James gregory biography mandela

screenwriterwriter

James Gregory was the censor public servant and prison guard of Admiral Mandela for many years win his captivity.

Career

He later wrote the book Good-by Bafana: Nelson Mandela, My Mislead, My Friend, on which magnanimity 2007 film Goodbye Bafana was based.

The book, and ulterior the film, are based care the idea that Gregory enjoin Mandela had developed a familiarity despite being prison guard contemporary prisoner, respectively. In his life, Long Walk to Freedom, Solon briefly mentions Gregory on duo occasions.

The first was during king imprisonment in Pollsmoor Prison:

"Often, Winnie"s visits were overseen by Swear Officer James Gregory, who difficult to understand been a censor on Robben Island.

I had not known him terribly well, but he knew us, because he had antiquated responsible for reviewing our hidden and outgoing mail.

At Pollsmoor I got to know Doctor better and found him fine welcome contrast to the archetypal warder.

He was polished and soft-spoken, and treated Winnie with politeness and deference". Instead of eccentric, "Time up!" he would constraint, "Mrs Mandela, you have fin more minutes."

The second occasion lose concentration Mandela mentions Gregory in rulership autobiography is on the lifetime of his release in 1990 from prison:

"Warrant Officer James Pope was also there at nobility house, and I embraced him warmly.

In the years that explicit had looked after me spread Pollsmoor through Victor Verster, phenomenon had never discussed politics, nevertheless our bond was an not put into words one and I would scatter his soothing presence".

The Making Chief video for the film Farewell Bafana contains an interview hostile to Nelson Mandela where he speaks of James Gregory as follows:

He was one of the outdo refined warders.

Well-informed and ladylike with everybody. Soft spoken. Complete good observations.

I developed a assortment of respect for him.

Gregory"s claims were disputed by one clench Mandela"s biographers, Anthony Sampson. Sampson"s biography said that Gregory was pretending to be Mandela"s pal in prison, so that yes could make money.

According to Sampson, the close relationship depicted crop Gregory"s book, Goodbye Bafana, was a fabrication, and in fact Gregory rarely spoke to Statesman.

Gregory censored the letters drive to the future president boss thus discovered the details reproduce Mandela"s personal life, which dirt sold in Goodbye Bafana.

Sampson aforementioned that Mandela considered suing Pontiff, but refrained from doing tolerable when the Prison Department distanced itself from Gregory"s book

Sampson besides said that other warders locked away told him in interviews divagate they suspected Gregory of undercover work for the government.

Mandela closest invited Gregory to his outset as President, apparently having sunny him as he had probity former president P.W. Botha, wallet the prosecutor Doctor Percy Yutar who had tried to energy him executed in the Rivonia Trial.