Chris Hani: The Demand of the Time
(Address by Chris Hani, the Deputy Commander and Commissar of Umkhonto we Sizwe, to the MK People’s Army, Luanda, Angola, January 1986)
“1985 has been a year of intensive and sharp struggles between the oppressed masses on one hand and the ruling class of our country on the other. It was a year of great and tremendous sacrifices by our people who went into the streets to battle enemy soldiers, police and their saracens and casspirs.
“The deeds of heroism and courage are indeed unparalleled in the recent history of our country. This struggle threw out thousands of young people who are ready to make all sort of sacrifices in the struggle for freedom and social justice. This climate of unparalleled upsurge has thrown into the fore a lot of serious demands, especially for our people’s army, Umkhonto we Sizwe. Its role has become very crucial within the context of a situation of escalating violence by the enemy. An enemy which has lost all options except more and more reliance on brutal and naked force.
“For the success of our assault on the enemy we need to look very carefully into the way we prepare our army. This army is expected more than ever before to be seen to be a people’s army, to be seen to be responding to the demand of the time. And the demand of the time is the escalation of the armed struggle.
“Our people are demanding to see us confronting the enemy. In fact our People’s Army has got to translate int
