Skin

Sandra, a ten-year-old girl with African features, is raised by her white Afrikaner parents, Abraham and Sannie, in a remote part of Eastern Transvaal. Despite her appearance, her parents love and care for her, unaware of her black ancestry. She is sent to a local boarding school, where her racial identity begins to be questioned.

Sandra's presence at the school prompts officials to examine her, and she is reclassified as Coloured, leading to her expulsion from the institution. Her parents are shocked by this decision, which reflects the racial laws of the time and society's strict classification system.

Abraham fights through the courts to have Sandra's classification reversed, arguing her true racial identity and fighting against apartheid laws. His efforts gain media attention, turning the case into an international scandal that pressures the legal system to change.

By the age of 17, Sandra realizes she will never be fully accepted by the white community. She falls in love with Petrus, a Black vegetable seller, and begins an illicit affair, risking her reputation and safety in a deeply divided society.

Abraham becomes enraged upon discovering Sandra's relationship with Petrus, threatening to shoot Petrus and disown Sandra. Sannie is conflicted, torn between her husband's anger and her daughter's feelings, reflecting the complex family dynamics under racial tensions.

Sandra elopes with Petrus to Swaziland to escape her family's opposition and societal pressures. Abraham responds by alerting police, leading to Petrus and Sandra's imprisonment and her defiance of her parents' authority.

The magistrate orders Sandra to return to her parents' home, but she refuses, choosing to live independently as a Black woman. She begins her new life in a community with little resources, facing hardship but also feeling more at peace with her identity.

Sandra and Petrus have two children, and despite the difficult conditions—no running water or sanitation—they build a life together. She deeply misses her family but finds a sense of belonging in her new community.

Over many years, Sandra endures hardship, yet she maintains hope and remembrance of her father's advice to 'Never give up.' Her resilience reflects her unwavering spirit amidst adversity and racial division.

Despite the passing years, Sandra longs for a reunion with her family, hoping that reconciliation and understanding might one day occur. Her story continues to be one of forgiveness, family, and the triumph of the human spirit.