Implementing the Kabwe Conference Resolutions: Operation Vula
On 10 May 1986, the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the African National Congress (ANC) convened to assess the implementation of the Kabwe Conference’s resolutions that senior members be sent into the country to provide leadership of the mass movement. Unfortunately, this was not the first follow-up since the conference, and again there was little progress to report on.
In June 1985, during the 2nd National Consultative Conference held in Kabwe, Zambia, from 16 to 25 June 1985, the Strategy and Tactics Commission began setting up a drafting committee consisting of Pallo Jordan, as Chair, Simon Makana, Mac Maharaj and Joe Slovo, among others, to draw up a formal Strategy and Tactics document on the commission’s behalf that could be circulated within the movement at a later date. Although they were unable to deliver a full Strategy and Tactics document at the time, the commission did manage to deliver a draft document for the conference’s consideration.
A number of recommendations were made, including some concerning the Bantustans and bringing the workers into the struggle in greater numbers. The final recommendation read: “We can no longer allow our armed activities to be determined by the risk of civilian casualties. The time has come when those who stand in solid support of the race tyranny and who are its direct or indirect instruments, must themselves begin to feel the agony of our counte
