The Netflix original film “Jewel” tells the tale of a photographer who meets a young woman while filming a memorial in Sharpville. As they become closer, a romance grows between them that not only causes problems for them in the here and now but also brings up difficult memories from the past. They are surrounded by racial and identity issues as they search for a way to coexist. The movie, which was directed by Adze Ugah, heavily draws from a real-life incident to advance its story and character development. What you should know about the events in the movie if you’re unsure of their veracity
Jewel: A True Story, Is It?
‘Jewel’ is inspired by the Sharpville Massacre, a real-life incident that happened in South Africa in 1960, even though it is not strictly based on a factual story. On March 21, in the predominantly black township of Sharpville, the police opened fire on a throng of protesters, inflicting 250 casualties, including 69 fatalities.
The protest had been held in opposition to the apartheid administration and its statute requiring all black citizens to carry identification. The pass law’s goal was to limit non-white people’s mobility and population growth in some places, particularly in urban regions. The laws, which had been in place for a while, got tougher during the apartheid era. It functioned as an internal passport system that recorded a person’s employment and personal information. The laws frequently served as a form of harassment and worsened racial segregation.
The Pan-Africanist Congress (PAC) took control of the protest and urged participants to forego their employment that day in order to forfeit for failing to have a pass. Around the police station, a group of protesters began to gather in large numbers, eventually numbering thousands. Later, the police were unable to contain the situation and started shooting at the demonstrators. Many individuals were shot in the back as they fled the site.
A witness at Sharpville named Lydia Mahabuke described it as a calm protest that abruptly became violent. “While we were singing and standing there, the police suddenly appeared in a line and pointed their rifles at us. We just heard the guns being shot while we were still singing, without exchanging a single word or engaging in any debate,” she recalled. Mahabuke was shot in the back while fleeing, and it took her a long time to find her way home. “I tried to turn around. People were tumbling and dispersed. My leg was dripping with blood. I attempted to limp. I had trouble getting home,” she admitted.
After the tragedy, the South Asian administration came under fire from the entire international community. At home, there were more protest marches and gatherings, which were followed by violence in some areas. There were thousands of people detained. When the PAC and ANC (African National Congress) were deemed illegal, several well-known activists—including Nelson Mandela—went into hiding.
Even if events in Sharpville turned violent, they nonetheless marked a turning moment in the nation’s history and reinforced the resistance to the racist government. After apartheid was abolished in 1994, President Mandela inked the nation’s new constitution in the village of Sharpville two years later. Selinah Mnguni, who was three months pregnant and shot in the leg during the tragedy, proudly recalls the protest. It was worthwhile, she remarked, “knowing that the democracy we have today was achieved in part because of the blood we sacrificed.” South Africa observes March 21 as Human Rights Day to remember those who gave their lives for human rights.