S African Deputy President, Ministers Hold Pro-Palestinian Hunger Strike

In the pro-Palestinian hunger strike which started 6 PM local time on Sunday evening, Ramaphosa was joined by Communications Minister Ayanda Dlodlo, Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi, Science & Technology Minister Naledi Pandor, Trade & Industry Minister Rob Davies and Economic Development Minister Ebrahim Patel. A number of deputy ministers will also take part along with well-known personalities, liberation icons and activists.
 
Other officials who joined the hunger strike include Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma former African Union chair, Jessie Duarte ANC deputy secretary-general, Faiez Jacobs Western Cape ANC provincial secretary, and S'dumo Dlamini president of The Congress of South African Trade Union COSATU.
 
The strike is in sympathy with about 1,600 Palestinian prisoners languishing in Israeli regime jails who are on hunger strike. The Ahmed Kathrada Foundation, supported by anti-apartheid struggle veterans and several organizations, has appealed to South Africans to join #DignityStrikeSA.  Kwara Kekana from anti-Israeli group Boycott Divestment and Sanctions South Africa says Palestinian prisoners have raised a number of issues with Israeli authorities.
 
 “Issues around family visits, the conditions of family visits also access to medical services as well, the 24 hour hunger strike commencing on the 14th of May, is a form of solidarity action that South Africans will be embarking on to raise awareness about the political prisoners situation, but also to call on other people, the international community as well,” says Kekana.
 
Those joining the hunger strike ate their last meal before 6pm local time on May 14. They were only allowed to have salt water, which is what Palestinian prisoners have been surviving on for since they began their hunger strike on April 17. The hunger strike ended 6pm on May 15.
 
May 15 was symbolically selected for the #DignityStrikeSA campaign to mark the Nakba (Catastrophe) that saw Palestinians being forced to flee their homeland in 1948 following the establishment of the illegal Israeli regime.