Browsing by Author "Smit, Paula-Ann"

Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    In focus: A historical narrative of the life and work of pioneer news photographer Yunus Mohamed
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2023-03 ) Smit, Paula-Ann; Rabe, Lizette; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Journalism.
    ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The significance of this historical narrative study lies in its examination of the life and work of Yunus Mohamed, a South African news photographer whose photographic contributions were integral to the documentation of the anti-apartheid struggle and the portrayal of the everyday lives of marginalised communities. This study highlights Mohamed’s role as a pioneering figure in the South African news photography landscape and emphasises his substantial contributions to the field of South African news photography. Born of Cape Malay heritage in 1955 and, under apartheid regulations, classified as “Coloured”, Mohamed persisted in completing high school – despite having to drop out for a period to support his family financially – and training as a photographer. Realising photography’s impact in raising awareness against apartheid, Mohamed joined the Struggle as a photographer of political events and protests for the South African Islamic anti-apartheid organisation Call of Islam. As of 1987, he continued this work as a news photographer at the anti-apartheid newspaper South. Here, he played an essential role in capturing events opposing apartheid and the everyday stories of marginalised communities. Mohamed worked at South until the end of apartheid and the newspaper’s subsequent closure in 1995. Thereafter, he continued to contribute to the South African news photography landscape at the Afrikaans newspaper Die Burger. In a career at the publication that spanned 21 years, Mohamed climbed the ranks to become chief photographer of both Die Burger and the Western Cape office of Rapport. From capturing impactful images of unrest during the height of apartheid to photographing Nelson Mandela’s first speech after his release on 11 February 1990, Mohamed has provided South Africa with a powerful visual record that encapsulates a country’s past. In using historical narrative as theoretical foundation and a case study as method of investigation, this study concludes that, due to his dedication and contribution to the South African news photography landscape, Mohamed can be considered a pioneer news photographer.