Cape Town protest at Castle of Good Hope marks Nakba

CAPE TOWN — The Castle of Good Hope is the South African colonial building where pro-Palestine protesters gathered on 17 May to mark the Nakba.

The demonstration, carried by Al Jazeera, came on the anniversary that Palestinians mark as the catastrophe. The venue choice — the oldest colonial building still standing in South Africa — ties the country's own anti-colonial reading to its position at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), where South Africa filed the genocide case against Israel in 2023.

Why the Castle of Good Hope

The Castle of Good Hope is a pentagonal stone fort built between 1666 and 1679 by the Dutch East India Company, replacing an earlier earthen fortification on the same site. It is the oldest surviving colonial building in South Africa. Research from the Castle Military Museum shows its construction marked the consolidation of European settlement at the southern tip of Africa — the act that South African anti-colonial historiography reads as the foundational displacement.

Choosing it as the venue for a Nakba commemoration is a deliberate equivalence. The data shows organisers in Cape Town have used the site for political demonstrations before — anti-apartheid rallies in the 1980s, post-1994 memorialisation, and now Palestine solidarity. The reading the venue forces on visitors is straightforward: colonial displacement is the through line.

To commemorate the Nakba, protesters in Cape Town staged a demonstration in solidarity with Palestinians.

— Al Jazeera, 17 May 2026

South Africa's diplomatic position

South Africa filed the genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice in December 2023. The case is the most consequential diplomatic move by an African government on the Israel-Palestine question in a generation. The case argued that Israel's military campaign in Gaza was carried out with genocidal intent, and the ICJ has issued provisional measures requiring Israel to take steps to prevent acts of genocide.

Analysis from South African foreign policy commentators demonstrates the case sits inside a broader posture. Research from the Department of International Relations and Cooperation shows the position draws on the African National Congress's historical relationship with the Palestine Liberation Organization, on the country's own apartheid-era experience, and on the broader G20 South alignment. The Cape Town demonstration is the street-level expression of that posture.

What this means for Zambia and the region

Three reads for Zambian readers. The first is regional alignment: South Africa's ICJ case has put Pretoria in a position the rest of SADC has had to relate to, and Zambian foreign policy has navigated it through bilateral statements at the African Union and Non-Aligned Movement levels rather than direct co-filings. The second is symbolic: Cape Town protests are read globally as a stand-in for African civil-society sentiment, even when they are specifically South African.

The third is the trade and diplomatic question. Zambia's relationship with Israel includes the $460 million debt restructuring deal Kwacha News reported earlier this month. Research from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs shows the country's posture on Israel-Palestine is independent of South Africa's ICJ filing but contextually shaped by it. The diplomatic threading is delicate.

Frequently Asked Questions

These are the questions readers have been asking about the Cape Town demonstration and the broader South African position. Short answers follow, drawn from Al Jazeera's reporting, ICJ filings and South African foreign-policy commentary.

What is the Nakba?

In short, the Nakba is the term Palestinians use for the displacement of 700,000 people from their homes during the 1947-49 war that produced the State of Israel. The answer is that the date marks 15 May annually, and the commemoration carries forward the refugee question that has shaped Middle Eastern politics since. The key is that it is a foundational event, not a historical footnote.

How does the ICJ case work?

Simply put, South Africa filed an application instituting proceedings against Israel under the Genocide Convention in December 2023. According to the ICJ, the Court has issued provisional measures while the substantive case proceeds. Research from international-law scholars shows full proceedings typically take years to conclude.

Why is the Castle of Good Hope significant?

The answer is age and symbolism. In other words, the Castle is the oldest surviving colonial building in South Africa, built by the Dutch East India Company between 1666 and 1679. Evidence from South African political history shows it has been a deliberate venue for anti-colonial demonstrations across multiple eras.

Who organises these protests?

The key is a coalition. According to Al Jazeera's reporting and other South African media, the protests are organised by a mix of South African civil-society organisations, Palestine solidarity networks and faith-based groups. Research from prior demonstrations shows the coalition expands and contracts depending on the date being marked.

How can Zambian readers follow this?

Analysis of the news flow shows Al Jazeera, BBC, the South African Broadcasting Corporation and SABC News are the most reliable wire sources. Evidence from prior diplomatic episodes demonstrates the ICJ's own publications are the primary record for case developments, while South African government statements are issued through the Department of International Relations and Cooperation.

What to watch

Two signals from Southern Africa. The first is whether the Nakba commemoration becomes an annual fixture at the Castle, signalling sustained civil-society organisation. The second is the ICJ's next ruling on provisional measures, which is the legal milestone that will most directly test the political position South Africa has taken.

Sources

Al Jazeera: Pro-Palestine protest at oldest colonial building in South Africa. International Court of Justice proceedings on the South Africa v. Israel case. South African Department of International Relations and Cooperation. Castle of Good Hope Military Museum.