The play, nothing but the truth (Kani, J. 2002) and the screenplay, Forgiveness (Latter, G, et al. 2006) deals with the truth and reconciliation, however, it each has different opinion and perceptions of truth and reconciliation. Both the play, Nothing but the truth (Kani, J. 2002) and the screenplay, Forgiveness (Latter, G, et al. 2006) circles around families who deal or have dealt closely with the truth and reconciliation commission and their experiences form their opinions and perceptions of truth and reconciliation. This essay will highlight and compare, what is the truth? is there such a thing as the truth?, what happens when we confront the truth?
And who benefits from forgiveness and reconciliation between the play, Nothing but the truth (Kani, J. 2002) and the screenplay, Forgiveness (Latter, G, et al. 2006).
After having read the play, Nothing but the truth (Kani, J. 2002) and the screenplay, Forgiveness (Latter, G, et al. 2006), it is evident that both texts deal with the concept of the truth. In the play, Nothing but the truth (Kani, J. 2002), the protagonist Sipho is holding a secret from his daughter Thando, which is his truth. In the play, Nothing but the truth (Kani, J. 2002: 49) he reveals his truth that the rivalry between himself and his brother Themba was due the fact that his brother had an affair with his wife, Sindiswa whom Is Thando’s mother. However, in the screenplay, Forgiveness (Latter, G, et al. 2006: 60-63), Tertius reveals the entire truth about Daniel’s death to the Grootboom family. His guilt forces him to reveal every detail about how he had murdered Daniel which results in Ernest, the victim’s brother to smash a teapot onto the side of his head.
127 our experts are availableright now
Although, the play, Nothing but the truth (Kani, J. 2002) and the screenplay, Forgiveness (Latter, G, et al. 2006), ultimately reveal the truth, it causes one to question whether there is something like the truth? This is because there are many versions of the truth which are each person’s version of the truth and the actual truth. It causes one to question whether the truth revealed by the protagonist Sipho in the play, Nothing but the truth (Kani, J. 2002: 49) is the absolute truth or could it be his version of the truth? His memory of what happened that day could have faded over time as it was years ago.
He could have manipulated the truth, thus I personally feel that we, the readers cannot really call it the truth because we weren’t introduced to Themba and Sindiswa’s version of the truth. Similarly, in the screenplay, Forgiveness (Latter, G, et al. 2006), when Tertius reveal the truth to the Grootboom family he starts by saying, “That night…we made him stand on the brick” Forgiveness (Latter, G, et al. 2006:61).This immediately evoke the question, who is the ‘we”? As it implies that he wasn’t alone in murdering Daniel. This indicates to the me that his version of what had happened the night Daniel was murdered could merely be his truth but not the absolute truth.
Both the play, Nothing but the truth (Kani, J. 2002) and the screenplay, Forgiveness (Latter, G, et al. 2006) indicate that there are serious consequences when people are confronted with the truth. As humans we want to know the truth but we cannot always deal with the reality of the truth. Confronting the truth is supposed to help people find closure but some people don’t know how to deal with the truth.
This is evident in the play, Nothing but the truth (Kani, J. 2002:49) when the protagonist Sipho, is about to reveal the truth to Themba’s daughter, Mandisa, she says, “No! This crap. I can’t stay here any longer. I am going out to dinner. Even if I have to go alone.” Which indicate to the reader that although she was co-signing Thando about wanting to know the truth as to what had happened between Sipho and Themba, she was not really prepared for the truth. It is also evident that the truth may be difficult for her to handle because it may change the perception she has of her father.
However, in the screenplay, Forgiveness (Latter, G, et al. 2006), when Tertius reveal the truth or his version of the truth to the Grootboom family, the victim’s mother decide to leave the room as the truth of his son’s death is difficult to bear whereas the truth stirred up anger within the victim’s brother Ernest and thus, this result in Ernest smashing a teapot onto the side of Tertius head. This is evident that some people find closure in the truth and other may be emotionally damaged by the truth.
The truth and reconciliation commission was implemented on the 27th of April 1994, after the end of Apartheid in South Africa. The truth and reconciliation commission was a court-like restorative justice where victims of apartheid were invited to state their experiences of how their human rights were violated through a public hearing.
Both, the play, Nothing but the truth (Kani, J. 2002) and the screenplay, Forgiveness (Latter, G, et al. 2006) have different opinions or perceptions of who benefited from the truth and reconciliation commission. In the play, Nothing but the truth (Kani, J. 2002), Thando is an interpreter at the truth and reconciliation commission. According to, Nothing but the truth (Kani, J. 2002: 6) she says, “Former soldiers, policemen and security people are applying for amnesty.
Saying that they are sorry. Sometimes I sit there translating, interpreting and not even feeling, It’s easy to get numb you know.” Which indicate that she clearly does not approve of former perpetrators who apply and receive amnesty, which is how many black South African’s felt after 1994. As many people felt that mostly ex-perpetrators benefitted from the truth and reconciliations commission. Similarly, in the screenplay, Forgiveness (Latter, G, et al. 2006: 34), Tertius who was granted amnesty is accused of lying to the truth and reconciliation commission by Sannie, the victim’s sister who could have easily been true as the victims and perpetrators had no evidence to their claims except pledging the oath.
In conclusion, both the play, Nothing but the truth (Kani, J. 2002) and the screenplay, Forgiveness (Latter, G, et al. 2006) deal with truth and reconciliation and clearly has very different views, opinions and perceptions of truth and reconciliation. It is evident that each family deal with and confront the truth differently, However, both text teaches us to forgive. Therefore, I end off with the words of Arch Bishop Desmond Tutu, “The past will always be a powerful presence in the present, we must never forget but this does not mean we must cling to the past, and wrap it around us and live for it. We only look back in the best in order to have a better understanding of our present.”
