With so many South African history makers, many I met had their own biographies, which provided great context to their personal experiences in this country.

For me, the most interesting of these books is The Bang Bang Club by Greg Marinovich and Joao Silva. It’s an account of the brutal climate in South Africa’s townships from 1990 to 1994. A group of young photographers (later dubbed the Bang Bang Club) captured the worst of this violence. Greg Marinovich, later a Pulitzer Prize-winning photojournalist, was one of them.

What struck me most in reading The Bang Bang Club is that so many I’ve encountered lived through this outrageously violent time. I keep wondering how they managed to survive.

Before watching the videos, it’s helpful to have a basic understanding of the political groups Greg mentions. The ANC, PAC, AZAPO, and IFP were groups that struggled against the government represented by the country’s white minority.

Listening to Greg speak, I wondered: Did he ever have to decide between documenting a moment in history or stepping in to help someone? This is a dilemma that confronts many journalists on a regular basis.

Greg was very clear on this point. He told me that he was never really in the position to choose; the situations were generally too violent to allow interference. However, he was quick to take people to the hospital when he had the opportunity.

Greg has sustained more than his fair share of injuries on the job, including several bullet wounds. There are people all over the world who put themselves in harm’s way for the benefit of an informed public.

Next: Learning about the challenges South Africa faces today.

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