Protesters demand South Africa close Israeli Embassy in Pretoria as firm stance against its ongoing aggression on Gaza, West Bank, Lebanon 

South Africans on Saturday held a protest outside the Israeli Embassy in the capital Pretoria to condemn Tel Aviv’s continued attacks on Gaza and Lebanon.

Waving Palestinian and Lebanese flags, protesters carried placards demanding justice, peace, and the call for an end to Israel’s attacks in the Middle East.

“Boycott apartheid Israel," "Freedom for Palestine," "Your silence will be studied by your grandkids,’’ read some of the posters.

Massarah Rejeb, who organized the protest, told Anadolu that they went to the Israeli mission to request and demand an immediate and irrevocable cease-fire in Palestine and Lebanon.

About 300 people, including members of trade unions, Lebanese people born in South Africa, and Palestinians, joined the demonstration.

“We came to the Israeli embassy to protest the ongoing genocide in Palestine that is now spilling over into Lebanon and threatening a regional-wide carnage,” Mametlwe Sebei, the head of the General Industries Workers Union of South Africa, told Anadolu.

Sebei said they gathered to express their solidarity with the people of Lebanon and their resistance, as South Africans have with the Palestinians.

He said it was vital to send a message that South Africans will continue holding the line, intensifying their solidarity with the heroic people of Lebanon, Palestine, and the Middle East, who continue to resist “Zionist colonialism.”

The protesters' demands included the call to the South African government, which has filed a genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice, to close the Israeli embassy in Pretoria as a firm stance against its ongoing aggression in Gaza, the West Bank, and Lebanon.

They also requested South Africa to stop all trade relations with Israel, particularly in coal.

Israel has continued its offensive on the Gaza Strip since a Hamas attack last year, killing more than 43,600 people, mostly women and children.

The conflict has spread to Lebanon, with Israel continuing deadly strikes across the country since late September, an escalation from a year of cross-border warfare between Israel and Hezbollah since the start of the Gaza war. Anadolu Agency

African airlines experienced an 11.9% increase in passenger demand in September 2024 compared to the previous year, achieving a load factor of 76.0%.

This load factor, indicating the proportion of available seating capacity filled by paying passengers, reflects efficient seat utilization.

The demand increase, measured in Revenue Passenger Kilometers (RPKs), demonstrates a strong recovery in Africa’s aviation sector, while capacity, represented by Available Seat Kilometers (ASKs), rose by 6.6%. 

This data, as reported in the International Air Transport Association (IATA) latest global passenger demand update, highlights Africa’s strengthening position in global aviation.

“African airlines saw an 11.9% year-on-year increase in demand. Capacity was up 6.6% year-on-year. The load factor rose to 76.0% (+3.6ppt compared to September 2023),” the report read in part.

The IATA report highlighted a broader global demand increase of 7.1% year-on-year for September 2024, with the average load factor across all regions reaching 83.6%, up 1.0 percentage points from the prior year.

Africa’s demand growth positioned it as one of the fastest-recovering regions, highlighting the continent’s growing competitiveness in the global aviation landscape.

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Across other global regions, performance varied. Asia-Pacific airlines led the global recovery, achieving an 18.5% rise in passenger demand, supported by a 17.7% capacity increase and an 82.6% load factor, reflecting high demand and efficient seating utilization.

• European carriers, close behind, recorded a 7.6% demand increase and posted the highest load factor at 85.9%, indicating strong operational efficiency.

• Middle Eastern airlines saw moderate growth, with a 4.4% increase in demand and an 81.4% load factor, indicating steady recovery within the region.

• In North America, demand grew more modestly by 0.5%, with the load factor dipping to 84.4%, suggesting restrained passenger growth relative to capacity.

• Latin American airlines registered a notable 12.4% increase in demand, though the load factor dropped slightly to 84.3%, as capacity expansion slightly outpaced passenger growth.

• Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General, emphasized the benefits and challenges brought on by this surge in global travel demand.

• He highlighted that each flight contributes significantly to economic growth by generating jobs and enhancing trade, though he warned of a potential “capacity crunch” that may limit these gains unless infrastructure demands are addressed.

• Walsh stressed the need for governments to ensure sufficient infrastructure, especially in airports and air traffic management, to sustain growth within the aviation industry.

IATA’s data points to the competitive gains made by African airlines, with strong growth in passenger demand and improved seat occupancy positioning the continent well within the broader recovery of the global aviation landscape.  By Caleb Obiowo, Nairametrics