Through leaked voice notes, photos and videos, we are introduced to David, a Congolese deportee who has been detained at Lindela Repatriation Centre for over 120 days. Lindela Repatriation Centre is South Africa’s largest facility for the holding of undocumented migrants. From David’s perspective, we experience how life has been at Lindela since the national lockdown begun. Deportees have been complaining about not being able to observe social distancing because of overcrowding, unsanitary ablution facilities, mistreatment, food shortages, widespread corruption, irregular legal processes , etc. The growing dissatisfaction of the deportees results in them staging a protest march. David is one of the organisers. The authorities beat him up, confiscate his phone and put him in a ‘punishment cell’. His brother, Omar, goes to Lindela to try and find out what is happening inside. The authorities are unhelpful. He tries to reach out to the Head of Deportation, a NGO and the police. His efforts are futile. Things take a turn for the worse when David informs Omar about two COVID-19 cases inside Lindela – one security guard and one nurse. Supposedly the nurse has succumbed to the disease and the clinic inside Lindela has been shut down. David does not know when he will be repatriated back to the DRC and fears that he is at risk of being infected. Omar vows to continue fighting for his younger brother’s freedom.
Availability &
Screening Time:
Director(s):
Sihle Hlope
Country:
South Africa
Year:
2020
Running Time:
5 min
Language(s):
Please join us for a Q&A with all the DFA short film Directors on Sun 30 Aug @ approximately 6.45pm
