Madiba - a six part review of the past 95 years. Part 3

We would like to celebrate Madiba's exceptional life and achievements with a 6 part series written by Steuart Pennington.

Madiba - Part 3
Wednesday, 17 July 2013

by Steuart Pennington

Leadership, roles and arrest.

Some 21 days after launching this six part series on the life of Madiba he continues to remain in a critical condition in hospital. Word has it that he remains on life support. Always difficult to know whether we are saving life or postponing death.

As I write, my good friend Christopher Till, Director of the Apartheid Museum, is off to Lima, Peru, to set up the Mandela exhibition after a very successful exhibition in Paris.

After an epic two week holiday in the wilderness of Botswana I will now continue with the third in the in the series of six newsletters on Madiba’s life, consistent with the themes of the Exhibition.

The third has to do with his transformation from a ‘rural boy’ on a journey to discover life in Johannesburg, as a security guard on the mines, to a political activist and a leader.

As I have done previously, I will also try and juxtapose some of the global and South African events that inevitably played a role, but that, sometimes oddly, were not seen as important or influential at the time.

1950 Madiba is elected as President of the ANC Youth League.

1951 In March, President Malan decided to enact the Separate Registration of Voters Bill aimed at removing the Coloureds of the Cape Province from the common voters roll by which they had been entitled to vote since 1853. This precipitated wide reaction from whites (in the form of the Torch Commando); the ANC; the Indian community; and the Coloureds themselves.

In reaction Walter Sisulu introduced the idea of a civil disobedience campaign.

Madiba wanted the campaign to be exclusively African.

He was out-voted within the ANC.

Thus, a defining moment in Madiba’s political awareness was the Defiance Campaign of 1952. An ultimatum was sent to Malan calling for the repeal of the Suppression of Communism Act, the Group Areas Act, the Separate Registration of Voters Bill, and the Pass Laws. There was the predictable and obvious rebuttal.

The Defiance Campaign was launched on 26 June 1952. Madiba advises, pleads, with all the protestors to respond to violence with non-violence.

On 22 June Madiba addresses 10,000 Africans and Indians – his first ‘mass address’. He finds the process exhilarating. “We can now say the unity between the non-European people in this country has become a living reality.”

Madiba is arrested for the first time. – and is beaten up as he protests the man handling of fellow protesters at the hands of the Police.

As a consequence of the Defiance Campaign the ANC is transformed from an elitist group of intellectual Africans into a mass movement. Membership moves from 7000 to 100,000 in weeks.

Abroad, the African ‘cause’ gains recognition for the first time.

1952 Madiba opens his own legal practice, in Chancellor House, with Oliver Tambo (who gave up his teaching post at St.Peter’s Mission School.) Business prospers, he quickly builds up a significant black clientele, buys an Oldsmobile, dresses immaculately, used the same tailor as the Oppenheimers.

1952 Madiba serves a six month ban for his role in the Campaign.

1952 Madiba succeeds JSB Marks as President of the ANC Transvaal, introduces M-Plan, an attempt, not supported by all ANC Branch leaders, to organise the ANC into an underground movement and promote public violence.

1952 His marriage to Evelyn begins to deteriorate as he throws himself into politics. He has an affair with his secretary.

1953 Ban expires. Bantu Education Act introduced by Verwoerd.

1953 Liberal Party launched by Alan Paton on the ticket ‘equal rights for all civilized people’; opposes any form of passive/public resistance and requires that only ‘parliamentary processes are adopted’. Congress of Democrats and SACP (with many white members) at odds with Liberal Party.

1953 Madiba vents anger on Liberal Party with hard hitting article in the magazine – Liberation.

Soon afterwards Liberal Party changes its stance and stands for universal franchise and extra-parliamentary protest, largely to ingratiate the ANC and align themselves with black leadership.

1954 In April, the Transvaal Law Society petitions the Supreme Court to have Madiba struck off the role because of his political activity.

1955 Madiba joins SACP with Walter Sisulu

June 1955 Sophiatown forced removals commence with military trucks and police. Soon afterwards many other multi-racial residential areas are uprooted, District 6 etc. The Group Areas Act is implemented with increasing momentum.

1956 Launch of Freedom Charter, Nationalist Government uses this as a pretext to crush the ‘nationalist movement’ by charging its leaders with treason. Madiba arrested for High Treason with 156 others, chosen as their spokesperson. Held in Fort for two weeks, Johannesburg’s main prison, a previous Boer fortress to defend against the British.

Detainees appear in wire cage in the Drill Hall as court hearings proceed. Bail agreed at £250 for Europeans, £100 for Indians , and £50 for Africans and Coloureds.

Madiba’s law practice, with his ongoing detention, falls apart, as does his marriage. Evelyn’s brother, Kaizer Matanzima tries to intervene, with no success. His three children; Thembi, Makgatho and Makaziwe deeply affected.

1956 200,000 women led by Lilian Ngoyi and Helen Joseph march on Pretoria to oppose pass laws being extended to women.

1957 Treason Trial charges dropped for 66 of the accused, but not ANC stalwarts.

1958 At 38 Madiba marries Winnie 16 years his junior. Her parents are Columbus and Gertrude Madikezela, her grandfather a white man.

Treason Trial resumes, focus on Freedom Charter 4000 docs 1000 police raids. Prof Andrew Murray testifies on ‘evils’ of communism. Is completely tied up in cross questioning by Sydney Kentridge.

1959 Progressive Party launched, described by Peter Brown, leader of the Liberal Party “as an all-white party with all-white policy decisions”, formed as a breakaway from ‘left-wing’ Liberals and ‘right-wing’ United Party with the notion of promoting a qualified vote for ‘non-whites’ and working within parliament. Dr. Jan Steytler, Colin Eglin, Helen Suzman and Ray Swart present. Progs run into early opposition from the ANC.

1960 Sharpeville – anti pass campaign organised by PAC, 5000 picketers, 300 police 67 people die. ANC/PAC banned – State of Emergency declared. Robert Sebukwe arrested. 2000 people detained. 18 000 arrests. Mandela temporarily jailed, lice in prison.

Mandela goes underground, begins to form Umkonto we Sizwe, Chief Luthuli receives Nobel Peace Prize.

1961 B.J.Vorster, Minister of Justice, appoints Hendrik van den Bergh, who had been interned with him during the Second World War, as head of Security Police. He famously quotes ‘To the devil with the rule of law, you can’t fight communism with the Queensbury rules, if you do, you lose’.

1962 Mandela captured in Howick after reporting to Luthuli in Pietermaritzburg regarding the formation of Umkonto and sentenced to five years in prison. Dressed in white coat, pretends to be the black chauffeur to Cecil Williams, a white ANC colleague.

Arrested by a Sergeant Vorster.

As Madiba recounts “When Sergeant Vorster of the Pietermartizburg police stopped me and produced an arrest warrant, I said my name as David Motsamayi. He nodded and in a very proper way, asked me a few questions. I parried these without giving him much information. Sergeant Vorster seemed a bit irritated and then said, “Ag, you’re Nelson Mandela, and this is Cecil Williams, and you are under arrest!”

Madiba brought back as key witness in Rivonia Trial.

1963 July. Rivonia Trial and famous speech. “During my life time I have dedicated myself to this struggle of the African people. I have fought against white domination and I have fought against black domination, I have cherished the idea of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities. It is an ideal which I hope to live for and to achieve. But, if needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die.”

1964 June. Justice de Wet, in a very erudite judgement, avoids the death penalty and hands down life imprisonment.

Next week: Prisoner for 27 years