Synopsis – “Mandela would, without fail, seek out Sisulu before making any kind of big decision.” It was an open secret among Mandela’s comrades in the struggle. Without Walter Sisulu, there wouldn’t have been Nelson Mandela. Sisulu was the one who found Mandela. It was Sisulu who persuaded Mandela to join the ANC. Sisulu was his guide. Sisulu was his mentor. The world came to know about Sisulu during the Rivonia trial in 1963 and 1964. Mandela, accused number one, read a speech during the trial justifying why the ANC had resorted to violence. Sisulu, accused number two, was the first of the group to be cross-examined. The sound archives of the trial – which have recently been restored by the INA – allow us to relive the five days of his gripping confrontation with an overtly racist prosecutor. Sisulu, who faced the death penalty, stood up to the unrelenting aggression and gave as good as he got. Transported back into a world of secret court sessions during the apartheid nightmare, the viewer will discover the testimony of an exceptional man who instigated one of the turning points of 20th century history.
Director – Nicolas CHAMPEAUX, Gilles PORTE
Producer – La Générale de Production
Country – France
Language – English
Date – 2019
Duration – 15 minutes
Genre – Animated Documentary
Seated
Accused #2: Walter Sisulu screens courtesy of the French Institute of South Africa
