South Africa’s High Commissioner to United Kingdom has described the Taliban’s treatment of Afghan women as “gender apartheid” and a crime against humanity.

Speaking at the Cambridge Afghanistan Series-IV, Jeremiah Kingsley Mamabolo said apartheid was not limited to racial segregation but also encompassed gender and economic discrimination. He praised Afghan women for their courage in continuing to fight for education and dignity despite severe restrictions.

Kingsley drew parallels with South Africa’s struggle against apartheid, noting that its eventual defeat required both internal resistance and international pressure, including sanctions and boycotts. He stressed that victory over apartheid would not have been possible without global solidarity built on shared values of justice, democracy and human rights.

He said South Africa’s post-apartheid constitution was rooted in those principles and a philosophy of Ubuntu, “you are because we are,” arguing such an approach could also help Afghanistan today.

Kingsley urged Afghans not to lose hope, stressing that unity at home and international support could pave the way to an inclusive future. He suggested institutions such as the Mandela Foundation share their reconciliation experience with Afghan civil society.

The High Commissioner also cited the resistance of Ahmad Shah Massoud, the late anti-Taliban commander assassinated in 2001, as an example of standing against extremism.

The annual Cambridge Conference, organised by Mosaic, gathered Afghan and international speakers to debate proposals for Afghanistan’s future. Organisers said they had merged 12 different roadmaps from various groups into a single comprehensive plan for discussion.