Nosekeni Rabia Mandela, wife of activist and grandson of Nelson Mandela, Mandla Mandela, has spoken to about the harrowing experience following her husband’s abduction in Israel during a humanitarian mission on the Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF).
“It has indeed been a turbulent time. He was away for three weeks travelling to Tunisia and then setting sail before they were abducted,” she said.
She acknowledged the risks involved in the mission: “We knew from the outset that it was a perilous initiative, and we were not oblivious to the possibility of the current situation unfolding as it has.”
The chief’s wife detailed the emotional toll on her family, particularly the children. “The children are aware, and continuously ask when is daddy coming home? I try to comfort them and console them in an age-appropriate manner, so they are not too overwhelmed.”
She expressed gratitude to the teams working on the release, including the GSF legal team, Adalah, the local GSF support team, and the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (Dirco) specialist team.
I’ve just heard that the boat, part of the Gaza air flotilla, carrying Mandla Mandela has been intercepted and that Mandela has been captured.
A Mandela being captured, yet again, while fighting for human rights and justice is a shocking repeat of history.
The fact that the… pic.twitter.com/eee09ggnNU— Brett Herron 🇿🇦🍉 (@brettherron) October 1, 2025
“They have been working tirelessly to ensure the release of each and every one of our family members held illegally in detention, I am very grateful and thank them for that.”
She called on governments and international organisations to take stronger action.
“My message to the South African government and international human rights organisations is how can we allow Israel to continue to act with impunity and ignore international law without consequences?” She asked. “I believe it’s time to expel Israel from the UN. We must do more to put an end to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.”
She praised President Cyril Ramaphosa for his support but described the conditions faced by those detained as shocking.
“I want to emphasise that these were unarmed civilians, and the testimonies of those already released send shivers down my spine. I cannot fathom how anyone could be so heartless, yet we are witnessing the brutal treatment of ordinary people who pose no threat,” she added.
She commended the strength of the Palestinian people and the worldwide support her family has received. “Their resilience gave us hope and comfort. The messages of support we received from Gaza and all over the world was comforting and gave us the strength to endure a very difficult situation.”
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