This high-risk ‘plot for peace’ was the work of French businessman Jean Yves Ollivier – alias “Monsieur Jacques”.
In the mid-1980s, with South Africa fighting neighbours in Congo, Mozambique and Angola, Jean Yves Ollivier, a foreign commodity trader with connections to all the stakeholders in the region, dedicated himself to helping the country transition peacefully out of apartheid, using his diplomatic skills, personal relationships and ingenuity to unite South Africa’s neighbouring states in this common goal.
With the pace and intrigue of a spy thriller, Plot for Peace brings together generals, diplomats, master spies and anti-apartheid icons such as Winnie Mandela and ANC leader Thabo Mbeki to recount the true story of how the frontline states put paid to apartheid.
Convinced to come forward by co-director Mandy Jacobson after she discovered his involvement, “Monsieur Jacques” steps out of the shadows for the first time, and will be taking part in a Q&A after the screening.
When: March 10 at 8pm
Where: Riverside Studios, Crisp Road, Hammersmith, London, W6 9RL
Tickets cost £10 (concessions £9). For more information and to book, click here.
