By Daanyaal Matthews

Residents on the Cape Flats were abuzz with excitement yesterday at the Athlone Stadium, which hosted the Football for Humanity event. The event, hosted by SAFA, saw thousands in attendance, showcasing solidarity with the Palestinian people through an exhibition game between a Western Cape XI and a Palestinian team.

The event was held under the theme of peace, hope, and solidarity, with the express aim of showing support to the Palestinian populace through sports activities, which, when coupled with the significance of the day as marking Nelson Mandela’s release from prison years in 1990, indicated the South African government’s focus on supporting the Palestinian cause.

While the event was bustling with food vendors, chants of Palestinian freedom, and an opening game between the Dangerous Ladies and Magic FC, the main event was arguably the proceedings before the titular game, wherein President Cyril Ramaphosa, Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Naledi Pandor, Minister of Justice and Correctional Services, Ronald Lamola, Minister of Sports, Zizi Kodwa, and Mayor of Cape Town, Geordin Hill-Lewis, opened the festivities by welcoming the teams and crowd while echoing the cries of Palestinian freedom. These cries were cheered on by the President and his ministers, with the President stating:

“Today we celebrate humanity and friendship, but we are also here to signify our support as a key unit for South Africa in the struggle of the Palestinians. We want the majority of the people in this country, the government of this country, and the governing parties of South Africa to know that we support the people of Palestine. We have said to them and to the world that we are following in the footsteps of Nelson Mandela.”

The Football for Humanity event is set to continue this coming Sunday (18th February 2024) at the Athlone Stadium where another exhibition match will be hosted under the auspices of SAFA and with the aim of showing unity between the people of South Africa and Palestine.

VOC NEWS

Photo: VOCfm