Pollsmoor Prison

1976 – 1978 / African liberation movement / African National Congress (ANC) / Anti-Imperialism / Apartheid Police / Armed Struggle / Liberation Arts Culture and Heritage / National Democratic Revolution / South African Communist Party’s (SACP’s) / Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK)

The Rabkin-Cronin Case: The Underground Propaganda Machinery

The Rabkin-Cronin Case: The Underground Propaganda Machinery During the evening of 27 July 1976, at approximately 22:40, a squad of apartheid Security Branch policemen took up positions outside a house…

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July 29, 2026

1984-1990 / African liberation movement / African National Congress (ANC) / Anti-Imperialism / Apartheid Police / Armed Struggle / Battles / Front Line States / National Democratic Revolution / SA Liberation Struggle / South African Defence Force’s (SADF) / Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK)

Remembering Coline Williams and ‘Robbie’ Waterwitch

Remembering Coline Williams and ‘Robbie’ Waterwitch On 23 July 1989, 22-year-old Coline Williams and 20-year-old Robert Anthony Basil “Robbie” Waterwitch died when a time-delayed explosive device detonated prematurely in a…

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July 24, 2026

1984-1990 / African liberation movement / African National Congress (ANC) / Anti-Imperialism / Apartheid Police / National Democratic Revolution

National Insurrection Spreads to Cape Town

National Insurrection Spreads to Cape Town On 28 August 1985, at around 09:00 in the morning, close to 3 000 youthful protesters marched down Klipfontein Road in Gugulethu, in the…

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August 28, 2025

1990 – 1994 / African liberation movement / African National Congress (ANC) / Anti-Imperialism / Apartheid Police / Armed Struggle / Front Line States / National Democratic Revolution / National Executive Committee (NEC) / Pan Africanism / South African Communist Party’s (SACP’s) / South African Defence Force’s (SADF) / Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK)

Operation Vula: The Post-Mortem

Operation Vula: The Post-Mortem On Tuesday, 21 August 1990, Colonel Johannes Steyn and Lieutenant Colonel Hendrik J.P. ‘Hentie’ Botha, of the Natal Security Branch intelligence unit, reported to the apartheid…

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August 21, 2025

1984-1990 / African liberation movement / African National Congress (ANC) / National Democratic Revolution / Negotiations / South African Communist Party’s (SACP’s) / Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK)

The Commonwealth EPG Visit: Part 1

The Commonwealth EPG Visit: Part 1 On 17 May 1986, the Commonwealth Eminent Persons Group (EPG), consisting of its co-chairmen, Malcolm Fraser of Australia and Olusegun Obasanjo of Nigeria, along…

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May 17, 2025

1984-1990 / African National Congress (ANC) / National Executive Committee (NEC) / Negotiations / Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK)

PW Botha’s Offer to Nelson Mandela

On 31 January 1985, faced with trouble at home and pressure from abroad, the apartheid State President PW Botha offered a tepid, halfway measure for Mandela’s freedom. In a debate…

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January 31, 2025

1961-1964 / 1964-1967 / African National Congress (ANC) / Apartheid Police / Pan Africanism / South African Communist Party’s (SACP’s) / Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK)

Little Rivonia Trialists

On 5 January 1965, three members of the African National Congress (ANC) and Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK) Mac Maharaj, Laloo Chiba and Andrew Masondo, including an unknown Raymond Nyanda, arrived…

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January 5, 2025