Photo exhibition opening in Hannover on South Africa´s Youth Day

Hannover, 16 June 2011. The Republic of South Africa commemorates today South Africa´s „Youth Day“  - a day where the nation remembers the youth protests in Soweto in 1976 against a policy of the Apartheid regime which constituted that they would be taught in Afrikaans. The protests ended deadly for more than 500 students. One photograph from that day stood as symbol for this tragedy 35 years ago. It shows twelve year old Hector Pieterson dying in the arms of a fellow student with his sister running next to them. The photograph, shot by South African Sam Nzima went around the world. An exhibition in Hannover now shows this and other photographs from the past sixty years in South Africa. The opening was attended by the Ambassador of the Republic of South Africa, Reverend Makhenkesi  Arnold Stofile, Freedom Fighter and author Denis Goldberg, the photographer Sam Nzima, the Mayor of Hannover Bernd Strauch and European Parliamentarian Bernd Lange.

The exhibition, „Südafrikanische Fotografie 1950 – 2010“, can be seen at
Volkshochschule Hannover, in the Foyer, Theodor-Lessing-Platz 1, 30159 Hannover
From 16 to 23 June 2011 Monday - Friday 08.00 - 22.00, Saturday and Sunday from 09.00 - 15.00

The photograph shows Ambassador Reverend Stofile and Mayor Strauch.

Please find below the speech by Ambassador Reverend Stofile on the opening of the photo exhibition.   


SOUTH AFRICAN PHOTOGRAPHY 1950 – 2010
HANOVER, GERMANY
16 JUNE 2011

Speech by Ambassador Reverend M A Stofile

Programme Director
His Lordship the Mayor of Hanover, Honourable Bernd Strauch
Excellencies, Ambassadors and Representatives of the Diplomatic Corps
Honourable Member of the European Parliament responsible for the EU Relations with the RSA, Mr Bernd Lange
Mr Michael Guttman, Head of Adult Evening School in Hanover
Distinguished Photographers
Veteran of our struggle for The Liberation of South Africa, Dr Dennis Goldberg
Distinguished Ladies and Gentleman

Guten Abend

Today South Africa commemorates the heroic events of the 16th June 1976 when school children and other young people of our country rose en masse to say NO to apartheid. Many young people were mowed down by the apartheid guns, others sacrificed family life and the pleasures of youth and left for exile. These events were a painful but valuable contribution to the struggle for freedom. Today, we who survived are enjoying the fruit of that tree which was watered with the blood of martyrs. We dare not forget them.

The events of June 16, 1976 were popularised by photographers who risked their own lives to capture those painful moments. Photographers like Sam Nzima, Cedric Nunn, Bob Gosani, Peter Magubane, Alf Khumalo, David Goldblatt, Ranjith Kally, Santu Mofokeng, Mikhal Subotzky and many others were able to tell the story in vivid pictures that interpreted the gruesomeness of those events and the courage of young South Africans.

It is a special honour and pleasure for me to partake in this auspicious event which assists us not to forget where we come from and where we want to go. Although we are far from home, we join all those in South Africa and elsewhere who dip their flags and bow their hearts in remembrance of the uprisings of the 1976 detachment of the South African students.

Our appreciation must go the Mayor and the City of Hanover for the constructive role they are playing in the promotion of South African programmes. These are political, economic, social and cultural. The partnership that was forged between the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa and Lower Saxony clearly shows what these two countries can achieve as South Africa tries to level the proverbial playing fields. Centuries of colonial conquest that was followed by many decades of protest, resistance and brutal repression must be succeeded by the establishment of the South Africa which so many suffered so much for so long: a non racial, non-sexist, prosperous and peaceful nation that is at peace with its neighbours.

A lot has been achieved in terms of providing social services like houses, clinics, classrooms, electricity and clean water where these have not be seen before. Our political systems and institutions are intact and maturing. But there is still a lot to be done. South Africa needs a lot of partners to deal with the backlog caused by the legacy of decades of separation and discrimination. Germany is a helpful partner on these developmental challenges. Both in South Africa and in the rest of the continent. Our political freedom is yet to translate to economic emancipation.

Our freedom opened the doors of culture and of learning for all. Access to quality education, skills in photography, technology and leadership must be accessible to all equally. We are proud of what our photographers and cultural workers have done to highlight our plight under apartheid. They sensitised and mobilised the world. More hills remain to be conquered in the socio-economic phase of our struggle. Victory in this form of struggle will be a good monument for our martyrs and our heroes and heroines. Working together we cannot fail.

Vielen dank

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