What price is there to pay for being a white farmer in South Africa? It is meant to be the 'Rainbow Nation', the unification of different races in a country that has witnessed decades of racial segregation and repression, a country that was firmly divided by white and black. The term signified hope for post-apartheid South Africa, a brighter future and a new national identity.
Martin Himmel's film tells a different story. Violent attacks have increased on the white minorities who are now faced with taking extreme precautions to protect themselves, their families, and their property. Imagine living in constant fear of being robbed, raped or murdered at gunpoint - this is a widespread crisis South Africa's white farmers are facing.
In what is a critical issue for South Africans of all colors the film also explores the other side to this argument. With a huge percentage of agricultural land still owned by white South Africans, who make up only 10 percent of the population, what is really fair? And should the government give back land to the black majority?
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About Al Jazeera - Witness
Rageh Omaar presents Witness, a half-hour daily documentary series which features short, specially commissioned or acquired films gathered from independent filmmakers.
Each documentary reveals the unknown lives of ordinary people, following their lives, telling their stories and portraying the challenges that confront them. Our witnesses are people in a situation or those who have observed them first hand.
The films cover conflict, belief, the past and the future and as well as bringing new stories to light they showcase the talents of a new breed of multi-skilled, frontline journalist. In the studio, Rageh will further explore the issues raised in the films, with expert guests on the subject matter and the filmmakers themselves.
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