South Africa ‘Lit Up’ for #PrayforParis (And the World) – Our Way

With so many countries lighting up their buildings to stand in solidarity with Paris after the attacks on Friday night, many expected South Africa to do the same.

Imagine Table Mountain draped in blue, white and red to show support…

Or the Hillbrow Tower…

But so far…no famous South African landmarks have been lit up (apart from the tribute on this page), although President Jacob Zuma has joined the international community in “strongly condemning the terrorist attacks that took place in Paris, France“.

The SA Presidency said “South Africa stands firmly with the rest of the international community in its condemnation of attacks targeting innocent civilians and reiterates its stance that terrorism, in whatever form and from whichever quarter, cannot be condoned.”

The president’s words highlight the fact that the Paris atrocities have served to remind the world of the tragic and horrific impact of terrorism around the globe – from Beirut to Baghdad – on innocent victims. And for some South Africans, even the horror of a daily fear of crime.

It is not only for Paris that most people are praying, but for the world…standing in solidarity with all humanity.

And while our landmarks may not have been lit up, it is a South African woman’s recollections of the Friday night horrors that have made headlines around the world and been read by over 1.3 million people.

University of Cape Town graduate Isobel Bowdery (22) posted her memories of the evening to Facebook, along with a photo of her blood stained shirt. She was at the Eagles of Death Metal concert at the Bataclan Theatre in Paris on Friday night when the gunmen attacked, and spent over an hour pretending to be dead.

Read the full details of Isobel’s memories of Friday night here.