South Africa Under the Gun; Part 2

thumbnail of South Africa Under the Gun; Part 2
Please note: This content is only available at GBH and the Library of Congress, either due to copyright restrictions or because this content has not yet been reviewed for copyright or privacy issues. For information about on location research, click here.
This record is featured in “Exploring Public Media in the Peabody Awards Collection.” This record is featured in “Peabody Awards Collection.”
Program
South Africa Under the Gun
Segment
Part 2
Producing Organization
WGBH-TV (Television station : Boston, Mass.)
WGBH Educational Foundation
Contributing Organization
WGBH (Boston, Massachusetts)
AAPB ID
cpb-aacip-15-75dbt498
If you have more information about this item than what is given here, or if you have concerns about this record, we want to know! Contact us, indicating the AAPB ID (cpb-aacip-15-75dbt498).
Description
Program Description
"The anchor lead to SOUTH AFRICA UNDER THE GUN-- a 2-hour PBS public affairs [special]-- described the program as something a little different: a kind of crash course on South Africa, gathered from a broad range of sources and intended to make the story from here on a little easier to follow. It is not a single news report or a documentary, but a collection of the best film and video material we could find on the subject of South Africa, its history, its geography, its politics and its people. "In assembling the program, the producers surveyed a sizeable field of old and new material ranging from propaganda films to documentaries to news reports. Sources included independent producers, the BBC, the CBC, the South African government, and Nightline. The material was then edited down, combined with originally produced 'explainer' segments, and organized as what TV Guide called a 'viewer's digest' on South Africa. "We believe the program merits Peabody consideration for its distinctive anthology format; for exposing viewers to a multitude of disparate voices on a single important theme; and for providing greater context on the subject than is generally available in daily broadcast journalism."--1985 Peabody Awards entry form. Begins by showing Antony Thomas' documentary "The Search for Sandra Laing," which recounts the case of a South African girl born to white parents who becomes subject to the South African race laws due to her "half-caste" appearance. Sandra was eventually declared "colored" and expelled from her all-white boarding school. Also shows an excerpt from the 1977 Peter Davis "South Africa: The White Laager," which follows the Afrikaaners through their struggles against British domination, from the abolition of slavery and subsequent retreat into the interior, through wars waged by the British to annex lands settled by the Boers, and finally, to the Second World War and the Boers' increasing fear of black Africans who were pouring into the cities as laborers. The campaign waged by the newly formed Nationalist Party in 1948, calling for a strict separation of the races, won Afrikaaner political support and was instrumental in maintaining the political strength of the Afrikaaner point of view. Next are excerpts from the 1979 BBC documentary "The White Tribe." Incudes profiles of Afrikaaner Riaan Kriel, a farmer and church elder, and white shop steward [Fricke Haser]. Also profiles Black South Africans diamond "delivery boy" Solly Madlala; physician and activist Nthato Motlana; and migrant worker Petrus Mazibuko, who lives in a hostel, works in a Johannesburg flour mill, and sees his wife and children three times a year. Also includes comments from Imelda Mazibuko and footage of their home in Nataal. Next is a brief documentary from the South African government about Apartheid and self-determination for South African tribes, followed by an anti-aparthied denunciation of the Bantustan system. Gail Harris introduces a report from correspondent Kenneth Walker that aired on ABC's Nightline in April 1985. Walker visits Mgwali, an area of South Africa deeded to the Blacks by Queen Victoria. The Afrikaaner government intends to relocate its inhabitants to the Bantustan of Ciskei. Residents Herman Gija and Father Alf Dlamini opposes the move. Christopher Toise left Ciskei to find work, and lives in a squatter camp called Crossroads near Cape Town. Moses Ngobesi has a pass that allows him to drive a bus, but his family is confined to the homeland a thousand miles away. The influx control system is designed to limit the number of Blacks in urban areas. Back in Mgwali, Wilson Fanti leads resistance against forced relocation. Grace Nanqu speaks up in church. Next is excerpts from Peter Davis 1980 documentary "Generations of Resistance." The segment shown, "The Beginnings of Black Resistance," focuses on the formation of the ANC, or African National Congress. Uses extensive archival footage and photographs to tell this story. Graphic of population by race is shown. Gail Harris gives brief biographies of significant figures in the story: ANC president Nelson Mandela; white South African president P.W. Botha; Reverend Allan Boesak, president of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches, and founder of the United Democratic Front; Bishop Desmond Tutu; Gatsha Buthelezi, chief minister of KwaZulu; Oliver Tambo, exiled ANC leader; Dr. Andreis Treurnicht, aka "Dr. No," who represents the extreme right-wing Afrikaaner point of view; Rev. Beyers Naude, an Afrikaaner critic of apartheid; and liberal businessman Gavin Relly. To address the issue of South Africa's future, Harris introduces a report from the BBC's Peter Snow on racial conflict in East London, a South African city on the eastern cape. Snow interviews Steve Tshwete, founder of the United Democratic Front, gun store owner Tony Hood, and an unidentified white man who believes it is the right time for peaceful negotiation between Blacks and whites. Finally, there is a report from Brian Stewart for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation Journal. Includes footage of Afrikaan women dancing; Afrikaan police beating Blacks; interview with white South African satirist Pieter-Dirk Uys and footage of a film in which he plays a white female ambassador; historian Hans Hesse, who says data indicate that seven percent of Afrikaaners have Black or Indian ancestors; Afrikaaner traditionalist [Paul Sneeman], a registrar of theology at Potchefstroom University, shown at home with his family; [Friedl Vickeman], a rising executive shown with his family and swimming pool; Rev. Beyers Naude, secretary general of the South African Council of Churches; and author Nadine Gordimer. Gail Harris sums up current conditions and chances for a nonviolent solution. Closes with clips of Black and white South Africans expressing their views.
Broadcast Date
1985-10-02
Asset type
Program
Media type
Moving Image
Duration
01:02:27.944
Credits
Producing Organization: WGBH-TV (Television station : Boston, Mass.)
Producing Organization: WGBH Educational Foundation
AAPB Contributor Holdings
WGBH
Identifier: cpb-aacip-51cd5ea462d (Filename)
Format: 1 inch videotape
Generation: Master
Duration: 00:01:06
If you have a copy of this asset and would like us to add it to our catalog, please contact us.
Citations
Chicago: “South Africa Under the Gun; Part 2,” 1985-10-02, WGBH, American Archive of Public Broadcasting (GBH and the Library of Congress), Boston, MA and Washington, DC, accessed December 30, 2024, http://americanarchive.org/catalog/cpb-aacip-15-75dbt498.
MLA: “South Africa Under the Gun; Part 2.” 1985-10-02. WGBH, American Archive of Public Broadcasting (GBH and the Library of Congress), Boston, MA and Washington, DC. Web. December 30, 2024. <http://americanarchive.org/catalog/cpb-aacip-15-75dbt498>.
APA: South Africa Under the Gun; Part 2. Boston, MA: WGBH, American Archive of Public Broadcasting (GBH and the Library of Congress), Boston, MA and Washington, DC. Retrieved from http://americanarchive.org/catalog/cpb-aacip-15-75dbt498