Red Dust

A Black South African politician who endured torture under apartheid. Quiet, determined, and haunted by a buried secret, he navigates a path from coerced confessions toward a broader truth that could reshape his own legacy and the nation's. His choices about the underground list and his stance on amnesty are central to the evolving narrative.

A white lawyer from New York City who returns to South Africa to represent Mpondo. Her past—arrested as a teenager for having a Black boyfriend—drives her involvement and frames her commitment to Truth and Reconciliation while tracing the debts and legacy of anti-apartheid figures like Ben Hoffman.

A local policeman who reveals that torture and murder extended beyond the police station. He confesses where he buried Steve Sizela and exposes the complicity that underpinned apartheid-era abuses, highlighting moral ambiguity and the cost of truth.

A powerful figure who denies charges but is willing to seek amnesty, embodying the contested balance between accountability and national reconciliation. His stance sparks anger within the Black community as the truth comes to light.

A white lawyer who has spent his life opposing apartheid and supports Truth and Reconciliation. Though aging, he remains a moral beacon and passes his case to Sarah Barcant, illustrating the transfer of anti-apartheid ideals to a new generation.

A member of the Müller family linked to the political system that sustained apartheid. Her presence anchors the personal stakes of the case and reflects the tensions within white families connected to power.

A member of the Hoffman family whose relationships reflect how political battles ripple through intimate, domestic spheres in a country transitioning to truth.

A figure representing the voices of the broader South African community affected by state violence and the move toward truthful disclosures in the post-apartheid era.

A younger generation member who embodies the ongoing struggle for accountability and reform, showing how the past informs the present.

An underground comrade whose fate becomes central to revelations about torture, complicating loyalties and the pursuit of full disclosure.