Cape Town – Media owner and philanthropist Dr Iqbal Survé on Tuesday announced that he would assist in the funding of a local production documenting the life of young revolutionary, Ashley Kriel.
“Ashley Kriel’s history needs to be known by all South Africans and this film will ensure that this is done,” said Survé, chairman of Survé Philanthropies.
Survé, also the chairman of Sekanjalo Investment Holdings and Independent Media, had responded to a call for funding made by the documentary’s director, Nadine Cloete.
Cloete had been working on a documentary detailing the life of Ashley Kriel for five years entitled, “Action Kommandant”. The film aims at telling the largely untold story of the young revolutionary, a resident of Bonteheuwel and an Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK) guerrilla.
A 20-year-old Kriel, who was deemed a terrorist by the apartheid state, was murdered by security police in 1987.
His sister, Michel Assure, found evidence of her brother’s murder at the “safe” house where he had been killed. This included the apparent murder weapon, a spade.
At the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, perpetrator Jeffrey Benzien was granted amnesty, an injustice according to the Kriel family and his comrades.
The documenting of his story by Cloete, said Kriel’s family and friends, was the truth at long-last coming to the fore. However, earlier this year the post-production process came to a halt due to a lack of funding.
Cloete then turned to local daily, The Cape Argus, to plead for funding.
On seeing this, Survé requested a meeting with Cloete where he expressed his desire to support the completion of the film which would include final editing and colour correction.
undefinedAt the official announcement – which was attended by Cloete’s family, Assure, and former MK combatants – Survé confirmed the funding and added that his team would assist Cloete in the marketing of the documentary.
According to Cloete, who thanked Survé for his support and Kriel’s friends and family for their participation, the timing of the release of the film was exciting in that it would coincide with growing student protests and Youth Day celebrations.
She later broke down into tears, saying what an honour it was to be part of telling Kriel’s story and having his former comrades such as Henrietta Adams express appreciation that his story was being told by “one of us”.
According to Cloete, post-production on “Action Kommandant” would be concluded in approximately two months.
African News Agency
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