Zuma suffer of (sic) historical amnesia.

Two hundred metres down the road, a group of drummers added to the chants of “free Palestine” and “from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free”, with some African rhythms.

“We’re from Burundi, but we’ve come to add our voices,” their spokesman, who wore a t-shirt with the words “Africans understand colonialism” emblazoned across the front, told Sapa.
 
As the huge crowd descended on the CBD several roads were closed causing major traffic delays in and around the city.

It’s estimated there was well over 170,000 people and the figure could be as high as 200,000 plus that turned up for the march.

The march was called by the National Coalition for Palestine (NC4P), which comprises more than 30 religious and civil society organisations, trade unions and political parties, including the Muslim Judicial Council, the Congress of SA Trade Unions, and the ANC Youth League.

In a statement earlier this week, the group said it was demanding “decisive action from the South African government against the Israeli attacks, killings, displacement and destruction of the Gaza Strip”.

NC4P was also calling for an international inquiry into the conduct of Israeli armed forces in the Palestinian territory.
 
This is the second major march to be held in the city in support of Palestine.

(Twitter: @Faizie143)