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The Rivonia Trial was an infamous trial which took place in South Africa between 1963 and 1964, in which ten leaders of the African National Congress were tried for 221 acts of sabotage designed to "ferment violent revolution".
It was named after Rivonia, the suburb of Johannesburg where 19 ANC leaders were arrested at Liliesleaf Farm, privately owned by Arthur Goldreich, on 11th July 1963. It had been used as a hideout for the African National Congress. Among others, Nelson Mandela had moved onto the farm in October 1961 and evaded security police while masquerading as a gardener and cook called David Motsamayi (meaning "come-and-go").
Arrested were:
and others.
Goldberg, Bernstein, Hepple and Goldreich were Jewish, Kathrada was Indian, and Sisulu, Mbeki, Motsoaledi and Mhlaba were black.
The trial brought in Nelson Mandela and chief of MK, Walter Mkwayi.
The trial began on November 26, 1963, after the government took advantage of 90 days without trial, and ended on June 12, 1964. Eight defendants were sentenced to life imprisonment, and one acquitted.
Charges were:
- recruiting persons for training in the preparation and use of explosives and in guerrilla warfare for the purpose of violent revolution and committing acts of sabotage
- conspiring to commit the aforementioned acts and to aid foreign military units when they invaded the Republic,
- acting in these ways to further the objects of communism
- soliciting and receiving money for these purposes from sympathizers in Algeria, Ethiopia, Liberia, Nigeria, Tunisia, and elsewhere.
Joel Joffe, Arthur Chaskalson and George Bizos were part of the defence team that represented the accused. There were four defence lawyers and three advocates.
"Production requirements" for munitions for a six-month period were sufficient, the prosecutor Percy Yutar said in his opening address, to blow up a city the size of Johannesburg.
The trial was condemned by the United Nations Security Council, and led to their trying to get international sanctions imposed against the South African government.
List of defendants
Escapes
- Arthur Goldreich escaped from prison disguised as a priest
- Walter Mkwayi (escaped during trial)
- Harold Wolpe (esaped with the help of Manni Brown)
- James Kantor (esaped with the help of Manni Brown)
- Manni Brown Tour operator as a cover to deliver weapons to the ANC.
Results
- [1] (http://www.anc.org.za/ancdocs/history/trials/toward_robben_island.html) "There was no surprise in the fact that Mandela, Sisulu, Mbeki, Motsoaledi, Mlangeni, and Goldberg were found guilty on all four counts. The defense had hoped that Mhlaba, Kathrada, and Bernstein might escape conviction because of the skimpiness of evidence that they were parties to the conspiracy, although undoubtedly they could be prosecuted on other charges. But Mhlaba too was found guilty on all counts, and Kathrada, on one charge of conspiracy. Bernstein, however, was found not guilty. He was rearrested, released on bail, and placed under house arrest. Later he fled the country."
Denis Goldberg went to Pretoria Central Prison instead of Robben Island, where he served 22 years.
External link
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