This Is Your Life: Donald Woods

Donald WOODS CBE (1933-2001)

THIS IS YOUR LIFE - Donald Woods, writer and human rights campaigner, was surprised by Michael Aspel during a reception for his newly published book at the South African High Commission in London.

Donald, who was born in Transkei, South Africa, studied law at Cape Town University, where he first formed his views against the country's apartheid regime. After graduating, he began campaigning against the government, initially as a young lawyer through The Federal Party and later, having changed career, as a trainee reporter with the liberal white Daily Dispatch newspaper in East London. He captured the world's attention in 1977 with an exposé on the death while in police custody of his friend Steve Biko, a prominent young black activist and founder of the Black Consciousness Movement.

When he published details regarding Biko's death at the hands of the South African police, Donald was classed as a 'banned person', and the newspaper was shut down. He and his family were regularly terrorised by gunmen but eventually escaped the country, first to Lesotho and then to the UK. He wrote and campaigned for international sanctions against the racist South African government, which ultimately resulted in a change of regime in the country and the end of apartheid. Donald's book Biko, and his personal experiences, as described in his autobiography Asking for Trouble, inspired the 1987 film Cry Freedom.

"Hello! Oh no! No!"

programme details...

Edition No: 1057
Subject No: 1032
Broadcast date: Thu 14 Dec 2000
Broadcast time: 8.00-8.30pm
Recorded: Mon 18 Sep 2000
Venue: Teddington Studios
Series: 41
Edition: 4
Code name: Bowls

on the guest list...

Wendy - wife
Jane - daughter
Dillon - son
Duncan - son
Gavin - son
Mary - daughter
Penelope Wilton
David Lewis
Fred Rumsey
George Johannes
message from Nelson Mandela
Harland - brother
Terry Warren
Judge Harold Levy
John Ryan
Bruce Haig
Colin Legum
Margaret Legum
Richard Attenborough
Richard Branson
Graham - son-in-law
Kate - granddaughter
Sophie - granddaughter
Nkosinathi Biko
Kevin Kline
Malusi Mpumlwana
Terry Briceland
Donald Card

production team...

Researcher: Jo Grant
Writer: Ian Brown
Director: John Gorman
Associate Producer: Helen Gordon-Smith
Executive Producer: John Longley
Series Producer: Jack Crawshaw
Producer: Sue Green

names above in bold indicate subjects of This Is Your Life

related pages...

A Charitable Life

the unsung heroes

Richard Attenborough

Screenshots of Donald Woods This Is Your Life

news24 3 January 2001

Donald Woods a separatist?

London - Donald Woods CBE, probably one of the best-known white anti-apartheid activists, was as rightwing as could be when he was a young man. As a law student at the University of Cape Town, he convincingly defended his "separatist viewpoints".

"Politically he was so far right that I thought he came round the second time," said Harold Levy, a former lecturer of Woods and now judge in Namibia, recently on the BBC programme This Is Your Life.

The 67 year-old Woods's book about his friendship with murdered black consciousness leader, Steve Biko, brought him international fame and in this highly respected programme he was honoured by presenter Michael Aspel.

In the programme, the person who is being honoured is brought to the studio without their knowing they will appear on the show. Their life story then gets read out from the so-called Red Book by Aspel. Family members and friends are also brought to the BBC studios in London or their tributes and anecdotes on aspects of the person's life are recorded on video or read out as messages.

Woods, the Editor of the Daily Dispatch in East London at the time, was under house arrest when he fled South Africa in 1977 with his family. His book Biko caused a worldwide sensation and in 1987 it was the nucleus of the film Cry Freedom by British director, Sir Richard Attenborough.

Attenborough, Kevin Kline, who played the role of Woods in Cry Freedom, and former President Nelson Mandela were among the many who praised Woods for his role in dismantling apartheid.

Attenborough said the characteristic he most admired was that of courage. "Not only physical courage but also that brought about by dedication", and Woods and his "remarkable family" had an overflow of that.

Mandela said in his message that he and other political prisoners on Robben Island were "cheered" by Woods's leading articles that were smuggled into the prison.

At the end of 1999 Woods was made a Commander of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth as one of the British Millennium honours for his services to human rights.

But as a young man in the fifties, Woods had completely different political convictions, said Aspel when he read Wood's life story from the Red Book.

"In your final years at college (Christian Brother's in Kimberley), you showed a talent for debate, but not really a propensity for liberalism. One time you successfully argued that blacks were being treated fairly and that white supremacy should continue," said Aspel. This caused Woods to give an embarrassed laugh, scratch his head and shift around in his chair in the studio.

"You took your separatist viewpoints with you when you went to study law at the University of Cape Town. There you met a lecturer that changed your way of thinking. Today he is a judge in Namibia."

A voice then boomed over the studio guests, who included Woods's wife Wendy, his five children, his brother and British businessman Sir Richard Branson demanding: "What do you plead, guilty or not guilty?" and Judge Levy, his former lecturer, walked into the studio and embraced Woods.

"What is the verdict on Donald Woods?" Aspel asked Levy.

"When Donald came to me, he was so far right politically that I thought he came round the second time. Woods was full of arguments and tried to justify his standpoint. I did not interrupt him. Eventually he realised how stupid his viewpoint was. He realised his own shortcomings."

"My verdict is: Donald, you are not guilty," said Levy to laughter.

Series 41 subjects