Mandela’s legacy hijacked: Christian groups slam NMF for anti-faith campaign

The Christian Leaders’ Forum, South African Friends of Israel (SAFI), and the International Christian Embassy of Jerusalem are painfully dismayed by the latest attack against Christianity mounted by the Nelson Mandela Foundation (NMF). Their latest campaign, dressed as the ‘Solidarity in Action Awards’, seeks to award applicants with proposals on ‘creative, courageous, and effective initiatives geared towards challenging Christian Zionism.’

The organisations, among several other parties, are jointly calling for renewed respect for the constitutional right of South African Christians to freely express their religious convictions, particularly regarding support for Israel. This comes amid growing concern about what the groups describe as a troubling ideological drift within the Nelson Mandela Foundation, made clear by its blatant hostility towards Christian Zionism, as characterised by the Solidarity in Action Awards.

“It appears that the NMF has been hijacked by radicals with political agendas, and it is no coincidence that it has been steered in this horrific ideological direction following the recent appointment of Naledi Pandor as its chairperson”, comments Bafana Modise, spokesperson at SAFI.

He adds that: “Pandor has demonstrated profound hostility towards the State of Israel and is notoriously known to have friendly relations with Hamas, a designated terrorist group that has been actively pursuing genocide against the LGBTQ+ community, Christians, Israelis and Jews since its inception.” 

Nelson Mandela explicitly recognised “the legitimacy of Zionism as a Jewish nationalism” in 1993 and insisted on “the right of the state of Israel to exist within secure borders”. He also, as President of our great country, received an honorary doctorate from one of Israel’s prestigious universities that was bestowed upon him at the Three Arts theatre in Cape Town.

At this event, he underlined the importance of Israel's contribution to the world and stressed the need to come to a peaceful agreement with the Palestinian people whereby the two peoples could live side by side in peace. 

“This is something we all pray for. Zionism is fundamentally supported by Christians, especially evangelicals, who constitute approximately 50% of South African Christians and share a deep understanding of Biblical Scripture that highlights God’s everlasting covenant with Israel. We are beginning to see an alarming trend where respectable South African organisations are being indirectly hijacked by hostile foreign forces promoting an agenda which is harmful to the average South African,” adds Modise.

“Support for Israel and its right to exist, a reasonable position that serves as the foundation of Zionism, is rooted in biblical truth and genuine faith, far removed from the politicised falsehoods that distort or undermine it. The NMS’s attempts to rebrand Zionism as colonialism or apartheid undermine and disrespect the religious beliefs of millions of South Africans,” comments Vivienne Myburgh, spokesperson for the ICEJ.

The organisations point to the growing silencing of Christian voices in public discourse surrounding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. “Our concern is not only theological. It is also deeply humanitarian,” says Myburgh. “In Sub-Saharan Africa, Christians face persecution from radical Islamists. In 2024 alone, approximately 4,476 Christians were murdered, with over 16 million displaced by attacks in Nigeria, Sudan, the Central African Republic, and other countries. These militant groups aim to eradicate Christianity similarly to Israel’s enemies - through terror, destruction, and repression.” 

Bizarrely, while Christian communities have halved in most Middle Eastern countries, the number of Christians in Israel has increased roughly fourfold. Many Christians in South Africa view Israel's security concerns as valid and urgent. Attacks from Iran-backed proxies, targeting Israel with missiles, terrorism, and hostility, pose existential threats. 

“Rather than condemning terrorism, we’ve witnessed local political factions extending solidarity to the perpetrators. This is not the South Africa Mandela envisioned,” adds Myburgh. The ICEJ, SAFI, and Christian Leaders Forum urge the Foundation, once a global beacon of dialogue and reconciliation, to return to Mandela’s principles of religious tolerance and bridge-building, not division.

They also stressed that Christian Zionism in South Africa should not be misrepresented or weaponised in public debates. “Supporting Israel is not colonialism. It is a covenant,” said Pearl Kupe from the Christian Leaders Forum. “To delegitimise that is to delegitimise the faith of millions of law-abiding, peace-loving South Africans.”

SAFI, the ICEJ, and the Christian Leaders Forum call on national leaders, religious institutions, and civil society to reaffirm South Africa’s foundational commitment to freedom of belief, robust dialogue, and principled peace. 

Daniel Johnson 

Johannesburg