The Portfolio Committee on International Relations and Cooperation welcomes the release of the six South African activists from Israel and wishes them a safe return home via Jordan. The activists formed part of the Global Sumud flotilla and are expected to arrive tomorrow in South Africa.
The activists were enroute to Gaza to deliver food and medical supplies when they were arrested in international waters and detained by the Israeli government. Former Member of Parliament Inkosi Zwelivelile Mandela raised the alarm on their arrest and the world joined the call for the release of the 470 activists and the end of the conflict between Palestine and Israel.
The Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on International Relations and Cooperation, Mr Supra Mahumapelo, said: “We are thankful for the release of the six South African activists and we wish them a safe return home.
“We call on all the countries of the world to support the two-state solution approach to resolving the Israeli–Palestine conflict by creating two states. Palestine supports the creation of the two states however Israeli currently does not support the proposal. We call for the end of the conflict where the lives of innocent babies, children and women were lost. We call for the seize fire and destruction of both countries.”
Africa Fact: Evidence discovered in 1978 showed that East Africans were making steel for more than 1,500 years: “Assistant Professor of Anthropology Peter Schmidt and Professor of Engineering Donald H. Avery have found as long as 2,000 years ago Africans living on the western shores of Lake Victoria had produced carbon steel in preheated forced draft furnaces, a method that was technologically more sophisticated than any developed in Europe until the mid-nineteenth century.”
Mad Jack
Gogga – bug [ch-o-cha] The ‘g’ is pronounced as ‘ch’ in the back of the throat (think Scottish “Loch”) and is used to describe a bug or insect.
Tweety Bun Bun
Van, startled, spins around and answers the rep, \”It\’s my donkey\’s ears. When they walk under the highway their ears rub along the roof and hurt them. I\’m making it taller so that doesn\’t happen\”.
The rep looking confused, because it\’s a dirt track that runs under the bridge, asks him, \”Why don\’t you grade or dig some of the soil to lower the surface so they can pass through without their ears touching?\”
Van – no the one looking confused then angry answers, \”No man, it\’s their ears that are too long, not their legs!\”