Filmanalyse af 'Goodbye Bafana' og apartheid

The film takes place in South Africa 1968, where the black people were under apartheid. The main character is James Gregory, is a prison guard, and with he’s family they move to an island called Robbon Island. On that island he’s job is to take care of the guys from the ANC including Nelson Mandela. In his childhood he growed up on a farm in Transkei, and didn’t had any brothers to play with, so he had to play with the black kids. Therefore he learned the language Xhosa. With those skills he was the perfect man to do that job in the high security area. In the start he saw the black people as terrorist. But later he listens to Mandela and he’s opinions. Winnie Mandela, had a short visit to Nelson Mandela. Normally they have 30 minutes to talk together in English about family stuff, but they started talking Xhosa and about politics, so they where stopped by James. Winnie Mandela was arrested, when she came to the mainland. Family Gregory is on a little weekend at the mainland visiting their grandparents. While their waiting in front of a shop, the police makes a passport control with violence just in front of Gregorys children. Their little daughter couldn’t understand what’s happening, and why they arrested the black people and not the white? James Gregory and Nelson Mandela began to talk about the ANC. James was interested to hear about their politics. On a weekend trip to the mainland James went to a library to read The Freedom Charter. It’s banned stuff, but he gets it. More and more he understand the black people and feel for them. Up to Christmas was it a half year since Nelsons last visit. The intention was, that Nelsons son hat to visit him, but he died in a car accident. Therefore it was Winnie Mandela again. Before her arrival Nelson asked James to give Winnie a present from him. It's strictly forbidden, but James agreed. The little present was a piece of chocolate. Someone found out, and James was very unpopular on the island. He even came into a fight with some other prison guards. He moves to another prison on the mainland and Nelson and he’s people also do. In 1988 is there protest all over the world against that Nelson still is in prison. Prime Minister Botha offers him to be released, if he stays out of politic forever. Nelson refuses, and says that he will fight against apartheid until he dies. The troubles continue, and it is getting harder and harder for the prime minister to control the black people. Finally Nelson Mandela, now a very near friend to James Gregory, is released in 1990. James gives Mandela a present witch is a tail. That tail can protect and help him, like it did to James. A very special tail James had from he’s childhood friend Bafana.