Official Response

What was the Rivonia Trial named after (context)

The Rivonia Trial of 1963-64 was named after the suburb in nothern Johannesburg where the resistance movement’s “safe house”, Liliesleaf Farm, was located.

What was the lead up to the Rivonia Trial

• Realized as terrorists they had to now be on the run

  • => August 1962, Mandela “Black Pimpernel” could no longer play his key role

    • Stopped by police while returning to Johannesburg disguised as a chauffer = 5 years jail for leaving country without permission

Who was arrested and what evidence allowed for it?

Sisulu, Mbeki, Mhlaba, Bernstein, Kathrada, Goldreich and Goldberg;

• Found studying a document titled “Operation Mayibuye”

  • A detailed plan for a revolutionary guerrilla war to be wafed by MK by bases in rural parts of the country

  • So 11 defendents including Mandela (taken from his cell and put on trial again), faced charges of treason

Detail the Trial

The trial began in October 1963. The main law under which the defendants were charged was the Sabotage Act of 1962.

• Chief proescutor, Percy Yutar, called for Death penalty

What did Mandela say that completely ruled out the Dealth Penalty?

“…But if needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die.'“

• Made himself a martyr, now they can’t kill him

What was the international response to the trial?

June 1964, near end of trial → Hundreds of journalists, photographers and diplomats came to Pretoria

On 9 June, the UN Security Council passed a resolution calling on the gov to end the trial and offer an amnesty to all accused

• Rare for the UNSC to be so supportive of something.

• Shows how South Africa began to be viewed worldwide.

What was the verdict of the rivonia trial

• 11 June —> Justice Quartus de Wet delivered verdict: All except one found guilty of all charges

• Life imprisonment

What were the consequnecs of the rivonia trial

• Marked the end of an era in the struggle against apartheid

• Successfully broke the ANC and MK