Ithuteng

Ithuteng is a 2006 documentary film about the Ithuteng Trust School in Soweto, South Africa, its students and leader Jackie Maarohanye, referred to as Mama Jackey. It was directed by Willie Ebersol and co-produced by Charlie Ebersol and Kip Kroeger.

Ithuteng premiered on HBO on Sunday 3 December 2006 at 6:30pm and on HBO Family on Tuesday 5 December 2006 at 9:00pm.

Oprah Winfrey donated USD1.14m to the cause after it appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show on 2 February 2006.

In 2001 South African Investigative News Magazine show Carte Blanche first broadcast a story on Ithuteng Founder Jackey Maaronhanye – calling her the Angel of Soweto. But in 2006 this was followed by insert ITHUTENG TRUST – transcript at http://beta.mnet.co.za/carteblanche/Article.aspx?Id=3224 - in which a group of former students said that they had lied about the stories of abuse and poverty told to sponsors and media. They said that their heart-wrenching stories had been scripted by Maarohanye, and this in order to gain the sympathy of donors, that funding would pay for their education and that this was their incentive to lie. When the students went on to study and became suspicious that their fees were not being paid as promised, they went public with allegations of lies, financial mismanagement, intimidation, violence and more. The investigative exposé shocked South African viewers and was covered in the general press for an extended period of time.

Awards

• Best Documentary Film, Hatch Film Festival
• Official Selection, Empire International Film Festival
• Best Humanitarian Film, Telluride Film Festival

External links

• Official Ithuteng site
• Ithuteng at the Internet Movie Database