Greg Marinovich, Joao Silva, Ken Oosterbroek and Kevin Carter. Four young men who grew up in the 60’s and 70’s in a very backward African country; Most of you here tonight have probably never heard of these men; But they where responsible for broadcasting the grimmest era of south African history to the world through their photographs.
Life for whites in apartheid south Africa was a paradise; fueled by cheap black labor and plentiful natural resources; as the advertising jingle had it: ‘ they go together in the good old RSA: braaivleis; rugby; sunny skies and Chevrolet’. Even as south Africa began to succumb to inevitable changes in the 80’s, most whites simply enjoyed the good fortune, a handful where drawn into opposition to the regime; through different routes and with varying degrees of discomfort with apartheid.
Greg, Joao, ken and Kevin (the uncle of a present Michaelhouse boy) all became press photographers, professional witnesses (if you like) to the bloody and vicious civil war that consumed the south African townships in the late 80’s and 90’s; Their job was stressful, terrifying, extremely dangerous yet deeply exciting.
These daring young men ventured off into the heart of South Africa’s graveyard
s on a regular basis; often coming close to losing their lives, and witnessing some of the goriest scenes in south Africa’s history. The majority of their photographs where taken at political rallies; police raids; skirmishes between warring tribes and any other politically or racially motivated violence. Snapping away! Broadcasting life as they saw it to the rest of the world.
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