Keynote address by MEC for Sport, Arts and Culture Ms. Bongiwe Mbinqo-Gigaba at the opening of the Photographers in the struggle exhibition
Programme Director
Acting Head of Department : Ms Ruth Palm
Acting CEO of the Mcgregor Museum Ms Sunnete Swanepoel
Chairperson of the McGregor Museum Board Mr Kenny Matthews
Officials from the Provincial Department of Sport, Arts and Culture
Members of the Media
Distinguished guests
Ladies and gentleman
Just as we are celebrating the 40th anniversary of the youth who dedicated their life to our freedom we must honor our photographers who made a great contribution to our liberation through their relentless efforts in ensuring that the world could see how the , then minority apartheid government was brutally abusing non-white South Africans because of the colour of their skin.
That day ended tragically with hundreds of young people being brutally killed. This tragedy became a rallying point that inspired a nation and a people to rise up against the brutal apartheid system.
The generation of 1976 changed the course of history by standing up and leading the struggle to equal education. More than 20 000 students marched against the use of Afrikaans as medium of instruction on that dark day of 16 June 1976. Hundreds lost their lives and thousands more were injured.
As many of you will recall; one of the first who was shot by the brutal apartheid regime was the young 13 year old Hector Peterson. The photo of Hector Peterson was taken by Sam Nzima.
Nzima took the photograph of fatally-wounded Hector Pieterson (13) on the corner of Moema and Vilakazi Streets in Orlando West, Soweto, near Phefeni High School. This image depicts an emotional scene of Hector being carried by Mbuyisa Makhubo, with Hector's sister Antoinette Pieterson (17) right beside them . After the photo was published in “The World“newspaper Nzima’s life became a living hell.
Nzima was forced to hide because of the harassment he was receiving by the security police. All because he took a photograph that exposed the Apartheid South African Government and the Security Police for what that they really were.
The publication of this photograph also led to the apartheid regime extensively legislating against inflammatory imagery that was not in the interest of the then government, With the media blitz that followed Soweto, control of images in the media became a primary concern for the Apartheid South African Government.
The eyes of the world were now been opened on how black South Africans were oppressed, abused and tormented.
What Soweto meant in public relations terms was that South Africa's image had slipped from the control of the white authorities into the hands of the black activists.
As a result of the public relations nightmare that was the Soweto uprising and its brutal repression, the South African government strictly enforced censorship laws.
Ladies and gentlemen
The 1976 Soweto Uprising was more than just students who protested against the forced medium of instruction of Afrikaans, it opened the eyes of the world via photojournalism. “ A picture really speaks a thousand words “
Ladies and gentlemen
The Exhibition we are opening day is about honouring the photographers during the period of the 1980 State of Emergency.
Before I can continue, I think it is imperative that we dwell into what the State of Emergency actually was so that we can paint a holisitic picture of how these photographers we are honoring risked their lives in order for the world to be kept in informed of the cruelty of the then Apartheid government.
By the mid-1980s, South Africa was in flames, with violent resistance and escalating insurgence from all borders, including the ones inside the country.
The state's response was to declare a state of emergency, something usually declared when the welfare of a nation is so threatened by "war, invasion, general insurrection, disorder, natural disaster" that such a declaration is deemed "necessary to restore peace and order.
However the only Emergency the State was in, was that the black majority South Africans was in a political protest against a white minority apartheid state.
There wheels were coming down and therefore needed to go into overdrive to prevent the world from seeing who they really and how they are treating their fellow countrymen and women.
It gave the President of South Africa the ability to rule by decree, to heighten the powers of both SADF and SAP, and to restrict and censor any reportage of political unrest.
However what they did not know was that their was journalists , photographers and camera men who were willing to risk their lives to show the world that South Africa is a country characterised by racial segregation , prejudice , oppression , brutality , indignity and inhumanity.
They may not all have been political activists or comrades but there stance and belief of exposing an unjust society played a significant role in letting the international news readers know, that all is not well in an oppressed country where the colour of your skin determines the quality of your life.
Ladies and gentleman.
Unfortunately, the remarkable stories, trials, tribulations, contributions and achievements have been largely forgotten over the years. Therefore as part of our drive to remember our journalists and photographers of the State of Emergency Era we have partnered with the Mcgregor Museum and the Nelson Mandela Foundation to honour the Photographers who played a fundamental role in our liberation through the media and to remember, preserve, celebrate and provide education about South Africa’s lesser known media history.
This exhibition therefore tells the stories of the forgotten heroes and heroines of the media whose articles and photographs were censored during the dark period of Apartheid in South Africa.
We are honoring photographers who courageously defied the apartheid system by demonstrating to the world from behind the lens the harsh realities of what apartheid really was and how it functioned on a day to day basis.
We are honoring the likes of Alf Khumalo , Ismail Lagardien , Jimi Matthews , Greg English , Sam Nzima and many others who understood their role , showing and telling the world of the injustice and barbarity of the apartheid system. They disregarded the safety of their own lives in order to tell the South African Story.
Not only are we honoring these photographers , we are also paying our respect to those who tragically lost their lives whilst trying to expose the government of the day. We will remember them in our hearts.
Ladies and gentlemen
Museums play a fundamental role in raising public awareness about the need for a society that is less wasteful and more cooperative.
Museum work, through education and exhibitions such as the one we open tonight, should strive to create a sustainable society to ensure that museums are part of the cultural driving force for the sustainable development of the world.
This exhibition highlights our heritage and ensures that the efforts of our photographers are not forgotten. Through this exhibition we also pay homage and remembrance to them.
I thank you.
