A H I S T O R I C M U LT I - M E D I A E X P E R I E N C E

CONTENTSCONTENTS

A WALK THROUGH THE EXHIBITION

MESSAGE - Constitution Hill

MESSAGE - The Ichikowitz Family Foundation

FOREWORD - Thembinkosi Goniwe

OUR CONSTITUTION - Our Bill of Rights

A COMMENTARY - Millard Arnold

THE ARTWORKS

ARTIST PROFILE - Dean Simon

MEMORIES - Leon Wessels

EXHIBITIONIT’S A FINE LINE is a mobile multi-media

exhibition that will visit schools across South Africa’s rural and urban settings in

this, the milestone year.

What is history all about?Reconciling the past with dreams of the future. It is a metaphysical challenge, and it is precisely the raison d’étre behind The Ichikowitz Family Foundation’s commission of Dean Simon’s compelling and illuminating work, IT’S A FINE LINE.Millard Arnold

The journey that led to the signing of the Constitution is one that spans almost a century. It tells the stories of innumerable heroes, known and unknown, some often forgotten, who have sacrificed their lives for the freedom of others.

The Ichikowitz Family Foundation commissioned internationally-renowned artist Dean Simon to immortalise some of these different people, places and events along the country’s road to democracy, to acknowledge the sacrifices made along the way, and to embrace the principles of the world’s most progressive Constitution.

This multi-media experience IT’S A FINE LINE combines 16 hyper-realistic drawings with rare archive footage to bring to life some of the key history makers and events that shaped

South Africa’s heritage. Many of these individuals and events have never before been given the prominence they deserve.

The title of the exhibition recognises things are not always what they seem: at first glance, they may be deceiving. IT’S A FINE LINE asks us to continuously probe and traverse the fine lines between fact and fiction, between justice and power, reality and ideals, modernity and fundamentalism.

Inspect the 16 drawings first hand, up close and personal. A series of short films is screened alongside the artworks to further explain their historical context of the artworks. IT’S A FINE LINE asks of all of us to communicate with those from a different paradigm. It asks of us to face one of the great challenges of life.

A WALK THROUGH THE EXHIBITION

MESSAGE from Dawn RobertsonCEO CONSTITUTION HILL

On Tuesday 10th December 1996 on International Human Rights Day, the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa was signed by President Nelson Mandela. Declared the supreme law of the country, it provides the legal foundation for the existence of the republic, sets out the rights and duties of its citizens, and defines the structure of the government (outlined on page 6). This year, we celebrate the 20th anniversary of this sacred law. A distinct contrast to our recent past, this law recognises its citizens as equal individuals, promising never to discriminate again. We are delighted to celebrate the historic 20th anniversary of our Constitution through collaborative events and partnerships like this multi-media exhibition that will kick-start the dynamic #IAMCONSTITUTION campaign. Nowhere else can the story of South Africa’s turbulent past and its extraordinary transition to democracy be told in a more apt environment than at Constitution Hill. Many of the stalwarts featured in the Exhibition had a personal and often painful connection to the Old Fort prison complex, so it’s always a privilege to host their families at such memorable gatherings. Constitution Hill occupies such an indelible place in the consciousness of the nation and we encourage all South Africans to join us in celebrating the birthplace of our democracy and the protector of our human rights. The Exhibition will not only offer its visitors an informed and engaging experience related to constitutionalism, human rights

and democracy but it will also further opinion and widen perspective of past events in order to create a very different future. It is vital that children and young adults be taught the values of the Constitution from an early age. Furthering our participation in this campaign, we look forward to being a part of the e-curriculum that has been developed for high school students in which these magnificent drawings will be used as a tool for education. There isn’t a better time than now for students to learn about rights, responsibilities and respect in order to promote responsible citizenship.

DAWN ROBERTSONCEO CONSTITUTION HILL

Constitution Hill is home to the Constitutional Court of South Africa. This iconic venue, situated in the Johannesburg CBD, is also open to the public for guided tours. It has become an important platform for heritage, education, and tourism-related programmes.

It is vital that children and young adults be taught the values of the Constitution from an early age.

MESSAGE from Ivor IchikowitzCHAIRMAN, THE ICHIKOWITZ FAMILY FOUNDATION

It is a great privilege to play our part in celebrating some of the giants who laid the foundations for a free, non-racial and democratic South Africa. Our multi-media exhibition covering over 100 years of South Africa’s history is designed to stimulate constructive dialogue and debate amongst ourselves. We can only be the better for it. Dialogue lies at the heart of any civilization; it has always been Africa’s great legacy, and it is Africa’s gift to the world. It is always the right time for dialogue. But if ever there was a time that South Africa and the world needed it more than ever, it is now.

Over the past years, we have grown an African Oral History Archive – hundreds of hours of testimony and documentaries from the very people who lived our country’s history. In 2015, we launched our Heritage Art Collection, aspiring to galvanise art as tool for dialogue, for nation building.

The next in our series of exhibitions, IT’S A FINE LINE, mobilises the fine work of artist Dean Simon into what we hope will be a thought-provoking multi-media experience. The exhibition is especially designed for travelling, to be mobile and battery-operated. A high school e-learning toolkit for history teachers and learners will be also be launched, encouraging interaction and dialogue with South Africa’s transformation and it’s future.

Coinciding with the exhibition is the launch of #IAMCONSTITUTION, a national campaign, aimed at promoting the values and benefits of the Constitution among all South Africans.

South Africa’s Constitution is one of the proudest achievements of our young democracy. As our country reaches an inflection point in the development of our democracy, many South Africans forget how much we have achieved in such a short time. We also forget that today there are millions of people around the world who are still fighting for the very rights enshrined in our Constitution. Rights that we now take for granted, every day.

Our #IAMCONSTITUTION campaign encourages all South Africans to breathe, walk and live the Constitution, to celebrate our achievements and constructively confront our challenges to build the country that we all know South Africa can be.

For more information on the work of our Foundation, I encourage you to visit www.ichikowitzfoundation.com.

IVOR ICHIKOWITZCHAIRMAN OF THE ICHIKOWITZ FAMILY FOUNDATION

Dialogue lies at the heart of any civilization; it has always

been Africa’s great legacy, and it is Africa’s gift to the world.

FOREWORD by Thembinkosi GoniweASSEMBLING FRAGMENTS OF HISTORY Dean Simon’s IT’S A FINE LINE assembles fragments of a political history that depict key individuals: politicians, activists, intellectuals and artists, who contributed to and hindered the contentious process through which South Africa arrived at its world-recognised but fragile democracy.

Simon’s drawings are prompting narratives, as if soliciting interest in the biographies of the depicted individuals, and treatises juxtaposed with the captured events, sites, moments, artifacts, monuments and buildings. Some of the people have never met nor interacted, but they share space and time, as we view them within the same frame.

IT’S A FINE LINE is thus like a tapestry. It stitches together dissimilar nevertheless overlapping references to establish collectively-shared narratives and materials that are different in political orientations, ideologies, aspirations and cultural sensibilities. Some are resilient in conflict and discord whilst others are intersecting and corresponding.

Not only the subject matter but also the delicate treatment of details, rendition of lines, tones and textures all visual qualities that make Simon’s drawings curious in their visual narration. They read as an assemblage revealing the constructiveness of history, and how its production is enacted through choices the artist has made in reimagining and reconfiguring

archival sources. History here should be comprehended as a manipulated composition, like a collage whose constitution takes the form of inventive arrangements or imaginative configurations.

Notably, this is a history calling for further investigation and interpretation that should pay attention to the details of other political figures, movements, practices, dispositions, sensibilities and insolences, which are beyond the archival limits indicative of the African National Congress’ narratives.

THEMBINKOSI GONIWEART HISTORIAN

Thembinkosi Goniwe–internationally-exhibited visual artist, art historian, and former lecturer at the University of Cape Town, University of the Witwatersrand, University of Fort Hare and Vaal University of Technology. Currently he is visiting researcher at the University of the Witwatersrand School of the Arts.

Some of the people have never met nor interacted, but they share space and

time, as we view them within the same frame.

SUMMARY OF CHAPTER 2: THE BILL OF RIGHTSEQUALITY - You cannot be discriminated against. But affirmative action is allowed.HUMAN DIGNITY - Your dignity must be respected and protected.LIFE - You have the right to life.FREEDOM AND SECURITY OF THE PERSON - You cannot be detained without trial, tortured or punished cruelly. SLAVERY, SERVITUDE AND FORCED LABOUR - Slavery and forced labour are not allowed.PRIVACY - You cannot be searched or have your home or possessions searched without a court order.FREEDOM OF RELIGION, BELIEF AND OPINION - You can believe and think whatever you want and follow the religion of your choice.FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION - All people (including the press) can say whatever they want.ASSEMBLY, DEMONSTRATION, PICKET AND PETITION - You can hold a demonstration, picket and present a petition. But you must do so peacefully.FREEDOM OF ASSOCIATION - You can associate with whomever you want.POLITICAL RIGHTS - You can support the political party of your choice. If you are a citizen, and at least 18 years old, you can vote.CITIZENSHIP - Your citizenship cannot be taken away from you.FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT AND RESIDENCE - You can go and live anywhere in South Africa.FREEDOM OF TRADE, OCCUPATION AND PROFESSION - You can do whatever work you choose.

LABOUR RELATIONS - You may join trade unions and go on strike.ENVIRONMENT - You have the right to a healthy environment.PROPERTY - Your property can only be taken away from you if the proper rules are followed.HOUSING - The government must make sure people get access to proper housing.HEALTH CARE, FOOD, WATER AND SOCIAL SECURITY - The government must make sure you have access to food and water; health care and social security.CHILDREN - Children under the age of 18 have special rights, for instance, the right not to be abused.EDUCATION - You have the right to basic education, including adult basic education, and in your own language if this is possible.LANGUAGE AND CULTURE - You can use the language you want and follow the culture you choose.CULTURAL, RELIGIOUS AND LINGUISTIC COMMUNITIES - Communities can enjoy their own culture, practice their own religion, and use their own language.ACCESS TO INFORMATION - You have the right to any information held by the state.JUST ADMINISTRATIVE ACTION - Actions by the state must be fair.ACCESS TO COURTS - You can have a legal problem decided by a court or similar structure.ARRESTED, DETAINED AND ACCUSED PERSONS - This right protects people who have been arrested, imprisoned or accused.

ALL THESE RIGHTS CAN BE LIMITED IF IT WOULD BE FAIR TO DO SO.

CONSTITUTIONOF THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA-1996We, the people of South Africa,

Recognise the injustices of our past; Honour those who suffered for justice

and freedom in our land; Respect those who have worked to build and develop

our country; and Believe that South Africa belongs to all who live in it, united in our diversity. We therefore, through

our freely elected representatives, adopt this Constitution as the supreme law of

the Republic so as to:

• Heal the divisions of the past and establish a society based on democratic values, social justice and fundamental

human rights;• Lay the foundations for a democratic and open society in which government is based on the will of the people and

every citizen is equally protected by law;• Improve the quality of life of all

citizens and free the potential of each person; and

• Build a united and democratic South Africa able to take its rightful place as a sovereign state in the family of nations.

May God protect our people. Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika.

Morena boloka setjhaba sa heso. God seën Suid-Afrika.

God bless South Africa. Mudzimu fhatutshedza Afurika.

Hosi katekisa Afrika.

A COMMENTARY - Millard Arnold

Thoughtfully, yet provocatively, the artistic works encapsulated in IT’S A FINE LINE reminds us of our complex, tumultuous and sometimes torturous past. It is an imaginative reflection of sixteen seminal moments in time, which provides an empathetic appreciation of South Africa’s transition to democracy. Some innocent, some not, but they are all captured in exquisite detail by Dean Simon, an artist who challenges us to understand and know how our history was shaped, and in turn, how we have been shaped by our history. It is important history, because it is the foundation upon which the future is built. Appreciating the forces at work in shaping our history is to appreciate what we need to realise in order to avoid the

mistakes of the past.

At the same time, however, IT’S A FINE LINE is to be appreciated for what it is, and that is art of a compelling nature rich in concept and design. It is both metaphoric and yet incongruous; it is art played out upon various levels of consciousness that contrasts complicated and unexpected truths with conflicts and tensions in dynamic juxtaposition to each other.

This collection makes no pretentions that it is a comprehensive history of the evolution of democracy in South Africa. Rather, it seeks to capture vignettes of our history that provide a glimpse into the extraordinary intricacies and complexities that took place at all levels of society that made the transition possible. It recapitulates the fundamental political truth which is that humanity and relationships are at the core of our existence.

It implicitly is about community of purpose even when that purpose seems disparate and disconnected.

IT’S A FINE LINE allows us to embellish, to enrich, to discover within ourselves the greater truths that our history has made possible, and to open in our minds, the possibility of what we can achieve in the future. Its message is timeless; its appeal is universal; it is a fine line, but one that can be safely navigated with ease.

MILLARD ARNOLDARTIST, ATTORNEY

Millard Arnold–lawyer, businessman, former diplomat, professor of law, journalist, lecturer, actor, author, poet, artist and award-winning photographer whose works have been exhibited in London, New York, Washington and Johannesburg.

Humanity and relationships are at the

core of our existence.

The Blessing – Enoch Sontonga

In the Beginning – The Roots of the African National CongressChief Laureate of Peace – Albert Luthuli

In the Eye of the Beholder – Gerard Sekoto & George PembaIn Her Mind’s Eye – Ruth Mompati

Of Truth and Justice – George BizosTwo Sides of the Same Coin – Winnie Madikizela-Mandela

Room of Ghosts – Steve BikoOf Hope and Illusion – Bram Fischer

The Foreign Minister – Pik BothaPoetic Justice – Mathews Phosa

Across the Great Divide – The NegotiatorsParting the Waters – Oliver Tambo

Three Ringed Circus – Nelson Mandela, Thabo Mbeki, F.W. de KlerkA Fine Line – The Constitution

The End of an Era – Farewell Madiba

THE ARTWORKS

Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika is one of Africa’s most evocative pieces of music, which became not only the anthem of a country, but of an entire people. However, the origins of this hauntingly beautiful composition were almost obscured by history, as was the final resting place of its composer. At the turn of the 19th century, travelling from the Eastern Cape to the Witwatersrand, preacher, teacher and composer Enoch Sontonga, was inspired to uplift the spirits of his brethren by composing hymns for his choir. His hymn Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika that called upon God to bless Africa, was taken up by countless choirmasters who spread it far and wide. Unlike his well-known contemporaries Mahatma Gandhi and Sol Plaatje featured in the picture frame, Sontonga, at the age of 33, died in relative obscurity and in abject poverty. Little did he know that his hymn would be sung at the first meeting of what would become the African National Congress, and over a century would be embraced by many across the continent as the soundtrack to their souls. Only recently discovered, Sontonga’s grave was declared a national monument by President Nelson Mandela in 1996.

The Blessing Enoch Sontonga

Today, we celebrate Enoch Sontonga’s gift to us, a heroic message of calm, written in the eye of the storm.President Nelson Mandela, unveiling of the Sontonga Monument, 1996

In the Beginning depicts the founding of the South African Native National Congress that was later known as the African National Congress. The artist’s tableau features four founding members including from left Sol Plaatje (3rd), Walter Rubusana (4th), John Dube (5th) and Pixley Seme (6th) in Bloemfontein on 8th January 1912. Women were not permitted to be members, but Charlotte Maxeke (1st) took up the torch of women’s resistance and later co-founded the Bantu Women’s League. The American educator and civil rights authority, Booker T. Washington (2nd), though never in South Africa, had a profound impact on many of these leaders’ ideals. This collection of schoolteachers, preachers and writers

on a lifelong mission for equality, would ultimately inspire future leaders, indicated by the empty chair, to unify millions under its auspices in a spirit of resistance. Who would have thought that this modest church in the small town of Waaihoek, just outside Bloemfontein, would be the birthplace of the ideas that formed Africa’s longest-living revolutionary movement, the African National Congress.

In the Beginning The Roots of the

African National Congress

We are one people. These divisions, these jealousies are

the cause of all our woes and of all our backwardness and ignorance today.

Dr Pixley Ka Isaka Seme, article entitled “Native Union”, 1911

Chief Laureate of Peace honours the life and times of Albert John Luthuli; teacher, preacher, traditional Chief. Regarded as a most formidable leader, Luthuli served as the president of the ANC from 1952 to 1967. It was on his watch that South Africa’s political landscape changed irrevocably when Dr Hendrik Verwoerd, depicted directly behind Luthuli, led the charge for apartheid. Despite being banned, put on trial and jailed, it was Luthuli’s fervent religious belief that “the road to freedom is via the cross”. As early as 1962, Ronald Harrison painted Luthuli as The Black Christ. The first African recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize for advocating non-violent resistance to racial discrimination, Luthuli had to eventually sacrifice his ideals for the

realities of the struggle. Turning toward violent resistance was a deep source of concern for Luthuli, whose principles were closely aligned to those of Martin Luther King Junior, the leader of the non-violent civil rights protests in the United States. Standing next to Martin Luther King Junior, is a young Nelson Mandela, the firebrand leader of the ANC’s military wing who spent many an hour debating with Luthuli their fervent principles and dilemmas. Luthuli never lived to see the birth of the new South Africa - killed while walking along his neighbourhood railway line, fuelling speculations to this day as to the mysterious circumstances of his death. His legacy is celebrated with the creation of The Order of Luthuli.

Chief Laureate of Peace Albert Luthuli

It is inevitable that in working for freedom some individuals and some families have to take the lead and suffer: The road to freedom is via the cross. Chief Albert Luthuli, public statement, 1952

In the Eye of the Beholder depicts life

in the townships through the eyes of

artists Gerard Sekoto and George Pemba,

finally recognised as the pioneers of

black South African art. Born a year

apart, both individuals expressed

paintings of resistance to the onslaught

of forced removals. In both Sekoto’s

street in Sophiatown, Yellow Houses

on the left, and Pemba’s portrayal of a

Port Elizabeth township bursting with

vibrant resistance on the right, their

paintings foreshadow the angst of a

community about to be ruined; in the

upper right, forced removals literally

crush the communities as the Group

Areas Act takes hold. Juxtaposing this

chaos, the artists continued their prolific

depictions of a creative oasis for artists

of all disciplines, including journalists,

photographers and musicians. It would

take many, many years for Sekoto

and Pemba to eventually receive

international recognition.

Their ability to capture the humanity

and realism of everyday scenes, and give

dignity to black South Africans,

without the distance that separated

celebrated European artists at the time,

will forever remain etched in the

South African gestalt.

In the Eye of the Beholder Gerard Sekoto

and George Pemba

Sophiatown. The vitality of the area was a great stimulus.

There was always the movements of comings and goings and all sorts of happenings. The yellow sun turned the ground and

rolling stones into many different colours. Gerard Sekoto, Circa, 1955

There are some individuals who work in a quiet and understated way and yet, they change the face of a nation. One such individual is Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati. However, few people know the story of this remarkable woman, and the full impact she has had in South African politics. Ruth Mompati’s first job in Johannesburg was as a typist in the law firm of Mandela and Tambo Attorneys – a role that put her amongst the great African visionaries of the 20th century. Mompati was at Kliptown when the Freedom Charter was adopted, was a founding member of the Federation of South African Women, and she helped organise the momentous 1956 Women’s March to protest against pass laws for women. In the early 1960s, Mompati became one of the first women to leave

for exile, telling her mother and young children that she would return in a few months. Instead, she became a pioneer in the ANC’s Mkhonto we Sizwe, the armed resistance wing. This involvement would ultimately lead to 27 years away from home. During this time, Mompati expanded and strengthened the ANC’s international network across Africa and Europe. A celebrated member of parliament, ambassador and mayor of her home district in Vryburg, North West Province, this artwork pays homage to Mama Ruta, and her quiet strength, grace and nobility.

In Her Mind’s Eye Ruth Mompati

We are here, not because the men say so, or not because somebody has done us a favour. But because we were there when it was fought for and we were part of the fight for freedom. Ruth Mompati, 2012 interview

Of Truth and Justice, the imposing face and hand of human rights advocate George Bizos is emblematic of a dedicated group of human rights attorneys who literally held in their hands the life or death of the political prisoners they represented, including Walter Sisulu and Nelson Mandela. At the Rivonia Trial in 1964, Bizos often said that his main contribution to Mandela’s famous speech was to advise the use of the words “if needs be” when Mandela proclaimed he was prepared to die for his cause. Bizos believes that this may have contributed to the avoidance of the death penalty and the martyrdom of Mandela. Prime Minister John Vorster throughout his reign from 1966 to 1978,

would often tell his cabinet, “George Bizos is on a short rope.” Despite constant harassment, the refugee who had arrived in South Africa as a teenager speaking only Greek would commit his life to being a defender of justice and human rights.

Of Truth and Justice George Bizos

Each of us has the opportunity to render personal service to

improve our society. We should not remain silent, nor complain, but participate in our individual

capacities to make society better.George Bizos, upon receiving the

Luminary Award, 2014

Mother of the Nation or controversial revolutionary? Struggle icon Winnie Madikizela-Mandela has been called many names. For the millions who adore her she is the woman who carried the Mandela mantle with pride and determination while her husband was imprisoned. Her divorce from Nelson Mandela and charges of fraud and kidnapping were further ammunition for those who had come to dislike her. And yet her popularity continued to grow, and remains strong, especially amongst the younger generation. The broaches worn at her neck portray two diametrically opposite personas that comprise two sides of the same coin. One depicts Winnie as a newlywed, her fate intertwined with the Mandela family name – a name that would both throw her into harm’s way, and paradoxically save her life. The opposite broach depicts Winnie in an era of

defiant militancy as a survivor of torture and banishment, a warrior fighting for freedom in a revolution seemingly without end. Beneath her radiant beauty that surpasses the decades, could Winnie Madikizela-Mandela be left with a profound conundrum – if she had the opportunity to live her life all over again, would she choose to live it as a Mandela, married to the liberation struggle? I am the product

of the masses of my country and the product of my enemy. Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, 2012 interview

Two Sides of the Same Coin Winnie Madikizela-Mandela

Steve Biko, an outspoken intellectual, led the Black Consciousness Movement in the 1960s. Frustrated with the liberal student unions of the time, Biko’s rallying cry, “Black man, you are on your own,” called for a re-appropriation of black self-consciousness. Bolstered by organisations such as Biko’s, a generation of students revolted against the government’s education policy on the 16th June 1976 in Soweto. Students were shot and killed as portrayed by Sam Nzima’s iconic photograph of a dying Hector Peterson. Rather than capitulate, the government cracked down on whomever they deemed to be enemies of the state – not least of which was Biko himself. On the 11th of September 1977, one year after the Soweto Uprising, Biko was beaten and tortured until he fell into a coma. He died in a prison cell one day later at the age of 33. But it didn’t stop there. The government ordered

operatives like Craig Williamson, Dirk Coetzee, Clive Derby Lewis and Eugene de Kock to brutally assassinate other anti-apartheid activists like Ruth First, David Webster, Chris Hani and countless others. In spite of international and local outrage, those who wanted to see the assassins’ heads roll were deeply disappointed that they were never brought to justice. Newton’s Third Law of Motion teaches us that “for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.” As he sits today in this room of ghosts, perhaps none is more aware of this than Steve Biko himself.

Room of Ghosts Steve Biko

It is better to die for an idea that

will live, than to live for an idea

that will die.Stephen Bantu Biko, Circa, 1976

Of Hope and Illusion addresses the secret life of Bram Fischer as a leader of the South African Communist Party. Born into one of the most prominent Afrikaner nationalist families in the country, no one in the conservative community of Bram Fischer’s youth would have anticipated that he would become a hero of the anti-apartheid struggle. A trip to the Soviet Union opened his eyes to the plight of the working poor which mirrored that of South Africa’s black community, and ultimately steered him towards communism, represented by Russia’s Saint Basil’s Cathedral in the top left. At his trial for treason in 1966, Fischer stood firm in his moral convictions and he paid the price. He was disbarred and handed down a life sentence. After serving eight years, Fischer was diagnosed with terminal cancer.

It was only as a result of international outrage and public lobbying that he was released – only to die at home a short time later. In 2003, Bram Fischer became the first South African to be posthumously reinstated to the Roll of Advocates.

Were I to ask forgiveness today I would betray my cause. That course is not open to me. I believe that what I did was right.Bram Fischer, statement from the Dock, 1966

Of Hope and Illusion Bram Fischer

Pik Botha is South Africa’s, and at one stage the world’s, longest serving Foreign Minister. Marinated in Afrikaner history and National Party politics, Pik Botha’s outgoing personality, and superb debating skills led to his meteoric rise within the ranks of the National Party and into its diplomatic corps. When Botha tried to escape the confines of apartheid dogma, there was fierce resistance from within his own party who taunted him with the epithet “The Foreign Minister.” Yet, his diplomatic finesse was essential in ending South Africa’s border war in Angola, in brokering a non-aggression pact with Mozambique, and finally securing his long-held dream of the independence of Namibia. Botha was part of the team that orchestrated a peaceful end to white rule. And in 1994, Botha’s 40 years as a flamboyant messenger between two warring worlds was finally brought to a resolution. Pik Botha became one of the few ministers who survived to serve in both the apartheid and the ANC governments.

The Foreign Minister Pik Botha

As long as we can agree in a suitable way on the protection of minority rights without a racial sting, then it would possibly

become unavoidable that in future you might have a black president of this country.

Pik Botha, press conference, 1986

In Poetic Justice, a pensive Mathews Phosa reflects upon the violent events of his time including the Soweto Uprising of 1976 that would irrevocably affect his future as a 24-year old law student. After opening the first black law practice in Nelspruit, Phosa as a member of the African National Congress, was banned from the country, and whilst in exile, became the Mozambique regional commander of Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK). One of the few scholars to speak nine languages and write poetry in Afrikaans, Phosa’s considerable litigation skills made him a natural choice to spearhead Nelson Mandela’s reconciliation initiatives with the Afrikaans community. Phosa was appointed the first premier of Mpumalanga, a province marred by farmers who suffered from MK incursions and the return of the exiled.

Forty years after the Soweto Uprising, Dr Mathews Phosa continues his efforts, widely publishing his poetry to “go out and live the Constitution.”

Poetic Justice Mathews Phosa

Let’s concede that the transition was very peaceful, the army supported the new dispensation, and South Africans voted for the parties of their own choice. That set a very good tone … for nation-building and reconciliation. I don’t think we should drop that ball - we should go to schools, churches, everywhere and make reconciliation a reality.Dr Mathews Phosa, Radio Interview, 2015

Across the Great Divide symbolises the process of reaching across a seemingly unsurpassable chasm of historical antagonism with the intention of finding a middle ground. The background represents hundreds of years of colonial bloodshed that go all the way back to the wars between King Shaka of the Zulu Kingdom and Piet Retief, the symbol of Afrikaner domination. What was needed were courageous voices on all sides that could look beyond the injustices of the past. Breyten Breytenbach, Beyers Naudé, Max du Preez and Frederik Van Zyl Slabbert extended the hand of friendship to the African National Congress represented by Chris Hani, Thabo Mbeki, Pallo Jordan and Mac Maharaj. Along with other liberal-minded whites, groups of politicians, journalists, poets and businessmen took great risks towards establishing faith

and goodwill. A negotiated democracy relied heavily on the active support of African leaders such as Zambia’s President Kenneth Kaunda who even used his musical talent to call former enemies together. It was only through many taxing and punishing hours of dialogue that a democratic settlement was eventually able to emerge. One that required both sides to build trust, to listen, and to respect one another as equals, no matter how traumatic or challenging the historic divides.

Far more disturbing are the expectations that

people have of what a democracy can

deliver, and which research shows it is incapable of doing.

This, in the South African context, is the real burden of

democracy.Frederik Van Zyl Slabbert, 1992

Across the Great Divide The Negotiators

Oliver Reginald Tambo was not only a composer, science and mathematics teacher, devout Christian, and attorney; but also the President of the ANC from 1967 to 1991. O.R. as he was fondly known, is pictured here as a modern-day Moses. World reknowned for convincing the world to condemn apartheid as a crime against humanity. Often described as the quiet, thoughtful academic of the revolution, Tambo was a man of steely resolve who would ultimately lead his people to freedom. Standing beside Tambo is his wife Adelaide, who together with their compatriots Walter and Albertina Sisulu and Govan Mbeki, displayed rare leadership and modesty to step away from centre stage. Those

selfless actions allowed Tambo’s former law partner, Nelson Mandela to take the reigns. Although Tambo dedicated his life to the concept of universal suffrage, Oliver Tambo died before he was able to vote. Like Moses, he never reached the Promised Land.

I had other plans for my life. I was going to train for the ministry. But God had other plans for me, to fight in the political liberation of my people.Oliver Reginald Tambo

Parting the Waters Oliver Tambo

Set under the omnipresent gaze of the imposing Union Buildings, Three Ringed Circus depicts a delicate balancing act between a trio of players in the centre circle: South Africa’s new government of National Unity, headed by President Nelson Mandela (the strong, patient elephant) and Deputy Presidents Thabo Mbeki (the aloof, lofty giraffe on the elephant’s back protected by the shell of the liberation movement) and F.W. de Klerk (the bear, subject to the political winds of change, waving the

new South African flag). This absurdly complicated W. Heath Robinsonesque figure illustrates that the fate of the new nation was intrinsically linked and interdependent - and extremely fragile. In the foreground, a menagerie of archetypal characteristics parade as a reminder of the good and evil that lurk below the surface, to either help or hinder democracy – the stubborn donkey (mainstream voters who kept apartheid alive), the heinous devil (evil doers who have escaped conviction),

the dodo (prejudiced individuals whose bias is heading for extinction), the greedy griffin (power gone awry) and the intolerant crocodile (mutation of intolerance and impatience). Amid these foreboding creatures are fairies, the “born frees”, the vanguard of the future.

Three Ringed Circus (from left) Thabo Mbeki, Nelson Mandela, and F.W. de Klerk

We enter into a covenant that we shall build the society in which all South Africans, both black and white, will be able to walk tall, without

any fear in their hearts, assured of their inalienable right to human dignity – a rainbow nation at peace with itself and the world.

President Nelson Mandela, Inaugural Address, 1994

South Africa’s Constitution was signed into law on International Human Rights Day, 10th December 1996 by newly-elected President Nelson Mandela, not in a formal boardroom, but in a crowded soccer stadium in Sharpeville – a tribute to the peaceful protestors killed there in 1960. In A Fine Line, the Constitution is signed in front of a landscape of past horrors. While the country heard harrowing accounts of torture from perpetrators at the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, many of apartheid’s agents remained anonymous and unaccountable as portrayed by the faceless killers on the right. Behind this harrowing activity, the Constitutional Court would rise out of the ashes of daily degradation and untold stories, to be a beacon of human rights and hope. The scales of justice

symbolise the fine balancing act needed to maintain the rule of law, enacted by the Constitutional Court’s Chief Justices on the left. There is a striking beam of light through the gloom overhead, symbolic of the hope that the Constitution remains a living reality for the majority of people and that its viability depends upon the absolute independence of the judiciary.

A Fine Line The Constitution

We wrote the Constitution collectively. We wrote it with our blood, and some people wrote it with their lives. Even though our Constitution has been amended, the core of it remains timeless.

Cyril Ramaphosa, launch of One Law, One Nation, 2012

The End of an Era bades farewell to Madiba and depicts his journey of metamorphosis from militant politico into a global symbol of peace. On the left, is the astute lawyer with a thriving practice; hotheaded, short-tempered, angry, followed by a Xhosa nobleman symbolically attired in traditional dress as he entered court to face charges of treason and conspiring to overthrow the state. There is a lapse of three decades between the man who entered prison and the icon who walked out. On the far right, Madiba stole the show at the 1995 Rugby World Cup where he donned the captain’s jersey and cemented his role as a champion for national unity of a people still raw from the wounds of

apartheid. Madiba in the austere western suit is indicative of his gravitas as an icon of reconciliation and forgiveness. The image in the middle pays tribute to the total transcendence of Nelson Mandela from enemy of the state to Tata, the Father of the Nation.

The End of an Era Farewell Madiba

I stand before you not as a prophet but as a humble servant of you, the people.

Your tireless and heroic sacrifices have made it possible for me to be here today.

I therefore place the remaining years of my life in your hands.

Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela, Address on his release from prison, Cape Town, 11 February 1990

ARTIST PROFILE - Dean Simon Dean Simon has been producing work for local and international art collectors for almost thirty years. All sold before completion, his works are in the collections of many leading international corporations such as Coca-Cola, Mercedes-Benz, Ford Motor Company, Nestlé, Land Rover and MTV.

In 1988, Simon was appointed an official military artist, the fourth since WWII, to cover the final 18 months of the South African Border War capturing the reality of a soldier’s experience in Angola and Namibia. He was able to produce historical records of the war and its impact on the daily lives of those involved in battle, scenes almost impossible to photograph.This Collection is now preserved in the South African War Museum.

During the course of his career, Simon has produced a series of works that portray the lives of the early South African Jazz musicians in the 1940’s. The pieces were recreated from fragments of information, personal recollections, s and artifacts from that period.

Other commissions include a series of artworks referencing Nelson Mandela for the private collection of Douw Steyn, now displayed at the Saxon Hotel in Johannesburg; and his controversial The Last Supper, depicting individuals from

Africa who fought against oppression and inequality over decades. Fifty prints, signed by Simon and Mandela, were created from the original artwork, and the work was included in the exhibition We Love Mandela: Art Inspired by Madiba which previewed at the Peacemaker’s Museum, Sandton on the 18th July 2013 in celebration of Mandela’s 95th birthday. The world tour of this Exhibition was launched at South Africa House in Trafalgar Square, London in October that same year.

An international tour of the exhibition IT’S A FINE LINE is being planned after its launch in Johannesburg.

MEMORIES - Leon Wessels When Nelson Mandela, after years of negotiation, had to sign the Constitution in 1996, the signing ceremony had to take place in public specifically in Sharpeville, Vereeniging; “because those who sacrificed must know that their struggle was not in vain and their efforts are not forgotten.”

I was not surprised when the 10th December was suggested as the date for the signing ceremony. It was, after all, International Human Rights Day. There was finally the promise of accountable governance. The justices in our courts would protect these ideals.

What excited me tremendously, and also filled me with great trepidation, was standing next to Cyril Ramaphosa who was “sitting in the very same chair” once occupied by former apartheid Prime Minister John Vorster. It was then that I realised this process is not sugar-coated, this is for real.

I will never forget Mandela’s words that echoed so triumphantly across the George Thabe stadium: “Today, together as South Africans from all walks of life and from virtually every school of political thought, we reclaim the unity that the Vereeniging of nine decades ago sought to deny.”

This was the highlight of my political career. My participation – standing next to Mandela and Ramaphosa and saying the final word of thanks, was the last political function I participated in.

Leon Wessels was a Member of Parliament from November 1977 to January 1997, Deputy Chairman of the Constitutional Assembly (1994-1996), and Member of the South African Human Rights Commission (1999-2009). Currently, he is Director for the Centre of Human Rights at the University of the Free State and Honorary Professor in Public Law at the North West University,

Potchefstroom campus.

There was finally the promise

of accountable governance. The justices

in our courts would protect

these ideals.

Jane Van Zyl Slabbert, the widow of Frederik Van Zyl SlabbertIt is an honour and it is correct that history should show Van Zyl as a courageous South African who created a dialogue between the Afrikaners and the ANC in exile. Thank you for paying tribute to Van Zyl’s vision. He would be troubled if he learnt that racism still remains a difficult bridge to cross.

Family of Beyers Naudé The handshake of forgiveness and agreement [in Across the Great Divide – The Negotiators] again confirms how people of different backgrounds and cultures managed to change the course of history and charter a way forward for our diversified country.

Sindi Ngaba, the niece of Ruth MompatiMy aunt Ruth Mompati was always present, her silences were profound and to that end conversations with her were always soul altering because she would listen and then she would resolve the dilemma with a short and potent response.

Swati Dlamini Mandela, the granddaughter of Winnie Madikizela-Mandela and Nelson Rolihlahla MandelaWhen I see my grandmother and grandfather placed alongside all those people, it fills me with pride to remember that they belong to a long line of well-known and lesser-known individuals, who all fought for the Constitutional Democracy we now celebrate.

Limpho Hani, the widow of Chris HaniWhen seeing my husband in the artwork I remember how much my family and I miss him... There will be critics of the Collection, I can assure you, but most importantly, Dean Simon has challenged us to have a dialogue amongst ourselves, and that should be encouraged!

Vuyi ka Seme, the great granddaughter of Dr Pixley Seme The drawing is remarkable and so exact. Visual art is powerful. I feel very strongly that art can indeed play a role in our education system, plus create a national dialogue, indeed, ‘A picture is worth a thousand words.’

The Ichikowitz Family Foundation contributes to the preservation of our heritage, the conservation of our environment, the education of our people and actively promotes nation building.

Dr Albertina Luthuli, the daughter of Chief LuthuliSeeing my father brings back memories, painful ones of course but there is the opportunity to reflect deeply about an era we dare not merely lament, but celebrate in how we have become a free society.

Winston Rabotapi,the great grandson of Enoch Mankayi SontongaOur great grandfather, Enoch Mankayi Sontonga – a son of the soil, and a father that roused our continent. I remember how our grandparents would encourage us to emulate him and also become strong and gentle.

ichikowitzfoundation.com