Truth about Africa and Apartheid

Apartheid was a system of legal racial segregation enforced by the National Party government of South Africa between 1948 and 1994, under which the rights of the majority 'non-white' inhabitants of South Africa were curtailed and minority rule by white people was maintained. The government of South Africa also practised the same discriminatory policies while occupying South West Africa, known after 1966 as Namibia. The term apartheid, from Afrikaans for "apartness.

Racial segregation in South Africa began in colonial times. However, apartheid as an official policy was introduced following the general election of 1948. New legislation classified inhabitants into racial groups ("black", "white", "coloured", and "Indian"), and residential areas were segregated, sometimes by means of forced removals. From 1970, black people were deprived of their citizenship, legally becoming citizens of one of ten tribally based self-governing homelands called bantustans, four of which became nominally independent states. The government segregated education, medical care, beaches, and other public services, and provided black people with services inferior to those of white people.

Apartheid sparked significant internal resistance and violence as well as a long trade embargo against South Africa. Since the 1950s, a series of popular uprisings and protests were met with the banning of opposition and imprisoning of anti-apartheid leaders. As unrest spread and became more violent, state organisations responded with increasing repression and state-sponsored violence.

Reforms to apartheid in the 1980s failed to quell the mounting opposition, and in 1990 President Frederik Willem de Klerk began negotiations to end apartheid, culminating in multi-racial democratic elections in 1994, which were won by the African National Congress under Nelson Mandela. The vestiges of apartheid still shape South African politics and society.

Apartheid Did Not Die - Part 1 of 6


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Apartheid Did Not Die - Part 6 of 6

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Endemic Violence (Feb 1996)

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Violence in South Africa is a problem for whites and blacks, at every level of society.  Hospitals deal with a constant flow of victims. One man lies on a pillow soaked in blood. Under his bed - a pool of blood. Jessie Duarta, Minister of Safety and Security in the Gauteng Province, claims that the present government is the first to admit to a crime problem. Everyone blames high crime rates on high unemployment. In prison, a young white man says he will turn to crime again if he fails to get a job when he is freed. Police patrol the streets always with a gun in their hand. It is the only way to survive. White middle class families live in high security compounds. There children can play safely in neat gardens behind airy, red brick houses. Professor Eddie Wolff, a specialist in trauma, warns that if the government does not deal effectively with crime, will witness the advent of vigilante groups. People will take the law into their own hands and South Africa will enter another phase of 'traumatisation'

Pagad - The Gangster's Enemy (June 1999)
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Film about the Muslim anti-gangster group Pagad in Western Cape, South Africa.

The AIDS Highway (October 1999)
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In a 2000km tour of tragedy we journey along Botswana's Highway #1, Africa's economic lifeline that's become the chief carrier of AIDS.

Of Shame and Coffins (August 2004)
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A short film about the Aids epidemic in Kwazulu-Natal province, South Africa. This plague is ruining the province. Not only are the numbers of deaths increasing exponentially but those taken ill are stigmatized. Worried about being ostracised, harrassed, attacked and even murdered by their communities, many sufferers and their family members keep the disease a secret. Mortuaries have become overloaded and undertaking businesses have burgeoned.

Sowing the seeds of hunger (January 2002)

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Across Southern Africa, HIV is creating a new and different food crisis. Many of the 30 million people infected with HIV are too sick to farm their own land. With no food available, they are dying of malnutrition. But with generations of farming knowledge dying with their parents, AIDS orphans struggle to produce food. They are often forced to turn to prostitution to survive.

The Bang Bang Club (April 2003)

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At the end of apartheid in South Africa, four photographers, The Bang Bang Club, captured some of the most compelling pictures of the transition to democracy.Unlike other photographers, members of the 'Bang Bang Club' ventured into black townships to witness scenes of bloody battles. Spurred on by adrenaline, they placed their lives in danger to capture the events that most whites were unaware of.

The Ones That Got Away (November 1998)
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 The process of reconciliation began with great hope in both black and white communities. But now it seems South Africa's conscience is tapping uncomfortably on the shoulder of white complacency.  On a Sunday afternoon, Cynthia Ngewu visits her son's simple grave. For her, like many other victims of apartheid the Truth Commission has delivered knowledge, but not comfort. Her son was one of the Guguletu Seven who tried to raid a police van in 1986. Even though the authorities discovered their plans, the men were not arrested, they were slaughtered. It was a massacre that has come to represent apartheid's worst excesses. Unfortunately Claudia doesn't feel she got anywhere near the truth at the TRC. For the people at the highest levels of politics stayed away. Craig Matthews was one of the few police officers who did tell of his part in the South Africa's bloody history. He doesn't expect to be forgiven, he knows people will hate him forever. But he at least did tell. He calls those who didn't show-up LMFs -- 'Lacking in Moral Fibre' and says their actions undermine the future. Cynthia knows how she feels about it: "In the white community they are not willing to accept that horrible past and humble themselves before the nation and bring about a healing."

The Bottom Line (December 2000)
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Corruption in South African Government

Democracy's Winners and Losers (April 2004)
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At the end of apartheid, Mandela promised to end the legacy of poverty and unemployment. But that's proving far harder than ever imagined.  In hallways that once echoed only to white footsteps, Thabo Mbeki gives his State of the Nation address. There's a new constitution, electricity has been delivered to 4 million people and water to 9 million. But whilst the ANC have come a long way, they have certainly not solved all the country's ills. "They have failed the biggest test of all," charges Opposition leader Tony Leon. "They have failed to deliver the better life they promised." 30% of the workforce are unemployment while 21 million live beneath the poverty line. 250,000 people have been murdered since white rule was swept away. "I voted for a better life for all," states one woman. "But for me, I didn't see any changes." The ANC have recently put more money into public works and social payments but much more is needed. An explosion in AIDS, that many feel was poorly handled by the leaders, further fuels the problem. The ANC still dominate political life in South Africa thanks to its role in bringing freedom. But if unemployment and AIDS continue to mushroom, its political hegemony may be challenged.

SA Law (April 2004)

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A decade on from the end of Apartheid, many believe that the streets are more dangerous than ever before.

Green Hunt (June 2002)
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The Great White Hunter is back. But in the rolling savannah of the South African outback, we discover how paying hunters are swapping bullets for far more noble ammunition.

Nowhere to Hide (Nov 2007)
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An investigation into South Africa's farming industry.

Bitter Harvest (April 2002)
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We travel to South Africa, where increasing frustration and bitterness has led to a frightening upturn in violent assault on farmers -- both white and black.

Ecstasy and the Agony (May 2001)

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Slumped, intertwined, underaged bodies suggest that the drug users are getting younger, and access to the drugs is getting easier.

Death By Design (July 2001)

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Drugs including ecstasy are freely available inside Cape Town's clubs. We take these drugs to a chemist, and find out very few contain much ecstasy at all. Includes the science and physiological consequences of the drug.

Shattered Dreams (March 2006)
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A film showing the damaging and destructive effects of the drug, 'crystallised methamphetamine', or 'tik', is having on the younger population in suburban communities of Cape Town and how the authorities are trying to combat the problem.

Cat and Mouse (February 2006)
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This documentary investigates the severe consequences of drugs addiction in South Africa.

Laaities and Guns (February 2004)
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This documentary exposes the alarming prevalence of guns among the pupils of predominantly black South African schools. Even in the local primaries, students feel the need to protect themselves with guns, embroiled in the murky world of drug dealing and gangs. Inevitably, this has led to an increase in violent crime, between students and teachers alike.

Mercenary Town (December 2005)
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The notorious 32 Battalion -- black soldiers who fought for white governments - were the shock troops of apartheid. Now the ANC wants to dismantle their retirement town and scatter the community.

The Business of Punishment (Mar 2003)
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Private prisons provide an efficient alternative to the overburdened state system.  South African jails were infamous for their appalling conditions. That all changed when a private security firm took over control of two prisons, changing them into ideal rehabilitation centres. However, in a poor country with one of the highest prison populations how practical is this new, expensive solution? Category:

Blood, Sweat and Tears (July 2003)
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Expose of immigrant workers forced to suffer sweat shop conditions, at the hands of Johannesburg's more unscrupulous factory owners.

Hospital Horrors (January 2004)
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This documentary presents the problems of South Africa's health system.

Ambulances (January 2006)
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This is an assessment of the service provided by ambulances in various areas of South Africa.

Precious Breaths (August 2003)
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Thousands of people die every day of tuberculosis and countless more are repeatedly infected.  Yet the disease can be cured completely. We speak to doctors and former patients to find out why so many people are still needlessly dying.

Guys... and the Ghetto (Aug 2003)
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Soweto is overrun with gangs of young men who prefer the sparkle of criminal activity to the harsh reality of ghetto life.  With unemployment and poverty characterising ghetto life, gangs are mushrooming all over the Soweto district and injecting fear into the lives of the ordinary residents. The youths are determined to make a life for themselves.

Us and Them (April 2004)

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Council housing shortages for the poor of Johannesburg bring out antagonism between blacks and whites.

To Become A Man (January 2000)
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The time-honored ritual of male circumcision for Xhosa boys is in crisis in the Eastern Cape after a series of devastating bungles.

The Road from Rio (November 2003)
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Alexandra is a poor suburb of Johannesburg, but it's within sight of the prestigious Sandton Convention Centre, venue for what's being billed as the most important international conference of this century, the World Summit on Sustainable Development, which opens on 26 August.

Reclaiming the Promised Land (September 2003)
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A small South African community is taking on the might of the state to demand the return of their land expropriated during apartheid.

Strangers in a Strange Land (October 2001)
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For refugees seeking a new life of peace and safety here, South Africa offers anything but a helping hand.

Anti Immigration Violence (May 2008)
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With the xenophobic violence in South Africa continuting to rage, we bring you this powerful 25 minute report.

Below the Rainbow (September 2004)
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The brutal murder of Xolani Jodwana reveals the perils faced by South Africa's street kids. The country is still failing its most vulnerable members of society.   "They don't treat us like people, like human beings. They treat us like dogs," states one streetkid. Many have fled violent homes only to end up on the streets. The murder of Xolani Jodwana by a man who accused him of breaking into his car, came as no surprise to Xolani's street friends. They claim they're frequently assaulted by security staff, who falsely accuse them of stealing. "They take you round the corners and they beat you so the people can't see what they do to you," explains one. Only one girls shelter exists in Cape Town and children's homes are full. Now NGO workers are calling on the government to build more shelters and do more to help the country's street children.

Johannesburg Regeneration (January 2004)
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This documentary describes the vast building development in Johannsburg and highlights the inequalities and injustices created by poverty.

People are Living Here (July 2003)
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Johannesburg city centre has long been one of the most dangerous in the world.

Strong Medicine (September 2002)
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We travel to South Africa to investigate the flourishing trade in human body parts.

Muti Murders (August 2005)
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Up to 300 people are sacrificed every year in South Africa so that their body parts to be used in traditional Muti medicine. Most of these are young children, tortured to death.  "It's done while she's still alive because the more she screams, the more powerful the Muti's going to be," explains crime expert Kobus Jonker, gesturing at the picture of a mutilated six year old girl. He was the first South African to acknowledge Muti murders and has set up a special police unit to deal with it. But Muti murders are notoriously hard to prosecute. "My son will never sleep in peace," laments Salome Chokwe. Her ten year old boy, Sello, disappeared when out herding. By the time she found him it was too late. His hands, genitals, tongue and brain had been 'harvested'. Most practitioners use nothing more sinister than roots and leaves to make their Muti. But belief in the power of human body parts continues to fuel a demand for the 'other' type of Muti.

Til Death Do Us Part (October 2002)

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A 25 min feature profiling 10 year old Nicole Bester who survived the murder of her entire family.

The Suicide Club (January 2004)

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What compels a teenager with everything to live for to take their own life? Felicity Gough was a happy 14 year old showing no signs of trouble. Then she hung herself with her skipping rope. In her home town of Kimberley, South Africa, 10 teenagers attempt to kill themselves every week. We attempt to get to the root of the problem.

For A Better Life? (April 2006)

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Current troubles in Zimbabwe have resulted in around 2000 people a month risking their lives to cross the border illegally into South Africa for a better life. But, as this film shows, for most this is not the case.

Along the Zimbabwe/ South African border, hundreds of Zimbabweans who cannot afford legal visas risk being caught by South African soldiers guarding the border and crocodile infested rivers to get into South Africa. Although they do not necessarily want to stay in South Africa permanently, they see it as an opportunity to earn money and "show that I am somebody".

Many immigrants are pregnant woman or women with small children going to South Africa in hope of getting a South African grant or seeking health facilities, but with no identification or South African citizenship they cannot apply. Applying for foreign asylum payment is just as fruitless as the only office is located in Johannesberg and open on Saturdays with aggressive personnel staff who use pepper spray to keep queues in order.

Some immigrants are forced to seek corrupt officials. The reality for those who cannot afford such means is to sleep on the streets. People go to South Africa for a better life, but until the Home Office learns how to deal with the immigrant problem, life for Zimbabweans and other immigrants living in South Africa is simply going to get worse.

Blackboard Siege (May 2006)
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In parts of South Africa, neighbourhood violence is spilling into the classrooms. Children armed with knives and guns are attacking other pupils. Teachers are struggling to cope.  They found 11 year old Dane Darries bleeding to death in the school toilets. Another pupil had stabbed him. "I feel rage at the way Dane died. Where was the school prefect?" questions his mother.

Fingerprints of poverty (June 2004)

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Poverty in South Africa causes homelessness and disillusionment with the politicians.

Tiny Rays of Hope (June 2004)
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Living in a violence-scarred community with a strong gang culture and going to bed hungry, many have had a run-in with the law. Unlike most young men in these circumstances, however, these boys have been trying to resist the bogus solutions offered by crime. They have, instead, looked for guidance from an innovative therapeutic programme offered by the Ekupholeni Mental Health Centre in Thokoza.

My Mother Built This House (March 2001)
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Victoria Mxenge was the first of the housing projects founded by the South African Homeless People's Federation in the 1990s in Khayalitsha, meaning "New Home", a huge sprawling township on a windswept, sandy flood plain outside Cape Town. A small oasis in a seemingly infinite sea of squatter settlements, the project has several streets of neat houses, a creche, an office built from old, brightly painted shipping containers and a small shop selling basic essentials. Nearly one-third of Cape Town's population of three million live in slums or squatter settlements.

Grandmother - My Mom! (July 2003)
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South African grandmothers forced to support their young grandchildren, orphaned as a result of the Aids virus that continues to plague the country.

Gold Dust (October 2001)

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A look at the effects of mining dumps on the people from the nearby villages and towns and what is being done to help them.

Acid Mines (May 2001)

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Fifty years ago Witbank was the heart of the mining industry that built up white wealth in the country. But now the earth burns where coal was once dug, dust and smoke is all that remains. Slime green sludge 'Acid mine drainage' bubbles up, killing everything in its path, ending up in the streams and rivers.

Lethal Exposure (June 2005)

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International steel magnate Samancor is charged with putting profits before workers' rights. Former employees at their Johannesburg plant are dying from manganese poisoning.

Threads of Death (November 2002)
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The threat working with asbestos posed was never fully realised. Compensation claims for miners and workers are now flying thick and fast. Mining companies worldwide also face being sued for large-scale environmental damage.

Superdump (December 2009)
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After 120 years of gold mining, the land and water on Gautengs far West Rand are some of the most polluted in the country.  The mine dumps that dot the area west of Johannesburg have been identified as public health risks. One of the biggest problems is uranium seeping into the watercourses, turning the sediment both poisonous and radioactive.  Ecologists, the community and the mines all agree that the mine dumps must go. But no-one can agree what to do with them.  This edition of Special Assignment takes a look at community resistance against two proposals to reprocess the mine dumps and relocate the resulting waste. Communities are clashing with the mines over two proposed superdumps mega-mine dumps proposed for Fochville and Randfontein.  Should these communities suffer for the health of the entire region? And what impact will these superdumps have on food security?

Anybody's Game (October 2002)
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A film about seemingly impressive courses, that end up being little more than an elaborate sham.

Death of a Bushman (August 2004)
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This film looks at the death of legendary San tracker Optel Rooy, allegedly shot in the back by Kalahari police. Bushmen argue Optel was shot 'because he carries the knowledge'. They say they are being hunted 'like Springbuck' because they are trying to safeguard an ancient culture.

Zuma (April 2009)
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Jacob Zuma is in the fast lane to becoming South Africas next President. Although the bribery charges against Zuma have now been dropped, some South Africans feel saddened by the prospect of President Zuma. 

Blood For Buthelezi (Oct 1995)
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Inkatha leader Chief Mangosuthu Buthelezi is defying South Africa's Government of National Unity.  Buthelezi's bid for an autonomous Zulu region still remains a grave threat South African stability. The region is a patchwork of ANC and Inkatha no-go areas enforced by violence and death. We feature an interview with Buthelezi as he denies responsibility for the violence; attacking Mandela and the central government as communists. On Shaka Day joyful Zulus dance for one of the region's most powerful warlords. But in the rural areas the slaughter continues. Interview with a survivor of the Springvale massacre where 11 people died. Shocked colleagues attend the funeral of 4 policemen murdered by a mob on an isolated highway. A Durban lawyer accuses the Inkatha Freedom Party of recruitment through fear. This province is the key to South Africa's future and the means for its destruction.

The Suspect (November 2000)
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An investigation of the alleged warlord Russel Ngubo.

Blind Faith (June 2003)
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The 'Boeremag', or Afrikaaner Army, are determined to bomb their way back to a white South Africa. But just why did a small army of 4000 they think they could succeed?

Gay Massacre (July 2003)
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Documentary about the massacre of several people who worked in a gay massage parlour in Cape Town, believed to be caused by local gangsters.

White Lies (August 2005)
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It's over thirty years since 'Jaws' popularised the image of the Great White as a vengeful man-eating monster. But the reality couldn't be further from the myth. The bloodied head of a Great White is yanked open to reveal a row of razor sharp teeth. When Henry Murray was attacked and eaten by a shark off the coast of South Africa, the monster myth resurfaced. There have been calls for selective culling and even a bounty on the head of this ancient predator. "The perception is the Jaws monster," states shark expert Linet Companier. But considering their ubiquitous presence in the ocean, attacks on people are rare. In 2004, there were seven fatalities from shark attacks. In the same year, 15 million sharks were killed. The biggest threat comes from lies spread by fear, ignorance or greed. Now a controversial fish farm in South Africa is endangering this great animal further.

Surfing Soweto (December 2006)

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'Surfing' on top of speeding trains is the ultimate adrenaline experience for South Africa's disillusioned youth. It's illegal, dangerous and has already killed hundreds.  "I always wanted to be a stuntman", explains 'Bitch Nigga'. He doesn't just surf trains. He ducks bridges, does push ups and has come up with his own entertainment routine, performed from the top of a racing train. Most of the surfers come from broken homes. They spend their days drinking, smoking and teaching each other the latest train surfing techniques.

Child Prostitution (Dec 1998)
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Child prostitution is rife in South Africa. It's a means of survival for impoverished township kids.  Standing at the side of the road two young girls pass time playing like children, until their pimp tells them to shut-up. Their friend 14 year-old Lindy, lifts her top to let a potential client inspect her wares. "They like to suck them because I'm young" she says. Following a girl on a job we confront her white client. His flies undone, he denies he knew how old she was and demands his money back. A passer-by comes to help him out. "He was just following a call of nature," he says. Nobody knows how many children are working the streets. They stay here because of poverty, because there is no home to go back to and prostitution is all they can do to survive. Local police have given-up chasing the clients; "If you catch these people they won't give evidence [against clients] because tomorrow they will be back on the street." Instead social workers try to take the children into homes. The numbers they can help though is small, and most turn back to prostitution.

Capital Shame (Feb 2006)
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Child prostitution is spiralling out of control in South Africa. We investigate how children are recruited into the sex industry and how they operate on the streets.  "These kids get involved in drugs first. Then to get drugs, they sell their bodies", states specialist Mike Bolhuis. Angie was 15 when she started working on the streets. She's still traumatised after a nightmare experience with a client who threatened to kill her.

Sold Sisters (Aug 2003)
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Thai women are being sold and smuggled into South Africa to be exploited in the sex trade. They are treated like beasts of burden; forced to work back the cost of their journey. Enticing because of their schoolgirl appeal, the women are enslaved and subjected to mental and physical abuse.

Cop Violence (August 2000)
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Life in Cape Town is dangerous enough - without having to worry about the police killing you, too.

A Brutal Legacy (November 2000)
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We uncover deeply shocking footage of racist policemen in South Africa. In a disused field, an Alsatian dog is ordered to attack and maul unarmed young black boys.

Kwere-Kwere, South African Brutal Cops (September 2005)
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This report denounces the brutal treatment of illegal immigrants by the South African police as well as the thriving corruption among its services.The so-called 'raiding squads', which are responsible for officially charging, detaining and deporting illegal immigrants are in fact running a sordid but lucrative business, releasing the detainees for a high fee. They do not hesitate to use unmotivated physical and verbal violence against the people they arrest. Among other shocking stories, the film features the case of a Congolese woman viciously attacked in her own home and her fight for justice. Since xenophobia is widespread in all levels of South African society, there is little or no sympathy for the injustice done to immigrants.

Cowboys Don't Cry (July 2001)
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"I'm in the mud. I can't take it anymore", says Anton Crafford, one of South Africa's most experienced policemen. After 25 years of fighting crime in one of the most violent societies in the world, Superintendent Crafford has visited more than 2000 murder scenes. Ranging from farm murders in Middelburg, family murder in Carolina to the violence in Soweto during the late 1980s and early 90s. Time after time, he has combed the area for evidence: blood, hair, human tissue, cartridges, bullet points and clothing. "We are the people who have to scratch around in the mud, the blood and the sweat". We are told that one of the scenes was so horrific that a police chaplain was sent in to pray for Crafford and his men. "I can relive every crime scene. I see myself bending over bodies. I see the most beautiful movies every night." Contains shocking footage from forensic videos.

Smile You're On Camera (November 2010)
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Smile you're on camera focuses on "the sight of South African roads that everyone loves to hate, the snags, snares and traps of traffic law enforcement." It was said that the Metro Police department were only doing their jobs to make the countries roads safer, "but has the business of traffic fines become a business" itself? "One that puts profit before principal."