Tag: oppression

Drawing on a rich archive of colonial photography, Hlonipha Mokoena explores how images of African policemen and nightwatchmen in colonial South Africa challenged traditional narratives of oppression.

“What’s your favourite food?” he asked. “Carrot and pea bredie” was the answer. But the answer was as irrelevant as the question. What each really wanted to know was, could you be loved? Could you be loved by me? If I opened my heart to you, would you fill it with wondrous things? If I gave my soul to you, would you make it soar to the heavens?

South Africans are nervous about the future of our country, largely because of the multiple crises we face and the uncertainty about the outcomes of the 2024 election. We are looking down the barrel of overwhelming challenges in virtually every aspect of government and society and a sense of negativity and hopelessness is gathering momentum.

The mining industry has always been the backbone of the South African economy, and it still is. A healthy and sustainable mining sector should accordingly form part of the focus of our efforts to heal this country and its people. Nevertheless, the history of mining in South Africa has been and continues to be characterised by the oppression and exploitation of workers under the policy of the migratory system.

All Rise: Resistance and Rebellion in South Africa revives six true stories of resistance by marginalised South Africans against the country’s colonial government in the years leading up to Apartheid.

I Am Ndileka tells the story of a woman who has made great strides in society, but still faces many challenges. A social activist, former ICU nurse and the head of a rural upliftment organisation known as the Thembekile Mandela Foundation, she has lived a challenging life – a labyrinth of highs and lows.