Three local pro-Palestinian groups recently hosted their first collaborative picket to raise awareness about the human rights crisis in Palestine. This is according to Alia Timol, founder of Palestine Somerset West Solidarity Team.
On 10 August, a total of approximately 30 people from Stellenbosch, Somerset West, and Strand took part in the picket. SMF News was in attendance.
Palestine Somerset West Solidarity Team, Strand 4 Palestine, and Stellenbosch 4 Palestine were involved in organising the picket, according to Timol.
“[Palestine Somerset West Solidarity Team] contacted me and asked if Stellenbosch was interested in joining them and Strand,” said Christine Truter, founder of Stellenbosch 4 Palestine.
The Stellenbosch 4 Palestine, Palestine Somerset West Solidarity Team, and Strand 4 Palestine groups hosted their first collaborative picket, according to Alia Timol, founder of Palestine Somerset West Solidarity Team. The picket was held in Somerset West, on the corner of Main Street and Broadway Boulevard, on 10 August, where approximately 30 people took part. SMF News was in attendance. PHOTO: Lienke Norval
‘A united front’
“Unity is important,” said Lateefa Tambala, head and co-founder of Strand 4 Palestine. “Every once in a while, coming together is more powerful than doing it individually, because we’re all here for the same cause, for the same purpose.”
Dirk Cilliers, a member of Stellenbosch 4 Palestine, said that he usually pickets in Stellenbosch, but travelled to Somerset West to attend the recent picket, as all the local groups support each other.
“Every extra person makes a difference,” he said.
“I believe if one person stands with a flag or a poster, it shifts people, it makes a difference, it continues to raise awareness,” said Truter. “But sometimes it is necessary for a larger group to get together to make awareness happen, to make people see there’s something [they] can do.”
“When all of us collaborate together, it shows a united front,” said Timol. “We have different races. We have people of different religions all standing here for the same issue.”
Theunis Cilliers holds a Palestinian flag and a poster at a picket that was held in Somerset West on 10 August and organised by three local pro-Palestinian groups. SMF News was in attendance. Cilliers said that he distributes pamphlets to motorists that detail the events leading up to the current human rights crisis in Palestine. PHOTO: Lienke Norval
‘Let’s highlight the women’
The picket was originally set to take place on 9 August, National Women’s Day, but was postponed due to bad weather, according to Timol.
“We came up with the idea to do a big mass picket on Women’s Day,” said Timol. “We felt because of what’s going on in Palestine and in Gaza, let’s highlight the women, specifically, of Palestine and all of what they’re going through.”
“Mothers [are not] able to feed their kids, not being able to breastfeed, get enough care or proper care,” said Timol. “So we wanted to highlight that, while at the same time bringing up all these other issues.”
On 11 August, the UN said in a statement that the humanitarian situation in Gaza continues to deteriorate, with “overflowing hospitals, critically malnourished children, and desperate civilians risking their lives to secure food for their families”.
People gathered at a picket in Somerset West that aimed to raise awareness about the ongoing human rights crisis in Palestine, according to Alia Timol, founder of Palestine Somerset West Solidarity Team. PHOTO: Lienke Norval