"An eye-opener"
In Smitsrivier, South Africa, anti-apartheid activist
Ben Hoffman knows he cannot handle this case before the
Truth Commission alone as he is ailing and his energy low
and ebbing. He asks his former student, New York City
prosecutor Sarah Barcant to come home to help him with the
amnesty hearing of former local police officer Dirk
Hendricks. Ben represents an interested party, Alex Mpondo
who was a torture victim of Dirk. Ben also feels this
forum will enable the law to get at Dirk's former boss
Pieta Muller, who the former believes killed the son of
another client back in 1985. Sarah returns home after fourteen years away as only
Ben could get her to come back. As the hearing occurs,
Sarah, her dying mentor, Alex, the Ben's other client, and
the pleading former cops are facing relatively diverse
truths. Though intended to provide closure so that the
country can move forward, this particular Truth Commission
Hearing will leave no one happy as these "realities" open
up new nightmares. As documented South African police brutally tortured
and murdered their opposition in order to maintain
apartheid, but now face complex justice. RED DUST provides
a close look at the amnesty hearings as the country
struggles with the ugliest part of its heritage while
trying to forge a better future. The story line is superb
due to the characters forced to look at their past actions
and the subsequent effects on each one and their loved ones
that occurred by their actions. Gillian Slovo provides a
tremendous gripping human-interest legal thriller that is
unique and deserves an award if justice is to be served. Harriet Klausner
Reviewed by PNR Group Member
Posted January 10, 2002
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