Glasgow, Scotland on Saturday 13th January 2023 at 15:00

Programme Director

Comrades and Friends

Ladies and Gentlemen

I bring you revolutionary greetings from South Africa. I address you today as a free man because generations of Scottish anti-apartheid activists defied the forces of global imperialism and protested against the Apartheid Regime in South Africa.

We salute the brave people of Glasgow and Scotland who have gathered here in support of South Africa’s case against Apartheid Israel on the charge of genocide. This is a heroic act even greater than the stand you took in support of South Africa’s struggle for freedom.

We salute the heroes of the Anti Apartheid Movement in Scotland and the leadership of Glasgow who ten years before his release on the 3rd August 1981, granted my grandfather, Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela,  the Freedom of the City of Glasgow whilst he was still incarcerated on Robben Island.

It is an act that made him immensely proud and provided much needed motivation and inspiration in the darkest hour of his incarceration and critical junction in our struggle for liberation.

I am proud of all of you gathered here at the Nelson Mandela Place today. You walk in the bold footsteps of our Scottish heroes who on the 12 June 1987,  began their march as part of the Nelson Mandela Freedom at 70 Campaign. It is said that was the most ambitious campaign in the Anti Apartheid Movement’s history which set off from Glasgow.

May that proud history repeat itself through your actions in Glasgow today and just as the actions of South Africa’s case against Apartheid Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) is globally lauded and celebrated, may your voices reach the children of Gaza, may your actions embolden the Palestinian resistance to carry on the struggle against occupation and against genocide.

Comrades and friends, I invoke the memory of that historic day when President Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela addressed a crowd of 10 000 where you are now standing. He thanked the Citizens of Glasgow for their stand against apartheid and said:

“While we were physically denied our freedom in the country of our birth, a city 6000 miles away, and as renowned as Glasgow, refused to accept the legitimacy of the apartheid system, and declared us to be free.”

Today, I thank the people of Glasgow ,and all of Scotland, for standing united with freedom loving people all around the world in support and in solidarity with the brave people of Gaza and all of Occupied Palestine. We condemn the genocide in Gaza.

We must intensify the struggle on all fronts and South Africa’s case before the ICJ is one example of what we can do. It is an important milestone in the march to free Palestine. Your protest action here brings to bear pressure on Apartheid Israel to stop the genocide.

We call on Parliamentarians around the world to pass a motion supporting the case at the ICJ and say to the world we will not stand by silently whilst a genocide unfolds in front of our eyes.

We call on workers, students, academics, sportspersons, civil society formations, faith based organisations in Glasgow, all of Scotland and all around the world to picket and protest and condemn the genocide.

We call on all activists in Glasgow and Scotland to intensify the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions Campaign and isolate the murderers of Palestinian babies, children, the elderly and innocent civilians. We must cut the umbilical cord that feeds and sustains the occupation and the genocide.

We stand by the right of the Palestinians to resist occupation under international law and condemn any attempt to silence the voices of those who protest against genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and crimes under the Genocide Convention.

Comrades and friends, you stood by us when Apartheid South Africa banned our organisations, violently disrupted our protests, incarcerated our leaders and even assassinated our activists. Today, I am duty-bound to stand with my brother and fellow revolutionary Mick Napier who has been charged with “support for a prescribed organisation” under the Terrorism Act 2000 for supporting the Palestinian right to resist Apartheid Israel.

I wanna say to Mick, my grandfather was classified as a terrorist for fighting the heinous Apartheid regime. He remained on that list throughout his years as the democratically elected first Black President of the Republic of South Africa and it was only revoked in 2008. Continue in the brave footsteps of our Scottish heroes of the Anti Apartheid Movement such as Phil and Cathy Filling who were instrumental in our own march to freedom.

We will not be silenced whilst Apartheid Israel perpetrates atrocities amounting to genocide committed against the civilian population of Gaza including: preventing food, water, medicine and fuel from entering Gaza to deliberately blanket bombing residential buildings, schools, mosques and churches, ambulances and hospitals, targeted assassinations of journalists, medical staff, humanitarian and UN personnel. 

We say enough is enough! Apartheid must fall. Enough is enough! Apartheid Israel must stop the genocide now! Enough is enough. Apartheid Israel must be charged for genocide! Enough is enough. Netanyahu and his cabinet of war criminals must be charged and arrested for their expressed genocidal intent.

Long live the fighting spirit of Mick Napier!

Long live the fighting spirit of Glasgow!

Long live the fighting spirit of Scotland!

Long live the Palestinian Resistance!

Long live the fighting spirit of the Palestinian people!

I thank you!

Nkosi Zwelivelile

Royal House of Mandela

Mvezo Komkhulu

P.O. Box 126

Viedgesville 5102

Eastern Cape Province

South Africa