Solomon Mahlangu’s story retold at DIFF

ON the event of the 35th anniversary of his execution, legendary freedom fighter and namesake of one of the Bluff’s main roads, Solomon Mahlangu’s tale will be told during the 2016 Durban International Film Festival (DIFF).

‘Kalushi: The Story of Solomon Mahlangu’ is just one of the locally-made films that will be screened during the 37th iteration of the festival.

Directed by award winning cinematographer and director, Mandla Dube, and written in partnership with Leon Otto, the movie tells the story of Mahlangu’s transition from poverty-stricken hawker to freedom fighter to victim of an oppressive regime.

Mahlangu, who grew up in Mamelodi, worked as a hawker on the streets and in trains to support himself and his family. After being brutally beaten by the police, he went into exile and joined the African National Congress and eventually trained as an Umkhonto we Sizwe soldier.

Along with some of his friends, Mahlangu ended up in a shoot-out with police in Johannesburg’s CBD, which killed two men and injured two others.

Even though Mahlangu (played by Thabo Rametsi) was innocent of the killings, he was sentenced to death by hanging at the age of 23, charged with ‘sharing the common purpose’ of the group of activists, following a fierce trial.

“This is a film for people who care about the next person. This is how we honour Solomon Mahlangu. It’s about our humanity as human beings.

We see an ordinary young man who somehow becomes a political icon and, through this film, we see him transform from an average hawker to a human rights legend,” said Dube.

Kalushi will be screened at The Playhouse on Saturday, 18 June at 4pm, at the Luthuli Museum in Groutville on Thursday, 23 June at noon and at Musgrave Ster Kinekor on Saturday, 25 June at 8pm.

The DIFF runs from Thursday to Saturday, 16 to 26 June. For information on the movie and the film festival, go to www.durbanfilmfestival.co.za or follow the festival on Twitter: #DIFF2016 and @DIFFest.