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Helping to end apartheid in South Africa

How Trócaire supported the movement against apartheid in South Africa, and how partially funding a typewriter led to an Oscar-winning film highlighting the cause

Trócaire was one of many agencies whose concerted work with anti-apartheid activists in South Africa helped to reframe life there and allow children of all backgrounds be educated together
Trócaire was one of many agencies whose concerted work with anti-apartheid activists in South Africa helped to reframe life there and allow children of all backgrounds be educated together
Thu Aug 17 2023 - 05:00

Donald Woods was a South African journalist and anti-apartheid activist. As editor of the Daily Dispatch he was outspoken against apartheid policies and led protests after his friend Steve Biko was killed by police while detained by the South African government.

South African journalist and anti-apartheid campaigner Donald Woods
South African journalist and anti-apartheid campaigner Donald Woods

Soon after Biko’s death in 1977, Woods was placed under a five-year travel ban. He was stripped of his editorship and was not allowed to speak publicly, write, travel or work for the duration of his ban. He and his family were subjected to increasing attacks and harassment and were forced to flee from South Africa to London. Woods continued his campaign against apartheid in London but faced many constraints to his work.

Institutionalised racial segregation

Woods is just one of the many journalists and advocates who were silenced and threatened for speaking out against apartheid in South Africa from 1948 to 1994.

The apartheid system in South Africa was the racial segregation, under the all-white government, which dictated that non-white South Africans, the majority of the population, were required to live in separate areas from whites and to use separate public facilities, and contact between the two groups would be limited.

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Apartheid sparked significant internal resistance which was met with police brutality, arrests and killings, forcing many journalists and advocates to flee for their safety.

Trócaire’s role

Trócaire provided funding and brought prominent speakers to Ireland. Trócaire was one of the first Irish NGOs to become involved in the struggle against the apartheid system in South Africa. As well as campaigning on the national and international stage, Trócaire funded grass-roots projects for schools, youth organisations and trade unions. It also raised awareness of injustices in South Africa by bringing prominent speakers, including Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Donald Woods, to Ireland.

Trócaire not only part-funded the purchase of the typewriter Donald Woods wrote Cry Freedom on, but also brought him to Ireland to raise awareness of apartheid in South Africa
Trócaire not only part-funded the purchase of the typewriter Donald Woods wrote Cry Freedom on, but also brought him to Ireland to raise awareness of apartheid in South Africa

Cry Freedom

Cry Freedom was composed on a typewriter funded, in part, by Trócaire. In 1977, Woods reached out to Trócaire and asked for help in buying a typewriter to document the struggles of the anti-apartheid movement and to tell his friend Steve Biko’s story. With a small grant from Trócaire, Woods was able to restart his work and wrote Cry Freedom, which became a best-seller and was turned into a film by Academy Award-winning director Richard Attenborough.

In January 1988, Trócaire sponsored the Irish film premiere of Cry Freedom, which was attended by Woods and Attenborough, with all proceeds going to Trócaire.

“You were with us in the dark days of the struggle,” Woods said of Trócaire.

“Now you continue to support us in redressing the injustices that remain after apartheid; we are grateful for Trócaire’s support in training the new African journalists that are essential for the continuation of the present transition process and for the future development of a healthy civil society in our new democracy.”

For 50 years, Trócaire has been working with supporters, partners and communities to tackle the underlying causes of poverty and injustice and respond to the crises they create. Together we bring about positive and lasting change for a just world. Discover more here.