The South African Zionist Federation (SAZF) has strongly condemned the Nelson Mandela Foundation for launching a campaign that seeks to “combat” Christian Zionism. They argue that this initiative twists Mandela’s name to push a divisive, anti-Israel agenda under the banner of human rights.
According to SAZF, this move directly targets people of faith, undermines religious freedom, and demonises millions of South African Christians whose support for Israel comes from scripture and conscience. They say it’s especially disturbing that the Foundation, created to honour Mandela’s legacy of unity and reconciliation, is now being used to promote intolerance.
The Federation highlights the role of Naledi Pandor, current Chairperson, in steering the Foundation toward partisan activism. They point to her public support for Hamas after its October 2023 massacre, describing it as a shocking betrayal of moral principles.
Rather than encouraging dialogue, the new funding initiative appears designed to silence Christians who believe in Biblical connections to Israel. SAZF stresses that Christian Zionism unites millions across South Africa’s diverse communities and should not be vilified.
Nelson Mandela himself once acknowledged the legitimacy of Zionism as Jewish nationalism while also supporting Palestinian aspirations. Using his name to attack Christians who share this belief, SAZF says, is a distortion of everything he stood for.
The Federation is calling on Christians and supporters of Israel to stand firm, defend their faith, and reject this campaign of intolerance. They reaffirm their commitment to freedom of belief, unity, and truth—principles they say Mandela himself championed.