Mandela, pp. 263-378

Part Five (continued): Treason

Conclusion of the Treason Trial

• The Treason Trial ends in 1961, after nearly five years, with the acquittal of all 156 defendants.

• Mandela describes the emotional toll, yet acknowledges the solidarity and political education that came from shared struggle during the trial.

• The state fails to prove the ANC’s intention to overthrow the government by violence, but the repression continues.

Part Six: The Black Pimpernel

The Turn to Armed Struggle

• Inspired by movements in Algeria and elsewhere, Mandela concludes that nonviolence is no longer sufficient.

• He co-founds Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK)—"Spear of the Nation"—as an armed wing of the ANC.

• MK’s goal is to sabotage infrastructure, not harm people, as a way to push the government to negotiation without mass casualties.

Going Underground

• Mandela lives underground for 17 months, assuming disguises, using safe houses, and organizing resistance.

• His nickname, “the Black Pimpernel,” reflects his ability to evade police while continuing to speak and organize covertly.

• Reads Clausewitz’s On War and studies guerrilla tactics, staying physically and mentally sharp.

• Conducts MK’s first tests with explosives, including observing the detonation of a device in a brick factory.

Secret International Travel

• With a false passport under the name David Motsamayi, Mandela travels across Africa and the UK.

• Visits Ethiopia, Ghana, Egypt, Tunisia, Morocco, and London, building diplomatic ties and learning about military strategy.

• Trains in guerrilla warfare in Ethiopia, meets Haile Selassie, and studies revolution firsthand.

• His return to South Africa is prompted by his belief that leadership must be inside the country.

Capture

• Shortly after his return in 1962, Mandela is arrested near Howick and charged with inciting strikes and leaving the country illegally.

• Sentenced to five years in prison at Pretoria Local Prison, isolated but not forgotten by the resistance movement.

Part Seven: Rivonia (beginning)

The Rivonia Raid

• While Mandela is imprisoned, police raid Liliesleaf Farm in Rivonia, uncovering documents linking leaders to MK.

• This leads to the Rivonia Trial, where Mandela and others are charged with sabotage and conspiracy to violently overthrow the government.

• The trial becomes another platform for Mandela to defend the morality of their actions.

Key Themes and Takeaways (Pages 263–378)

1. Strategic Shift: From Protest to Sabotage

• The transition from nonviolence to armed resistance is portrayed as a moral and political necessity in the face of unyielding repression.

2. Underground Leadership

• Mandela’s period as the “Black Pimpernel” shows his courage, adaptability, and leadership under pressure.

• His ability to evade capture, study resistance movements, and build support across Africa showcases his global vision.

3. Personal Sacrifice Intensifies

• Mandela loses his freedom again, this time under a more serious charge that could result in the death penalty.

• Despite this, he maintains resolve and continues leading the movement from within prison.

4. Internationalism

• His travels abroad symbolize the pan-African and global nature of the anti-apartheid struggle.

• Mandela gains perspective and training that will inform the later phases of the ANC’s strategy.