South Africa: Mandela, Three Other South Africans Detained By Israeli Special Forces As Gaza Flotilla 'Attacked'

Matthew Hirsch/GroundUp
An activist bringing attention to the detention of Mandla Mandela.
2 October 2025
Daily Maverick (Johannesburg)
By Mel Frykberg

South Africans sailing with the Gaza Sumud Flotilla describe the interception, as Nkosi Zwelivelile Mandela calls for his 'immediate release' and the fleet's organisers decry the Israeli navy's action as a 'war crime'.

South Africans sailing with the Gaza Sumud Flotilla describe the interception, as Nkosi Zwelivelile Mandela calls for his 'immediate release' and the fleet's organisers decry the Israeli navy's action as a 'war crime'.

Nkosi Zwelivelile Mandela, the grandson of Nelson Mandela, has been arrested by Israeli special forces after the boat he was on, part of the Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) humanitarian fleet trying to break Israel's crippling siege on Gaza, was intercepted by the Israeli navy overnight (Wednesday/Thursday).

"If you receive this video it means we have been abducted by the apartheid state of Israel," said Mandela in a video message recorded before the flotilla's interception.

"I call on you to request our government to exact pressure for my immediate release."

Three other South Africans - Zukiswa Wanner, Reaaz Moolla and Dr Fatima Hendricks - have also been abducted off their boats.

As of 7am on Thursday a number of vessels had either been intercepted by the Israelis or blocked from sailing further as they approached within 40 nautical miles of Gaza's shore. At time of publication some of the vessels were still trying to evade Israeli forces and reach Gaza.

Communications have also been jammed, preventing distress signals...

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