The rally, held in rainy conditions, marked the 65th anniversary of the failed Bay of Pigs invasion, a United States (US)-backed attempt to overthrow Cuba’s revolutionary government in 1961. Protesters waved placards and chanted slogans condemning US foreign policy, economic sanctions and what they described as ongoing global conflicts.
Among the prominent speakers were former SA Intelligence Minister Ronald Kasrils and Nomvula Mokonyane, the African National Congress’s (ANC) First Deputy Secretary-General. The protest followed a separate pro-US and pro-Israel march held in Sandton a day earlier, reflecting the polarised debate around foreign policy and conflict in the Middle East.
ANC Veterans League President Snuki Zikalala, who attended the protest, said the demonstration reaffirmed the ANC’s historic ties with Cuba and its support for anti-imperialist causes. “We condemn the embargo imposed by the Americans on Cuba since 1960,” Zikalala told Channel Africa.
He urged South Africans to donate food and other essentials to solidarity efforts supporting Cuba, claiming shortages of medicines, food and fuel had worsened under sanctions.
Zikalala said Cuba remains politically relevant to SA because of its role in supporting liberation movements in Southern Africa. He cited Cuba’s military intervention in Angola and its training support for Africans in sectors such as engineering and medicine, arguing that these contributions helped weaken apartheid-era power in the region.
Addressing criticism that South Africans should prioritise domestic challenges such as unemployment and service delivery, Zikalala said solidarity should not be seen as competing with local priorities, linking international instability to rising costs at home, including higher fuel prices.
Some demonstrators also voiced solidarity with Palestinians, condemning the humanitarian impact of the conflict in Gaza. Organisers called for international justice and urged governments to oppose sanctions and policies they say punish civilians.
–ChannelAfrica–
