Establishing the Butterfly Unit – The Beginning
On 6 August 1985, Commander of Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK) Natal Machinery, Thami Zulu (real name Muziwakhe Ngwenya), met with the African National Congress (ANC) Head of the Mission in Mozambique, Jacob Zuma, to discuss the establishment of a new politico-military structure for Natal in line with the recommendations of the Kabwe Conference. Zuma gave Zulu the go-ahead to draw up a plan, which was then developed with Edward Lawrence (real name Cyril Raymonds), Sue Rabkin and Terence Tyron in Maputo.
An organisational chart was then drawn, using Koki pens, to determine who was to report to whom, what units were to be required, how they were to coordinate their activities, and other critical details. Provisions were also made on the chart for what was called “area mobilisation”, within the Natal province, such as the mobilisation of Indian and African communities on a separate basis.
In the final structure was the creation of the “Headquarters”, which would, in the form of a Politico-Military Council (PMC), integrate political and military functions and would be based abroad. Its members were to be given specific responsibilities, such as mass mobilisation, propaganda, military operations, communications, logistics and intelligence. Subordinate structures were to be established in the “Forward Areas” neighbouring South Africa, with Swaziland being the Forward Area for Natal, reporting to the Headquarters.
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