In 1980 Moroka Township, South Africa, black police Sergeant Micah Mangena learns of the death of another officer, who was burned alive as a result of tensions brewing from apartheid. The news causes his wife, Rosie, to worry, and prompts his teenage son, Zweli, to doubt whether or not to follow in his father’s footsteps by joining the force. As Rosie reports to her job as a housekeeper, Micah leaves for the East Dorset Police Precinct, where he teaches a class of new cadets the value of pride, intelligence, and glory on the job. Police Commissioner Willem Van Tonder greatly admires Micah’s teaching methods, but warns that their township will soon be under strict supervision of Special Branch Captain De Villiers. Meanwhile, in Zweli’s all-black school, a rebellious student named Solomon Matanziman causes a stir by refusing to speak Afrikaans in class. Zweli quietly agrees with the sentiment, and approaches an anti-apartheid activist named Pule Rampa to help him and a group of dissenters stand up against the school system. Unaware that Zweli organized the meeting, one of Micah’s cadets overhears their plans and warns his boss. Micah leads a squad of officers to arrest Pule Rampa and some other students, while the rest, including Zweli, are allowed to escape. Pleased to have Pule in custody once again, De Villiers conducts his interrogation as Micah returns home. Zweli walks through the door moments later, claiming he was out studying with his girl friend, Thokozile “Thoko” Machikano. Just then, someone throws a rock through the Mangenas’ window, and Micah notices a burning doll hanging on their porch, left as a threat against his life. The next day, Van Tonder encourages Micah to sleep at the police compound for his safety, and Micah reluctantly agrees. De Villiers arrests Naledi Machikano, Zweli’s friend and Thoko’s layabout brother, giving him the option of joining the South African Police (SAP) to avoid time in jail. During soccer practice, Solomon beats up Zweli, believing he set Pule up to get arrested. The two fight until Thoko breaks them up and chastises them for their childish behavior. During a visit home one evening, Rosie attempts to convince Micah that while working for the SAP would provide a stable income, it is not the job Zweli wants to pursue. She suggests Micah resign so they can move to the countryside, but he refuses. Back at the precinct, De Villiers uses violence to interrogate Pule, but the activist refuses to talk. When Micah notices De Villiers’ henchman, Reteif, leaving the cellblock, he finds Pule’s bloody body tied to a metal pole suspended horizontally across the room. Horrified, Micah urgently leads Pule back to his bed. After that year’s cadet graduation ceremony, Naledi’s father berates Micah for being a traitor to their country by serving in the SAP. In the market, Rosie is ridiculed by mothers whose sons were arrested for associating with Pule. After returning home, she bursts into tears, afraid that her life and family are being stolen from her by her husband’s duty to his job. That evening, Micah questions Zweli for not attending the ceremony and making alternate plans for his life. At school, Solomon once again defies the teacher, but is joined by Zweli and his classmates, who stand up and march out of the classroom declaring, “No more Afrikaans!” Using a megaphone, Micah orders them to return to their studies before Reteif releases a canister of teargas. As the students scatter, De Villiers instructs police to chase them through the streets and arrest them. Van Tonder is infuriated by De Villiers’ methods of conducting strip searches on the children, but the Special Branch officer convinces him such searches are necessary to prevent violent uprisings in the future. Across town, Rosie finds Zweli and Thoko preparing to leave Moroka. When Pule once again refuses to speak, De Villiers has him killed in a manner to suggest suicide. Upon realizing that Zweli has left, Micah finds him making anti-apartheid T-shirts with his friends in a hut on the outskirts of town. He warns Zweli that he will be tortured and killed if he is found, but grows angry over his son’s continued rebellion and nearly strangles him. Later, De Villiers persuades Micah that Zweli deserves “indefinite detention.” As Zweli and Thoko lead a peaceful student march to the police station, Micah and Van Tonder disperse teargas over the assembly while other officers beat children with batons and fire their guns. Micah deflects a bullet aimed at Zweli, but is forced by De Villiers to arrest his own son. The protesters retaliate by throwing Molotov cocktails at the officers and into several homes. In the police academy classroom, Van Tonder attempts to apologize to Micah and informs him that Rosie is out amongst the chaos. Micah rises from his seat without a word, leaving his uniform behind. Running home, he finds Rosie lying on the ground, but she is still alive. As other officers patrol the streets, Naledi grabs Zweli and the two escape in a police truck. Sometime later, the townspeople hold an illegal funeral for those slain during the uprising. Micah and Rosie eventually join the crowd, but numerous rebels jump on the former police officer and silently stab him with a knife. Rosie holds her dying husband’s hand as Zweli gives an inspirational speech and a line of SAP vehicles appear in the distance.