Cape Town - Hundreds of people filled the streets of Wale and Rose Streets in Bo-Kaap for the eagerly anticipated annual mass iftar, “Boeka innie Bo-Kaap”.
During the holy month of Ramadaan, Bo-Kaap residents host the community and people from all over to share in the fast breaking meal (iftar/boeka) on the famed streets.
The community’s strong support for Palestinians and their struggle for liberation was evident throughout the gathering, with numerous Palestinian flags hoisted atop homes and shops, large posters and banners, and speeches.
Bo-Kaap Civic and Ratepayers Association chairperson Osman Shabodien said: “The boeka was born out of struggle for the heritage recognition of Bo-Kaap when the first street boeka was held by Bo-Kaap youth/Bo-Kaap collective supported by the Bo-Kaap civic and mosques of Bo-Kaap.
“It has now become an annual event attended by thousands of people far and near. The objective went beyond the breaking of fast but to align Bo-Kaap support for the Palestinian struggle.”
Speakers included the Reverend Dr Allan Boesak, Shaykh Ebrahim Gabriels, Mansour Shouman, Khalid Sayed and Shaykh Dawood Terblanche.
With mayor Geordin-Hill Lewis in close proximity, Gabriels said they were still waiting on local government to condemn the genocide in Gaza.
“Our local government in Cape Town has never condemned the genocide. We are still waiting for them to condemn it, because if they don’t condemn the killing of children and 30 000 people, then they are complicit.”
Since the start of the genocide, Shouman has been a citizen journalist, reporting directly from Gaza: “Historically, Palestine and Jerusalem have been a peaceful area for Jews, Christians, Muslims, we had no issues.
“It was only until the Zionists project came in, that you can see the genocide happening all across Palestine. Now, it is your turn to be careful here in Bo-Kaap. Be careful of gentrification.”
Boesak strongly condemned the Patriotic Alliance president Gayton McKenzie and DA leader John Steenhuisen for their support of Israel and denial of the genocide in Gaza.
Boesak referenced two statements made by the party heads, namely McKenzie’s denial of apartheid in Israel and a statement by Steenhuisen in which he said it was not his place to say whether genocide was being committed, with the line, “one side’s genocide could be another side’s freedom fighting”, particularly causing a furore.
“How can you even think that you can build a liberation on the blood of children? How do you think that you can even think of building security on the blood of children? How do you think that you can build a future on the blood of children? But we are here to say to those politicians… on May 29, we will make sure you will have nowhere to go because the people will have taken over the people’s house,” Boesak said.
He added that this was not a war, but a genocide: “It is not a question of liberating or securing the apartheid state of Israel (but) how far they will go in the extermination of the people of Palestine.”
shakirah.thebus@inl.co.za