Iran Press/ Africa: In an exclusive interview with the Iran Press news agency, Nyonthso calls for sanctions against Israel and highlights the need for practical solutions to address the oppression faced by Palestinians. The interview sheds light on the significance of resistance and leadership in fighting against injustice.
The Pan Africanist Congress (PAC) was one of the main liberation movements during the South African anti-Apartheid struggle. It currently has elected members in parliament.
Here is the full text of the exclusive interview with Mzwanele Nyonthso – Pan Africanist Congress Leader and Member of Parliament:
IP: International Quds Day was declared over 40 years ago by Imam Khomeini, the leader of the revolution in Iran. When we look at his declaration, when we look at what's playing out today in Palestine, what sort of vision and leadership are we looking at here, and also when we consider, for example, the leadership of the PAC as well? Just take us through that and the importance of it.
MN: In fact, this is a very important day. The call itself was very important for this day to be declared the Quds Day by the great Ayatollah Khomeini.
And also it took leadership with a foresight to think of such days, I mean for all the oppressed people in the world. So it's very important now, now that the genocide in Israel or Palestine done by apartheid Israel is not stopping. So it's very important for us as PAC also to identify ourselves with other oppressed people of the world. And we need to support the call for the sanctions against Israel state. Sanctions against Israel, it would be better if Israel could be scrapped off the map and not exist at all, so that from the river to the sea, Palestine becomes one state as it was before.
IP: It is important to look at the context at the moment. The South African government has gone to the International Court of Justice to try to get Israel from a legal standpoint to halt its aggression and genocide. But looking at South Africa's experience in fighting apartheid, looking at the PAC, looking at Apla, looking at the liberation movements in South Africa. Is that the only way or is the liberation struggle and the resistance an important aspect as well?
MN: In fact, resistance is more important than any other thing because talking without results does not bring any... important results. So it's not enough for the South African government to take Israel to ICJ.
Let's hope they don't do it only to win the votes. It must also go further. One, they must call for sanctions against Israel. They must have the balls to do it.
Two, they must revoke the dual membership of those who have South African citizenship and also Israeli citizenship. They must revoke it.
Thirdly, they must stop. Israelis are all over the place. You can go to the airport. They own all the shops there. They don't even have documents. Nobody asks them for documents. I don't want to talk about Western Cape (province). Zionists are in charge here.
But what is the South African government doing? Nothing. So it's not enough to talk. We also need action. And action is that they must call for practical solutions. They must call for sanctions.
