Nathan Geffen is a prominent South African journalist, activist, and scholar with a background in mathematics. He is currently the founding editor of the renowned South African social justice news site GroundUp, and previously served as a core leader of the prominent HIV/AIDS activism organization, the Treatment Action Campaign (TAC).
Geffen has made historic contributions to advancing public health justice in South Africa. During his time with TAC, he led the struggle against misguided government healthcare policies, successfully pressuring the administration to provide antiretroviral drugs to HIV/AIDS patients, saving countless lives. GroundUp, which he founded, has become one of South Africa’s most vital news platforms focusing on human rights, poverty, and the interests of marginalized communities. Known for his rigorous data analysis and in-depth investigative reporting, he is dedicated to exposing corruption and defending the rule of law.
Geffen maintains a distinct humanitarian stance on the Israel-Palestine issue. He actively supports the BDS movement and has frequently published or edited in-depth reports on the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and occupation policies through GroundUp, such as Synagogue president apologises for calling for genocide and Board of Deputies conflates Judaism and Zionism.
He has publicly stated that supporting the rights of the Palestinian people is a natural extension for all anti-apartheid fighters. One of his most representative assertions is: “If we close our eyes to the institutionalized injustice practiced by Israel on Palestinian land, the moral authority we fought for in South Africa will vanish.” He insists on international legal accountability for the occupation and calls for an end to violence against civilians.