By Bafana Modise, National Spokesperson of South African Friends of Israel
On a stretch outside the American Consulate in Sandton today, over 700 South Africans gathered, not for spectacle, but for conscience. Christians, Jews, Muslims, Hindus, other voices of faith, and several citizens stood shoulder to shoulder with one message: the people of Iran are not alone.
“The Iranian people are being deliberately silenced. Internet blackouts, severe restrictions, and state control have turned an entire nation into an information prison. A people already trapped by authoritarian rule are now cut off from the outside world, unable to tell their own story. And yet, their courage is undeniable,” said Bafana Modise, National Spokesperson at South African Friends of Israel (SAFI).
“We are witnessing a regime that has not only captured its own people, but is increasingly influencing narratives far beyond its borders,” said Mehdi Khodabandeh at the protest. “But we are closer than ever to a turning point. The Iranian people are among the greatest on Earth, and their courage will prevail.”
That courage comes at a devastating cost. Sam Nik, an Iranian living in South Africa, reminded us what is truly at stake: “It deeply warms my heart to see South Africans stand together in support of my people.
South Africans understand oppression. Many Iranians today are cut off from the world, unable to communicate, unable to share their reality. This week alone, hundreds have been executed, including minors, simply for standing in peaceful protest. It is time for freedom in Iran. The world must act.”
This is not abstract geopolitics. It is human suffering on a scale that demands moral clarity. And yet, South Africa’s political response has been silence.
The Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) has shown a troubling pattern: swift outrage when politically convenient, and deafening silence when it comes to Iran. This selective morality
erodes South Africa’s credibility as a defender of human rights. It also betrays our own history.
“As South Africans, we know what oppression looks like,” said Inkosi Phakama Shembe, reflecting on his visit to Israel and the broader global struggle for truth. “The people of South Africa stand with the people of Iran and with those who seek peace and dignity.”
That is the South Africa the world once admired: a nation guided by principle, not political expediency. Instead, we are drifting: “The current trajectory of government policy does not reflect the best interests of South Africans,” said Shaun Zagnoev of SAFI. “Foreign policy is being shaped by narrow political interests, not by the values of justice, accountability, and truth.”
This moment demands more than statements. It demands alignment. South Africa must decide whether it stands with free people, or with those who silence them. For decades, South Africa has drawn moral authority from its own liberation story. That legacy carries responsibility. We cannot claim the mantle of justice while ignoring the cries of those still fighting for it.
Iran’s people are not asking for sympathy. They are demanding freedom. And the question before us is simple: Will South Africa stand on the right side of history, or explain, years from now, why it chose silence?
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