Mandela granddaughters moved by visit to Israel

Two granddaughters of late President Nelson Mandela and Winnie Madikizela-Mandela described being glued to the TV at the return of hostages on Monday, 13 October, after embarking on a humanitarian visit to Israel and Gaza, which they described as “life-changing” and “eye-opening”.

Zaziwe Dlamini-Manaway and Zamaswazi (Swati) Dlamini-Mandela said their experiences in Israel and Gaza opened their eyes to the truth, “to the suffering on all sides”; media bias, “the complexities of the conflict”; and the many human nuances lost in global discourse.

In a striking divergence from the African National Congress (ANC’s) entrenched hostility towards Israel, and in stark contrast to their cousin, Nkosi Mandla Mandela’s, inflammatory anti-Israel rhetoric, the sisters have emerged as unexpected voices of empathy, nuance, and courage.

Speaking to the SA Jewish Report, they said they were “shocked to the core” by the scale of the 7 October 2023 atrocity – “people killed simply for being Jewish” – and moved by the human suffering inside Gaza.

“After 7 October, when Israeli civilians were brutally attacked by Hamas and hundreds kidnapped, it was important for us to come in solidarity with the victims of violence, to understand Israel’s security realities first-hand, to bear witness, and to be present with those still grieving,” said Dlamini-Manaway.

Their five-day visit, from 27 September to 1 October, paints a vastly different picture from the ANC’s one-sided, anti-Israel position and from Mandla Mandela’s inflammatory claims of “genocide” and his support for Hamas and Hezbollah, both designated terrorist organisations.

The biggest eye-opener, Dlamini-Manaway said, was seeing the large amount of aid distributed in Gaza each day – “something that completely took us by surprise. Reports in the media have led us to believe that there was little or no aid going into Gaza. This couldn’t be further from the truth.”

On the day the sisters left Israel, Mandla Mandela was being held by Israeli special forces after the interception of the Global Sumud “selfie” flotilla – a publicity-driven expedition carrying negligible amounts of aid to Gaza.

They left Israel as his flotilla stunt dominated headlines – a jarring contrast between his performative politics and their quiet humanitarian work. “We come from a big family with diverse views,” said Dlamini-Manaway. “Our cousin has his views, and we have ours. For us, this was about listening, understanding, and engaging. That’s what our grandparents stood for – seeing the world through the eyes of others.”

“We’re happy that he is home,” said Dlamini-Mandela, “but our mission was humanitarian – helping to provide direct services and deliver aid to people that really need it. Our trip was about meeting and engaging with people on both sides of the conflict. It wasn’t political; we’re not politicians. We just wanted to be there with the people and have a balanced, educational trip.”

“We gave out humanitarian aid to Palestinian mothers and children in Gaza, and saw their desperation. We also saw that tons of aid was being delivered daily by humanitarian organisations, even before the war started,” said Dlamini-Manaway.

Their words come at a time when the ANC, the political home of their grandfather, has openly embraced Hamas while vilifying Israel and alienating South Africa’s Jewish community. Against this backdrop, Dlamini-Manaway and Dlamini-Mandela’s messages of empathy and balance stand out as courageous and refreshingly humane.

During their visit, the sisters met Israeli President Isaac Herzog; visited Yad Vashem; explored the Old City of Jerusalem; and met Palestinian artists, women’s empowerment groups, and Ethiopian-Israeli changemakers.

Their visit to Kibbutz Nir Oz, one of the communities worst hit by Hamas on 7 October, and to the Nova festival site was “heart-wrenching”, said Dlamini-Manaway. “Seeing how families were murdered simply for being Jewish will stay with us forever. The pain is immense. We met a mother whose two sons were taken hostage. You could see Gaza from her house. She told us she never imagined something like this could happen because they had always felt safe.”

Meeting Rachel Goldberg-Polin, the mother of Hersh Goldberg-Polin, an Israeli-American taken hostage and murdered in Gaza, was “profound”, said Dlamini-Mandela. “Her story broke our hearts. We saw grief in her eyes but also resolve – determination to rebuild and somehow find light through the darkness.”

The sisters crossed into Gaza on 30 September, where they assisted with humanitarian aid distribution near the Kerem Shalom crossing alongside the Global Humanitarian Foundation (GHF).

“We saw humanitarian organisations crossing into Gaza, distributing food, medicine, and essentials,” said Dlamini-Manaway. “Our perception from reports in the media was that there was little to no aid going in at all, and that was completely untrue.”

They helped distribute food to more than 10 000 women and children, witnessing the profound need first-hand. “It was an extraordinary experience to meet families, women, and children, to look into their eyes and see the desperation. The GHF is so well run, aid workers even knew many of the recipients by name,” said Dlamini-Manaway.

The sisters described the experience as educational. “Our grandparents taught us that human dignity must never be selective,” Dlamini-Mandela said. “My grandmother always said that if you can, go and see for yourself. Don’t be afraid to bear witness. That’s what we tried to do.”

They were particularly struck by the coexistence of grief and resilience among Israelis and Palestinians alike. “The suffering is on both sides,” said Dlamini-Manaway. “We saw pain everywhere, but also people refusing to give up on peace. There’s still hope for all humanity.”

The sisters said that they were “glued to the television” on 13 October as Hamas released hostages. “It was an historic day for Israel,” said Dlamini-Mandela. “Having met families impacted by 7 October, and then seeing the family reunions, was so moving, we could not stop watching. It was painful and joyful. Their trauma is unimaginable.”

They said they felt welcome throughout their journey, and have experienced no backlash for taking it. “We come from a family where dialogue and first-hand experience are valued,” said Dlamini-Manaway. “This has given us a new mission – to make sure that what we saw and heard is shared. I feel obligated to tell others, to encourage South Africans who can to go, see, and learn. We’d go back tomorrow.”