Guest speakers included Moulana Sulaimaan Ravat from Radio Islam, Congress for South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) Secretary General Zwelinzima Vavi and Reverend Frank Chikane amongst others.
Moulana Ravat gave a very inspiring speech that drew raucous applause from the crowd. He said, “I leave you with this message. Oppression cannot last. The Quran tells us this; History bears testimony to this; every peace loving human being believes in this; Israel must and will fall, Israel must and will fall.”
Reverend Frank Chicane felt it was more important to rally for the people of Gaza than a prior engagement he had. He said, I was really put under pressure to make sure I am here. And I am pleased I have made it.”
However it was Zwelinzima Vavi that “stole” the rally. He said the recent attacks on Gaza were barbaric. He listed all the atrocities that were inflicted on the people of Gaza since the unexpected Israeli assault started last week with the extrajudicial assassination of Ahmed Al Jabari of the Al Qassam Brigades.
“Today we are here to say that our hands of solidarity extend and will recognise no boarders and will touch every soul of those people that have been killed by those bombs,” he said.
Before concluding Vavi reaffirmed Cosatu’s total solidarity with the people of Palestine and called their struggle legitimate. He also drew cheers from the crow when he mentioned Cosatu would be protesting at every e-toll gantry beginning 30th November 2012.
Ismail Moola from Coalition for a Free Palestine (CFP) said there would be many more rallies. He motioned for the South African government to recall the South African ambassador, the expellation of the Israeli Ambassador and to impose broad based boycotts, disbursement and sanctions on Apartheid Israel.
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