Film and Video Archive

The UWC-Robben Island Mayibuye Archive offers an extensive and unique film-video library and archive of documentary recordings, news footage, stock footage from film and video production projects and a comprehensive catalogue with shot lists to facilitate access. The core of the collection came from IDAF in London, where it grew in response to the needs of international solidarity with the struggle against apartheid. It became a valuable research resource and many of the productions were networked internationally to raise awareness about the situation in South Africa. Most of these films and videos were banned in South Africa before 1990.

Identity area

Identifier

MAFV

Authorized form of name

Film and Video Archive

Parallel form(s) of name

    Other form(s) of name

      Type

      • University

      Contact area

      Wesley Francis Primary contact

      Type

      Video archivist

      Address

      Street address

      Robert Sobukwe Road

      Locality

      Cape Town

      Region

      Western Cape

      Country name

      South Africa

      Postal code

      7530

      Telephone

      +27 21959 2954

      Fax

      Email

      URL

      Note

      Description area

      History

      Geographical and cultural context

      Mandates/Sources of authority

      Administrative structure

      Records management and collecting policies

      Buildings

      Holdings

      Components include:

      Videos on the Frontline States, including the struggle for independence in Zimbabwe; the liberation war in Mozambique; Angola and the post-independence struggles against South Africa and its surrogates; and the struggle for independence in Namibia.
      Feature films on South Africa viewable on video.
      ‘Anti-fascist’ documentaries and feature films (viewable on video). Non-Southern African documentaries including Vietnam, US civil rights, Nicaragua and international culture.
      Production rushes including interviews with struggle leaders; footage of solidarity events including major demonstrations, rallies and meetings; footage of the successive visits to London of Mandela; footage of important conference and cultural festivals.
      ‘Anti-fascist’ documentaries and feature films (viewable on video). Non-Southern African documentaries including Vietnam , US civil rights, Nicaragua and international culture.
      In 2000 the UWC-Robben Island Mayibuye Archive acquired the Afravision Video Archive, a unique documentary record consisting of approximately 5 000 beta recordings of the mass struggles of the 1980s and the tension-filled prelude to democracy in the early 199Os.

      Finding aids, guides and publications

      The inclusion of inventories and descriptions on this platform remains a work-in-progress. Please contact our staff member.

      Access area

      Opening times

      Access conditions and requirements

      Accessibility

      Services area

      Research services

      Reproduction services

      Public areas

      Control area

      Description identifier

      Institution identifier

      Rules and/or conventions used

      Status

      Level of detail

      Dates of creation, revision and deletion

      Language(s)

        Script(s)

          Sources

          Maintenance notes

          Access points

          Access Points