On the eve of giving the 2025 Nelson Mandela annual lecture, an interview with Francesca Albanese, UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of Human Rights in the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967.

On the eve of giving the 2025 Nelson Mandela annual lecture, an interview with Francesca Albanese, UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of Human Rights in the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967.

In the grounds of the Mandela Foundation in Houghton, Johannesburg, just outside Madiba's old office and current archive, Francesca Albanese spoke of the existential challenge to all our humanity of the genocide against Palestinian people in Gaza.

But she also spoke about the role of civil society activists, calling them "the antibodies of a healthy society", the future of human rights and why she has developed a special love of our rainbow nation. We publish the interview in full.

Mark Heywood: Good evening, Francesca. Your visit, being hosted by the Nelson Mandela Foundation, has been met with huge interest and acclaim in South Africa. Tomorrow you are speaking at the Sandton Convention Centre, which is one of the biggest venues in Johannesburg. On Monday, you are going to give a major address at the University of Cape Town. What is your message to South Africa at this moment in time in relation to Israel/Palestine and the genocide that is taking place? Is there something you would like us...