Nelson Mandela Foundation Launches $8,516 Bounty to Target Christian Zionism, Sparking Outrage

A graphic quoting former U.S. Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo: "Anti-Zionism is Anti-Semitism," highlighting the controversy surrounding the Nelson Mandela Foundation’s $8,516 anti-Christian Zionism award, launched in Johannesburg.

Written by

Michael Hawthorne

Johannesburg

Ex-Foreign Minister Naledi Pandor’s Leadership Sparks Fears of Faith-Based Persecution

In a stunning assault on Christian beliefs, the Nelson Mandela Foundation, led by ex-Foreign Minister Naledi Pandor, launched a $8,516 (R150,000) award on July 3, 2025, to undermine Christian Zionism, a faith-based support for Israel rooted in biblical prophecy.

Based in Johannesburg, the “Solidarity in Action Awards” calls for proposals to challenge this theology, labeled a justifier of Israeli “apartheid”, with a deadline of July 31.

This move follows Pandor’s 2019 Iran visit and South Africa’s anti-Israel ICJ case, hinting at geopolitical motives.

U.S. Christian leaders decry it as a deliberate strike against millions who see Zionism as a divine mandate, accusing the Foundation of hijacking Mandela’s legacy to wage a cultural war.

With global religious tensions mounting, this initiative risks inflaming faith-based conflicts, demanding urgent international attention.

How did we end up here? The Nelson Mandela Foundation in South Africa, with its chairwoman Naledi Pandor (former Minister of Foreign Affairs), is offering a prize of R150 000 for an initiative that combats 'Christian Zionism'. Totally crazy! pic.twitter.com/hewvaAgjWI
— Jaco Kleynhans (@JacoKleynhans) July 27, 2025