South Africa has banned an American film for hate speech. Now before somebody begins shouting about censorship, it may be useful to examine what the film actually contains. The Film and Publication Board has refused to classify Hebrews to Negroes: Wake Up Black America. That decision prevents people from legally distributing, selling, advertising or publicly screening it in South Africa. And anyone who knowingly ignores the ruling could face a fine of up to R500,000, five years in prison or both.
So yes, the FPB appears rather serious about this one.
The 2018 film was written, directed and produced by Ronald Dalton Jr. He presents it as an educational documentary examining the heritage of black Americans. But the FPB found that it promotes antisemitic conspiracy theories, denies the Holocaust and uses language that dehumanises Jewish people. According to BusinessTech, the regulator found that the film advocates hatred against an identifiable group and incites harm. It also contains racial slurs and claims that Jewish people have deliberately falsified history to maintain power.
That is quite a distance from education.
The FPB said the film could not receive protection as a genuine documentary because it spreads dangerous misinformation without offering the factual and balanced approach expected from that format. I guess calling something a documentary does not magically turn every claim inside it into fact.
The film first appeared in 2018 but gained wider attention online in 2022. The South African Jewish Board of Deputies became aware of it after a screening at the Soweto Theatre in June 2023, after which it lodged a formal complaint with the FPB. As you can see from the dates, the matter progressed at a rather limited speed. The organisation presented its case a year later, in June 2024, and Dalton received an opportunity to defend the film. The FPB eventually upheld the complaint and refused classification. As a result, distributors must now remove it from South African platforms.
