The Motshabi Commission Report
The Motshabi Commission Report On 2 May 1975, the Motshabi Commission delivered an interim report on the condition of the African National Congress’s (ANC’s) existing People’s Army abroad. The “Commission on the State of Affairs in Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK) in East Africa” was established by the ANC Revolutionary Council on 17 April 1975, with a mandate to investigate the causes of and possible remedies for the “deterioration of the standard of military life and…
Revisiting ‘Freedom Day’ Since 26 June 1950
Revisiting ‘Freedom Day’ Since 26 June 1950 In 1950, the National Executive Committee of the African National Congress (ANC) decided that for the first time in the history of the Congress Movement, the ANC would call for a day of mourning and a general strike on 26 June 1950 in protest of the 1 May killings and the promulgation of the Suppression of Communism Act. And that day became ultimately known as South Africa “Freedom…
Mozambican Independence and the African Revolution
Mozambican Independence and the African Revolution Mozambican independence on 25 June 1975 fundamentally reshaped the African revolution by shattering the “White Redoubt” in Southern Africa, accelerating the collapse of neighbouring minority-ruled regimes, and establishing a radical, Marxist-Leninist operational base for the wider continent’s liberation movements. The structural and geopolitical ripple effects of the victory by the Mozambique Liberation Front (FRELIMO) altered the trajectory of Pan-African decolonisation across several distinct arenas. Mozambique’s independence directly crippled the…
Oliver Tambo Meets with British Foreign Office Minister Lynda Chalker
Oliver Tambo Meets with British Foreign Office Minister Lynda Chalker On this day, 24 June 1986, the then President of the African National Congress (ANC), Oliver Reginald Tambo, met with Great Britain’s Foreign Office Minister, Lynda Chalker, for the first time in a quest to end apartheid. President Tambo’s meeting with Minister Chalker was viewed as a turning point in British Government policy toward the ANC, which was outlawed in South Africa. The Thatcher Government…
US Blocks Angola’s Membership of the United Nations
US Blocks Angola’s Membership of the United Nations Exactly fifty years ago, on 23 June 1976 the United Sates (US) for the fifteenth time vetoed Angola’s application for membership of the United Nations. The move to prohibit Angola from becoming a member was largely prompted by the US’s concern over the “continuing presence of Cuban forces” in the country. Interestingly, the US was the only member that opposed Angola’s application, while China abstained, following accusations…
Attacks on the ANC in Lusaka in 1989: A Tribute to Sahdhan Naidoo
Attacks on the ANC in Lusaka in 1989: A Tribute to Sahdhan Naidoo On Wednesday, 21 June 1989, at about 23:00, a bomb ripped through the African National Congress’ (ANC) offices in Lusaka, Zambia, resulting in a man in his mid-twenties losing both of his legs. The blast severely damaged the administrative and operational complex used by the liberation movement and the individual who suffered a bilateral amputation (losing both of his legs) was a…
20 June World Refugee Day and the Immigration Crisis in South Africa
20 June World Refugee Day and the Immigration Crisis in South Africa World Refugee Day is an international observance held annually on 20 June to honour the courage, strength and resilience of millions of people forced to flee their homelands due to conflict, persecution, violence or disaster. Designated by the United Nations (UN), the day serves as a global call to build empathy, raise awareness about the harsh realities of displacement, and advocate for refugees’…