If one were to delve into any liberation movement, they would encounter a trail of unsung heroes, each with their own remarkable story. Their narratives would offer a unique perspective on the movement, prompting deeper reflection. ‘The 12 Disciples of Nelson Mandela’ by Thomas Allen Harris is one such story – a documentary tracing a son’s heartfelt homage to his sole father figure.
Harris produced this documentary following the passing of his stepfather Benjamin Pule Leinaeng in 2000. Leinaeng was part of the first group of exiles to leave South Africa in 1960 on a mission to expose the affects of apartheid to the rest of the global village. Originally from Bloemfontein, he departed with 11 other comrades under the guise of going to play in an out-of-town soccer match.
The Disciples journey outside of South Africa started off in neighboring Botswana. They found themselves traveling through the continent until they ended up in Dar es Salaam in Tanzania. Their departure from South Africa signaled the beginning of a liberation movement in exile. While in Tanzania, previously known as Tanganyika, the Disciples faced many challenges as refugees. They then became the first group to be sent to Cuba by the armed wing of the African National Congress, Umkhonto weSizwe. En route to Cuba, they met the late Nelson Mandela before his infamous arrest. This brief yet iconic encounter fueled their determination to fight even harder for the liberation of their homeland.
On their journey to liberation, The Disciples received various opportunities to further their studies and travel abroad. They suffered casualties and disappearances along the journey, a brutal reminder them of the armed struggle they were locked in. Although the documentary’s primary focus is Leinaeng, we get to know the other Disciples as they share anecdotes as old, grey-haired men reminiscing on the radical days of their youth.
It has been 30 years since the abolishment of apartheid in South Africa yet there are countless stories that may still need to be told. Thomas’ ‘The 12 Disciples of Nelson Mandela’ is a bold attempt at telling the story of 12 once-young men from Bloemfontein who were frontrunners in the libration movement while in exile.
