Part 1 – Who was Mrs Komani?
Who was Mrs Komani? relates the cases that led to the abolition of the death penalty and the decriminalisation of sodomy. These judgments stand in contrast to the execution, harassment and persecution of apartheid law. However, even under apartheid, law was at times a limit on power and so spaces arose in which people could use the law to contest the abuse of power. One key example explored in the film is that of Mr & Mrs Komani whose 1980 case was a key cause of the collapse of the hated Pass Laws. Who was Mrs Komani? brings to light the people who made possible the cases which have dramatically affected our lives and the history of our country.
Part 2 – A nice country
In It’s a Nice Country! We meet the people who have used the Constitution to build democracy and a better life for all. First, we meet Irene Grootboom whose struggle for housing culminated in a landmark ruling that is seen as crucial for the establishment of greater socio-economic rights. In the Ngxuza case, we see how, even in the new democratic order, the abuse of power has to be challenged. It’s a Nice Country! also explores the case of the TAC’s battle for ARVs to prevent mother-to-child transmission. We see how TAC members who, through their work, education and community mobilisation used the Constitution to achieve access to treatment.