ANC - Rivonia Unmasked

Mr Justice de Wet's final words on the Rivonia case, spoken in passing sentence on the accused, are memorable enough to be quoted in full:

I have heard a great deal during the course of this case about the grievances of the non-White population. The accused have told me, and their counsel have told me, that the accused, who are all leaders of the non-White population, had been motivated entirely by a desire to ameliorate these grievances. I am by no means convinced that the motives of the accused are as altruistic as they wish the Court to believe. People who organise a revolution usually plan to take over the government, and personal ambition cannot be excluded as a motive.

The function of this court, as is the function of a court in any country, is to enforce law and order and to enforce the laws of the state within which it functions. The crime of which the accused have been convicted, that is the main crime, the crime of conspiracy, is in essence one of high treason. The State has decided not to charge the crime in this form. Bearing this in mind, and giving the matter very serious consideration.

I have decided not to impose the supreme penalty, which in a case like this would usually be the penalty for such a crime. But consistent with my duty, that is the only leniency which I can show. The sentence in the case of all the accused will be one of life imprisonment. In the case of the accused who have been convicted on more than one count, these counts will be taken together for the purpose of sentence.

On June 16th, four days after the Rivonia sentences, the Prime Minister issued a statement in which South Africa's point of view was clearly expounded. Dr Verwoerd said, inter alia:

"We were dealing here with a Communist attack which was directed not only against South Africa but against the West. These people are criminals, Communist criminals, on the same basis as any spy who has been caught and sentenced to death in the U.S.A.; on the same basis as any Communist spy caught in Britain or in any other Western country and sentenced to imprisonment. We are dealing here with a crime against society, based on the Communist struggle against the West.

At four thirty-three sharp all hell rips loose in the passenger concourse at Johannesburg Station. Its source - the innocuous-looking suitcase on the floor next to the old lady's seat.

A thunderous crash, followed by smoke and leaping flames. The explosion rips a jagged hole through the mosaic-patterned concrete wall. A hideous column of dust and smoke shoots up to the ceiling, like a live monster spitting forth yellow sparks and flashes.
This is what the explosion of a dynamite bomb looks like.

The lurid flames eat hungrily into the arms of a 77-year-old woman, into the face of a three year-old child.
In all, twenty-three people are injured.
For days and nights teams of doctors and nurses work ceaselessly, battling for the lives of the victims.
77-year-old Mrs Rhys succumbs to her injuries.
A rumble of anger goes through South Africa.
For this is no longer sabotage.
This is murder!

I have a copy of Rivonia Unmasked (Rivonia: Masker Af, Lauritz Strydom) and can make it available should anyone like to read it - it's an eye opener.