A fourth category, Asian (meaning Indian and Pakistani) was later added. The Population Registration Act of 1950 provided the basic framework for apartheid by classifying all South Africans by race, including Bantu (black Africans), Coloured (mixed race) and white.

Mandela himself was given a life sentence for both being a member of the African National Congress, an outlawed party and for bombing public utility facilities, thus branding him a terrorist.įinally we will look a the style of drama created by Athol Fugard, which while based in narrative realist drama, has some interesting and specific features to the way he constructs his plays, how they are presented and performed.īy 1950, the government had banned marriages between whites and people of other races, and prohibited sexual relations between black and white South Africans. Second, as in the case with Nelson Mandela, political activists resort to armed acts of resistance that can be seen as “criminal” even if the resistance is justified by systematic racist or other forms of massive political and social repression.

In these circumstances, even membership in a particular political party is deemed a crime. First, political activity might be deemed “criminal” by a state through legal means either by the legislative bodies or the courts. However, as we will see, the lines can blur between political activity and criminal activity in two basic ways. As is the case elsewhere such as in Northern Ireland, Russia, even Guantanomo Bay, and elsewhere, where prisoners are condemned sometimes for life, for political activity as opposed to what we might refer to as criminal activity by a western or U.S. Part of what this week will introduce as well, includes an example of “political prisons” which exist only for the purpose of political repression. You will also view a few short clips from the original production of The Island, to give you feel for the play, as a full screening of the play is not available, but you’ll get a taste of it in performance. The play texts for The Island, and My Children, My Africa are now added as PDF’s under “Additional Readings” on the website.

We will also read The Island, by Athol Fugard, John Kani and Winston Ntshona. In these last two weeks we will study the history and features of Apartheid as practiced in South Africa, and look at the prison system, township administration, the history of Robben Island and the struggle of the political prisoners under Apartheid.

The island by athol fugard pdf download