The Durban Wall of Existence, situated at the corners of Currie and Springfield roads, has been unveiled by members of African Artists Against Apartheid, KZN Palestine Solidarity Forum, SA Muslim Network, and Friends.
Renowned artists, including Ricky Basnett, Iain Ewok Robinson, Riaaz Basson, Giffy, Lisa Jackson, and Husna Saley, collaborated to create the murals. Academic Lubna Nadvi, speaking to IOL, explained that the mural expresses solidarity with the people of Palestine and Gaza while honoring the lives lost in the struggle.
Named the Wall of Existence, the mural signifies the resilience of Palestinians against efforts by apartheid Israel to eliminate their existence. Nadvi highlighted the chosen location’s prominence in Durban, emphasizing that the wall owner supported the mural being painted on the exterior.
In a similar show of solidarity, residents and artists in Bo-Kaap, Cape Town, painted a large mural on their flats last week. Led by final-year nursing student Mohammad Obeidullah Gierdien, this initiative aims to create the largest Palestinian flag mural in South Africa.
The unveiling comes amid the sobering announcement from Gaza’s Health Ministry, reporting a death toll surpassing 20,000 and over 500,000 injuries on Friday.