Operation Vula Exposed – Part 3: The Pretoria Minute
On the night of 6 August 1990, at approximately 23:00, apartheid President F.W. De Klerk and African National Congress (ANC) leader Nelson Mandela held a joint press conference at the Union Buildings in Pretoria, following their meeting that day. Mandela was flanked by other ANC leaders, including Joe Modise and Joe Slovo, who were the main protagonists on Umkhonto we Sizwe’s (MK’s) armed struggle. During the talks, the ANC made a concession on ceasing the armed struggle subsequent to intelligence acquired by the apartheid regime when Operation Vula became exposed.
When Mandela was asked on the action to be taken to ensure that the announcement was to be adhered to at the grassroots level, he mentioned that there was no longer going to be an infiltration of men and arms into South Africa. Moreover, Mandela asserted that any related military action was to be suspended and that they hoped to be able to communicate with the people and to inform them of what had been decided.
Again, when Mandela was asked as to where they thought they made the greatest concessions in comparison to their previous posture, he responded that as far as the ANC was concerned, they had declared the suspension of the armed struggle with immediate effect. According to Mandela, “You will notice that, on previous occasions, we have said that the ANC will be prepared to consider the suspension of hostilities only if the government first r
