The South African Jewish Board of Deputies (SAJBD) has welcomed the decision, which was first communicated in December 2025 and finalized through its publication in the Government Gazette. The film, directed by Ronald Dalton Jr, promotes the belief that some people of colour, including black Americans, are the true descendants of the biblical Israelites, and that Jews have culturally appropriated their religious heritage.
The Film and Publication Board (FPB) cited several reasons for its decision, including the film's assertion that the Holocaust is a "falsehood", which trivializes immense suffering and perpetuates antisemitism. The FPB also noted that the film's language, including comparisons of Jews to "parasites among the nations", is an egregious act of dehumanization with a well-documented history of justifying discrimination, violence, and genocide.
The SAJBD was alerted to the film in June 2023 when it was screened at the Soweto Theatre, and the Board presented its case against the film to the FPB in June 2024. Dalton Jr appeared to defend the film, but the FPB subsequently upheld the complaint and refused the film classification. The decision means that knowingly broadcasting, distributing, or exhibiting the film constitutes an offence, carrying a possible fine of as much as R500 000, five years' imprisonment, or both.
The SAJBD's national director, Wendy Kahn, said that the decision is an encouraging demonstration that South Africa's regulatory bodies are effectively carrying out their mandate to prevent free speech from crossing into hate speech. Kahn emphasized that freedom of expression cannot be used as a cover to vilify and spread hatred against an entire community based on their identity and beliefs.
Kahn also noted that this decision can set a precedent for other antisemitic films, and that the SAJBD has successfully lodged several hate speech cases with the SA Human Rights Commission, the Equality Court, and now the FPB. The SAJBD's goal is to protect the Jewish community against material or speech that infringes on their right to dignity and incites violence, not to curb free speech.
The film's producers, who live in the United States, have been involved in distributing anti-Jewish conspiracies, films, and social media for many years. The FPB's decision has been hailed as a victory against hate speech, and a demonstration that South Africa's regulatory bodies are committed to upholding the constitutional rights to dignity and equality that belong to every South African.
Key points
- The Film and Publication Board's decision to refuse classification to "Hebrews to Negroes: Wake Up Black America" sets a precedent for other antisemitic films.
- The decision demonstrates that South Africa's regulatory bodies are effectively carrying out their mandate to prevent free speech from crossing into hate speech.
- The ban on the film means that it cannot legally be screened or distributed in South Africa, including online.
