Doha, 07 Oct 2025

A group of six South African volunteers arrived at Hamad International Airport Doha (HIA) last night, en route from Amman, Jordan, to Johannesburg, South Africa. Among the group included Nkosi Zwelivelile "Mandla" Mandela, a tribal chief and grandson of Nelson Mandela.

The group was welcomed at Hamad International Airport (HIA), Doha by South African Ambassador Ghulam Hoosein Asmal. Also present was Dr. Wael Shadeed, Chairman of the Public Diplomacy Committee, a Palestinian forum, and a leader of the Palestinian Abroad.

South Africans were part of the 443-member Global Sumud Flotilla, an international humanitarian initiative aimed at breaking the siege of Gaza. Members of the group told that the flotilla's vessels were intercepted in international waters, and the volunteers were forcibly removed and held in detention for several days before their release and subsequent travel.

The South African contingent included Nkosi Mandla Mandela, Reeaz Moola, Zukiswa Wanner, Fatima Hendricks, Zaheera Soomar, and Carrie Shelver.