Heidi Holland
Encyclopedia
Heidi Holland is a South Africa
–based Zimbabwe
an journalist and author who has been involved in the journalism industry for over 30 years. She has worked as a freelancer writer on publications such as The Sunday Times
, The Telegraph
, International Herald Tribune
, The New York Times
and The Guardian
and has also worked on research projects for British television documentaries. She is the author of various book such as the recent Dinner with Mugabe an account of her meetings with Robert Mugabe
. Previously she released The Colour of Murder, a South African–based book on the Van Schoor family and the murder trials its members faced. She has also released a book based on the history of South Africa's ruling-party The Struggle:A History of the African National Congress.
, a South African tabloid newspaper.
in December 2007. It took 18 months to secure the interview. In the book Holland explores the transformation of the man she met in 1975 with his present state. She also looks at his relationships with those such as his first wife, Sally, Lord Soames, Rhodesia's last British governor; Denis Norman
, a white farmer who held several portfolios in his early governments as well as with the former Rhodesian Premier Ian Smith
. She also questions the president on controversial issues such as Gukurahundi
and land reform in Zimbabwe. Several excerpts of the book have appeared in the international press and it is published by Penguin South Africa.
published Africa Magic: Traditional Ideas That Heal a Continent. The book is an exploration of Sub Saharan Africa's natural philosophies looking at ways healers have used traditional belief systems to deal with things such as medical and marital issues.
published Born in Soweto: Inside the Heart of South Africa. The book focusses on a description of life told my Soweto's residents. It is also illustrated.
publishing company in April 1990. Holland explores the peaceful and violent protestations of the political party against racial discrimnation. She also looks at the communist ties of the party as well as the roots of apartheid ideology. The book received favourable reviews, with The New York Times
citing it as a 'concise' and 'informative' history of the political party.
in the article 'A disservice to white citizens' published by The Star
on 21 May 2009. Holland expressed that Zille's comments reflected badly on the white South African community. On 27 May 2009, the newspaper published Zille's reply. Zille accused Holland of a "warped logic" concerning race issues.
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
–based Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe is a landlocked country located in the southern part of the African continent, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It is bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia and a tip of Namibia to the northwest and Mozambique to the east. Zimbabwe has three...
an journalist and author who has been involved in the journalism industry for over 30 years. She has worked as a freelancer writer on publications such as The Sunday Times
The Sunday Times
The Sunday Times is a British Sunday newspaper.The Sunday Times may also refer to:*The Sunday Times *The Sunday Times *The Sunday Times *The Sunday Times...
, The Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph is a daily morning broadsheet newspaper distributed throughout the United Kingdom and internationally. The newspaper was founded by Arthur B...
, International Herald Tribune
International Herald Tribune
The International Herald Tribune is a widely read English language international newspaper. It combines the resources of its own correspondents with those of The New York Times and is printed at 38 sites throughout the world, for sale in more than 160 countries and territories...
, The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
and The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
and has also worked on research projects for British television documentaries. She is the author of various book such as the recent Dinner with Mugabe an account of her meetings with Robert Mugabe
Robert Mugabe
Robert Gabriel Mugabe is the President of Zimbabwe. As one of the leaders of the liberation movement against white-minority rule, he was elected into power in 1980...
. Previously she released The Colour of Murder, a South African–based book on the Van Schoor family and the murder trials its members faced. She has also released a book based on the history of South Africa's ruling-party The Struggle:A History of the African National Congress.
Journalism
As well as freelancing for a number of international titles, Holland is a columnist for The StarThe Star (South Africa)
The Star is a daily newspaper based in Gauteng, South Africa. It has a readership of 840 000 and is owned by Independent News & Media. It gained worldwide attention in 2006 when it published survey results according to which about twenty percent of South African men have raped a woman in...
, a South African tabloid newspaper.
Dinner with Mugabe
The title Dinner with Mugabe relates to an encounter between Holland and Mugabe in 1975 when a friend brought him to her house for a secret dinner as he was about to flee the country to wage a guerrilla war. Yet Holland was significant as a white journalist to have secured a 2½-hour interview with Zimbabwean President Robert MugabeRobert Mugabe
Robert Gabriel Mugabe is the President of Zimbabwe. As one of the leaders of the liberation movement against white-minority rule, he was elected into power in 1980...
in December 2007. It took 18 months to secure the interview. In the book Holland explores the transformation of the man she met in 1975 with his present state. She also looks at his relationships with those such as his first wife, Sally, Lord Soames, Rhodesia's last British governor; Denis Norman
Denis Norman
Denis Norman is an English-born Zimbabwean former politician who spent a total of twelve years in the Cabinet of Robert Mugabe. He was known as "Nothing Wrong Norman" due to his calm attitude when dealing with problems.-Career:...
, a white farmer who held several portfolios in his early governments as well as with the former Rhodesian Premier Ian Smith
Ian Smith
Ian Douglas Smith GCLM ID was a politician active in the government of Southern Rhodesia, the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland, Rhodesia, Zimbabwe Rhodesia and Zimbabwe from 1948 to 1987, most notably serving as Prime Minister of Rhodesia from 13 April 1964 to 1 June 1979...
. She also questions the president on controversial issues such as Gukurahundi
Gukurahundi
The Gukurahundi refers to the suppression by Zimbabwe's 5th Brigade in the predominantly Ndebele regions of Zimbabwe most of whom were supporters of Joshua Nkomo. A few hundred disgruntled former ZIPRA combatants waged armed banditry against the civilians in Matabeleland, and destroyed government...
and land reform in Zimbabwe. Several excerpts of the book have appeared in the international press and it is published by Penguin South Africa.
The Colour of Murder
In 2006, Holland released a South Africa–based true crime investigation of racism and violence in The Colour of Murder: One family's horror exposes a nation's anguish . In the book she explores the controversial family dynamics and racial politics of the Van Schoor family, a white South African family. She focuses on the patriarch Louis Van Schoor,a former East London security guard who is alleged to have shot over a hundred black people during apartheid. Then there is his daughter Sabrina Van Schoor, who made friends in the coloured community (to her parents disapproval) as a child and later gave birth to a coloured child, Tatum. in 2001 she ordered a hitman to kill her mother, Beverley on the grounds that she was a racist. She won many awards for this masterpiece, including a Pulitzer award.African Magic
In 2001, PenguinPenguin Books
Penguin Books is a publisher founded in 1935 by Sir Allen Lane and V.K. Krishna Menon. Penguin revolutionised publishing in the 1930s through its high quality, inexpensive paperbacks, sold through Woolworths and other high street stores for sixpence. Penguin's success demonstrated that large...
published Africa Magic: Traditional Ideas That Heal a Continent. The book is an exploration of Sub Saharan Africa's natural philosophies looking at ways healers have used traditional belief systems to deal with things such as medical and marital issues.
Born in Soweto
In 1994, PenguinPenguin Books
Penguin Books is a publisher founded in 1935 by Sir Allen Lane and V.K. Krishna Menon. Penguin revolutionised publishing in the 1930s through its high quality, inexpensive paperbacks, sold through Woolworths and other high street stores for sixpence. Penguin's success demonstrated that large...
published Born in Soweto: Inside the Heart of South Africa. The book focusses on a description of life told my Soweto's residents. It is also illustrated.
The Struggle
The Struggle:A History of the African National Congress was released by George BrazillerGeorge Braziller
George Braziller is an American book publisher and the founder of George Braziller, Inc., a firm known for its literary and artistic books and its publication of foreign authors....
publishing company in April 1990. Holland explores the peaceful and violent protestations of the political party against racial discrimnation. She also looks at the communist ties of the party as well as the roots of apartheid ideology. The book received favourable reviews, with The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
citing it as a 'concise' and 'informative' history of the political party.
Controversy
In May 2009, Holland was embroiled in a row with the leader of South Africa's largest opposition party, the Democratic Alliance. Holland criticized personal comments made by Zille about Jacob ZumaJacob Zuma
Jacob Gedleyihlekisa Zuma is the President of South Africa, elected by parliament following his party's victory in the 2009 general election....
in the article 'A disservice to white citizens' published by The Star
The Star (South Africa)
The Star is a daily newspaper based in Gauteng, South Africa. It has a readership of 840 000 and is owned by Independent News & Media. It gained worldwide attention in 2006 when it published survey results according to which about twenty percent of South African men have raped a woman in...
on 21 May 2009. Holland expressed that Zille's comments reflected badly on the white South African community. On 27 May 2009, the newspaper published Zille's reply. Zille accused Holland of a "warped logic" concerning race issues.