Students and staff at the University of Cape Town (UCT) arrived on Thursday morning to find about ten tents with Palestinian flags and banners near the main plaza.

The encampment is in solidarity with similar movements at universities like Wits in Johannesburg and others in the United States, where students have occupied spaces. They are calling for financial and academic boycotts of Israel because of the Gaza war and occupation of Palestinian land.

The students set up camp on Wednesday and spent the night on campus. Some of their banners read “resistance is beautiful” and “how many students need to be killed before UCT does something”.

They also laid out a long white banner down the steps of the Sarah Baartman Hall with the names of a couple of hundred children and adults who have died thus far in the war since October, as well as messages of support.

The encampment was organised by the student movement, UCT4Palestine. According to organisers, they started the encampment to commemorate the “ongoing nakba” (the catastrophe), the mass displacement of Palestinians during the Arab-Israeli war in 1948. The space is also being used for artistic and educational purposes in solidarity with students at Wits University in Johannesburg. (pics 3 & 4)

Among their complaints, protesters claimed that UCT has financial ties with Israel and demanded that the institution break all ties with Israel. UCT4Palestine, in a statement, said, “We call on UCT and all institutions of higher learning to live up to their stated values by supporting the Palestinian call for a total boycott of Israeli academic institutions and corporations complicit in human rights abuses and genocide.”

Jamie Rosengarten from South African Jews for a Free Palestine said that they are “creating a proudly decolonial zone where we will mourn what’s happening right now in Gaza and Rafah”.

He said that there was a call for people to come together in a safe space and show solidarity.

The UCT4Palestine movement will also be collecting non-perishable food, warm clothing, and blankets during the encampment. These items will be distributed to a few poor local communities where they are desperately needed.

Students have vowed to continue their action until they get a response from UCT.

UCT spokesperson Elijah Moholola said, “The University has noted an encampment set up on Upper Campus. UCT has always upheld the right by any members of the campus community to embark on peaceful and lawful protest. The executive has not been formally engaged by nor received any correspondence from the group.”

https://www.news24.com/news24/southafrica/news/resistance-is-beautiful-uct-students-set-up-camp-in-solidarity-with-palestine-20240516

The busy-body country called Sata Frica 😏







How does this help them become better humans to their fellow humans in Africa?

christejames:
The busy-body country called Sata Frica 😏

🧐🧐🧐Don't start o. 😂

We will continue to galvanize international support against that oppressive settler state at the World Court, campuses and every public space until it is a global pariah state. Already this week more countries backed SA's World Court case including Egypt and Libya.

The tide is turning in the US as you've seen - student protests and all time low relations between Washington DC and Tel Aviv.

Amandla! 🇿🇦✊🏾🏆🏆🏆

christejames:
The busy-body country called Sata Frica 😏







How does this help them become better humans to their fellow humans in Africa?

At least we're a country that stands for something

IronGalaxy:
At least we're a country that stands for something

How can they stand against the West when they desperately need to japa to the West? ☹️

WannaHowzit:


How can they stand against the West when they desperately need to japa to the West? ☹️

LOL. amen

IronGalaxy:
At least we're a country that stands for something

Standing for the wrong thing, yeah.

Allow islamist into your country

WannaHowzit:


How can they stand against the West when they desperately need to japa to the West? ☹️

We stood against the west on your behalfs Mandela can testify.

Innocent masses bearing the consequences of few people’s decision

Does it have to be like this? 🥲

I noticed the good looking structures

Muslims are not a group you want to stand with, their growth in any peaceful sane non Muslim country always comes with its consequences and regrets, you guys may have one or two lessons to learn from Europe. We are battling with them here in Nigeria, I hope you guys don't regret this union in the nearest future.

But u don't protest against xenophobia to fellow africans. Crase people

More tears for those who support genocide.

Indeed the help of ALLAH is near!

anti antisemitism here and there

The Lord Chosen them period

stop ranting

May peace find its way back to earth.

Mumu SA



Protesting over far away terrorists but quick to maim(xenophobia) their fellow Africans at a any slight provocation

Tell me which ARAB country has joined SA, even Egyptians were not protesting until Israel close the boarder they were allowing terrorists through, to have sweet time. I have a big issue with ALJAZEERA'S REPORTAGE. You see the camera men following terrorists, when they're killed they bring it to mainstream media for publicity stunt and gather sympathy. Logically, is it possible for Israel to just be killing civilians? Before, I almost fell for their propaganda. Away from that, that war must stop o, just because of the innocent. The main reason I love Tinubu's administration is that the top sympathizers in Nigeria haven't even eaten enough to pay some *jokers* to start protest for Palestinians. Guess they're all indulging in a strength-draining-agbado-munching exercise.

Misplaced priority

WannaHowzit:


🧐🧐🧐Don't start o. 😂

We will continue to galvanize international support against that oppressive settler state at the World Court, campuses and every public space until it is a global pariah state. Already this week more countries backed SA's World Court case including Egypt and Libya.

The tide is turning in the US as you've seen - student protests and all time low relations between Washington DC and Tel Aviv.

Amandla! 🇿🇦✊🏾🏆🏆🏆

Let's bet, these protest would have zero impact. The world needs great thinkers and leaders who can resolve this age old war not idiots who don't have any better thing to do with their time.

Mi bloodclaat

I pity South Africa

Have you guys heard of Bokoharam? Al-Qaeda?

Una go think sey na play till they show Una pepper.

IronGalaxy:
At least we're a country that stands for something

Standing for something wrong does not count. And SA will do well to stand for many of their African brothers going through worse than the Palestinians.

Irrelevant black muslims

We stand with Israel, come rain come sun!!!

Yet, they are xenophobes.

Una no get work oh

If not that Nigeria is full of shhtt as leaders with bunches of zombs and stupid coneheaded structures who will never have senses,who are these bush zulus whites liberated from the bush?

This is the reason Ekpa came out of hibernation to spew fake news of another xenophobic riots in SA targeting Nigerians

He did it to taint SA before his gullible Zionist IPOB supporters .

Israhell is left to scrapping the bottom of the barrel for allies.

South Africans wey dey kill their fellow blacks are busy protesting against Israel, e ti shofo 🤣🤣🤣🤣