Sharing this banned film could cost you R500,000 or five years in jail
The Film and Publication Board has banned the US film Hebrews to Negroes: Wake Up Black America for Holocaust denial and hate speech. Distributing, screening or selling it can mean a R500,000 fine or five years in jail.
The Film and Publication Board (FPB) has banned the US film Hebrews to Negroes: Wake Up Black America in South Africa. Anyone who knowingly distributes, screens, sells or advertises it faces a fine of up to R500,000, up to five years in prison, or both (Government Gazette 55620).
The decision was published in the Government Gazette on 23 October 2026, although the board made it on 19 December 2025. The gazette lists the distributor as The NegroNetwork, Inc. (Government Gazette).
What exactly has been banned?
The FPB gave the film a "refused classification". Under the Films and Publications Act that is the strictest outcome there is: the film is prohibited from creation, possession and distribution in South Africa (Government Gazette).
The South African Jewish Board of Deputies (SAJBD) lodged the complaint that led to the ruling, and says the distributor has been asked to remove the film from all platforms in the country (SAJBD). The board first became aware of the film in June 2023, when it was screened at the Soweto Theatre (TimesLIVE).
Why did the FPB ban it?
The board found the film advocates hatred against an identifiable group and amounts to incitement to cause harm. Its published reasons are:
| Reason | What the FPB found |
|---|---|
| Holocaust denial | The film calls the Holocaust a "falsehood", which the board says trivialises immense suffering |
| Dehumanisation | On-screen text compares Jewish people to "parasites among the nations" |
| Antisemitic tropes | It claims "five major falsehoods" hide Jewish "nature" and protect their "status and power" |
| Hate speech | It repeatedly uses racial slurs against black and Indian people |
Source: FPB notice in Government Gazette 55620
The film was marketed as a documentary, but the FPB rejected that defence. Its notice says a real documentary must stick to historical accuracy, and by denying the Holocaust this one "fundamentally fails this criterion" (Government Gazette).
What happens if you share it?
The penalty clause in the notice covers anyone who knowingly broadcasts, distributes, exhibits in public, offers for sale or hire, or advertises the film. On conviction that person can be fined up to R500,000, jailed for up to five years, or both, under section 24A(2)(b) of the Films and Publications Act (Government Gazette).
Some reports have described the fine as applying to possession too (BusinessTech). The gazette does prohibit possession, but its penalty clause lists the distribution offences above.
How do you report it if you see it?
The FPB takes complaints from the public about content on its public input and complaints page. Note where you saw the film (the platform, link or venue) and when.
FAQ
Is Hebrews to Negroes banned in South Africa?
Yes. The Film and Publication Board gave Hebrews to Negroes: Wake Up Black America a refused classification, which prohibits its creation, possession and distribution in South Africa. The notice was published in Government Gazette 55620 on 23 October 2026.
What is the fine for sharing a banned film in South Africa?
For this film, anyone who knowingly broadcasts, distributes, exhibits in public, sells, hires out or advertises it can be fined up to R500,000, jailed for up to five years, or both, under section 24A(2)(b) of the Films and Publications Act.
Why did the FPB ban Hebrews to Negroes?
The FPB found the film denies the Holocaust, dehumanises Jewish people, promotes antisemitic tropes and uses racial slurs, and that it advocates hatred and incites harm. It ruled the film is not a bona fide documentary.
What does refused classification mean?
It is the strictest classification under the Films and Publications Act. A film with a refused classification is prohibited from creation, possession and distribution in South Africa.
Sources
- Government Gazette 55620: FPB notice in terms of section 18(4) of the Films and Publications Act
- SAJBD: FPB refuses classification of antisemitic film following SAJBD complaint
- TimesLIVE: SA bans documentary over Holocaust denial and anti-Semitism
- BusinessTech: South Africa bans United States hate film
- Film and Publication Board: Public input and complaints