Notes 2/6/04

Document A – Africans think that working for a master and paying for the ability to work is a joke, but with all of the Afrikaners owning the land and saying the same thing, it becomes reality. After several Africans lose their cattle to disease and as punishment for trespassing and other infractions, they end up with nothing and have to work for a master. This particular African ended up working for a miner.

Document D – Hendrik Verwoerd explains that Apartheid is a policy to separate the blacks from the whites so that violence will not result. He believes that when whites and blacks mingle, because their views are opposing, they will be in conflict.

Document I – Nelson Mandela speaks at his trial and discusses his evolution from being a leader in the nonviolent ANC to being one of the violent Umkhonto. The ANC was a group dedicated to nonviolent protest against Apartheid, and used leaflet campaigns and strikes to accomplish this. Essentially, the government responded to nonviolent protests with violence, and more restrictions were being enacted; so, Umkhonto was born to react to that situation. Hopefully, violence would make people realize that Apartheid was wrong. However, Mandela did not work with any outside influences, such as the Communists, to foment revolts. He states that he agrees with several of the Communist ideals, but is not one and cannot be accused of that crime, but if the opportunity came up that the Communists would help South Africa end Apartheid, Mandela would welcome the help. Mandela further describes his political interests and the countries he admires to contrast with the reality of Africans in South Africa. He states the goals of the Africans: to earn a living wage, to end Pass Laws, to end poverty and violence, to keep families together, and to have equal political rights. For these goals, he is willing to die.

Document O – Afrikaners are afraid of the changes occurring after Apartheid ends. They have to be careful of any possible connection to Apartheid connections, no matter how innocent, such as wearing khaki shorts which were a symbol of the Afrikaner conservatives. Christoff Heyns, one such Afrikaner, wonders whether the government will be able to keep equality and prevent any revenge violence. Many Afrikaners feel as though they do not fit in the post-Apartheid South Africa, and are humiliated by their fall from power. They feel as though their culture is being erased with schools teaching English or African languages, the civil service hiring almost only blacks, and a loss of economic status.

Cry Freedom – movie about Stephen Biko & Donald Woods

Bibliographic entry:

Attenborough, Richard (Director & Producer). Cry Freedom. Universal Studios, 1987.