A group of pro-Palestinian individuals recently started with weekly pickets in Stellenbosch as a way of supporting Palestine.
The first of the seven pickets held thus far took place on 24 May, said Christine Truter, convener of the respective picket. SMF News was in attendance.
The picket was held by Stellenbosch 4 Palestine, a WhatsApp group chat created for organising weekly pickets in Stellenbosch, which Truter founded.
Approximately 15 people participated in the picket, which was held on the pavement of Die Braak, near the circle at Bird Street and Plein Street, Stellenbosch.
Picketers held posters, waved Palestinian flags and encouraged drivers passing by to hoot as an act of solidarity with Palestine.
The aim of the picket was to unite people against, shift attitudes on, and spread awareness of, the human rights crisis in Palestine, according to Truter.
“My hope is that we will see people of all walks of life, different faiths, different places, different [economic] statuses just coming together peacefully to stand up against the atrocities that are happening – the human rights crisis. And perhaps we can shift somebody’s attitude,” said Truter.
A newly-launched, Pro-Palestinian activist group, Stellenbosch 4 Palestine hosted their first weekly picket in support of Palestine on 24 May. Picketers are photographed above holding posters and waving Palestinian flags on the pavement of Die Braak, near the circle at Bird Street and Plein Street, Stellenbosch. SMF News was in attendance. PHOTO: Iman Allie
Truter took inspiration from activist group, Strand 4 Palestine which began in May 2024, according to Lateefa Tambala, head and co-founder of Strand 4 Palestine.
Strand 4 Palestine hosts pickets every Saturday on the corner of Main Road and Gordon’s Bay Drive in Strand to raise awareness of the situation in Palestine and to take action until the liberation of Palestine is realised, according to Tambala.
“I saw that there were regular pickets in Strand. […] And seeing as there’s nothing here that’s regular, I started going through to Strand. And I was only there twice and I thought: ‘this is really necessary in Stellenbosch’,” said Truter.
Picketers, Dirk Cilliers (left) and Marion Derris (right), are seen waving Palestinian flags at the newly-launched, pro-Palestinian activist group, Stellenbosch 4 Palestine’s first weekly picket on 24 May. The picket was located on the pavement of Die Braak, near the circle at Bird Street and Plein Street, Stellenbosch. SMF News was in attendance. PHOTO: Iman Allie
Responses from the public
Picketers were met with a woman who swore at them in passing, and were approached by a man claiming to be a former Israel Defense Forces (IDF) soldier injured by Palestinians.
This is according to Moegammad Kara, marshal of the picket and MEd student in Provision of Islamic education for school-going children in Stellenbosch at Stellenbosch University (SU).
The picket remained peaceful and impactful, regardless of these encounters, according to Kara.
Stellenbosch 4 Palestine hosted their first weekly picket in support of Palestine on 24 May. Christine Truter, picket convener and founder of Stellenbosch 4 Palestine is photographed above holding a poster instructing drivers to hoot in solidarity with Palestine. The picket was located on the pavement of Die Braak, near the circle at Bird Street and Plein Street, Stellenbosch. SMF News was in attendance. PHOTO: Iman Allie
Perspectives on activism in Stellenbosch
When asked about the potential impact of SU’s exam period at the time on the picket’s attendance numbers, Kara explained that protests should not be exclusive to students.
“I think the real issue is to stretch beyond the students. There’ve been good outcomes [at student-led protests for Palestine] in the last year or so,” said Kara.
“But because [the protests are] for Stellenbosch, we shouldn’t rely on students to do the work. We should distribute it more effectively […] under the Stellenbosch community and not limit them to students,” he said.
Armchair activism has led to the downfall and validity of activism at SU, claimed Zybian Anders, a picketer and also an executive member of activist group, Student Action for Palestine, and final-year student in BA Humanities at SU.
“I think you can’t just be an activist by sitting around all day, fighting in group chats, reposting this, reposting that. I think you need to be more active,” said Anders.
“Take it out to the streets. Speak to your lecturers about it, make discussions in class about these problems. Because it touches everyone in some way, shape or form,” he said.
Individuals gathered at Die Braak, Stellenbosch to picket in support of Palestine on 24 May. This was the first of a series of weekly pickets. The picket was organised by Christine Truter, founder of Stellenbosch 4 Palestine, a WhatsApp group chat created for organising weekly pickets in Stellenbosch. VIDEO: Iman Allie