The Little Rivonia Trial was a South African apartheid-era court case in which several members of the armed resistance organization Umkhonto we Sizwe faced charges of sabotage. The accused were: Laloo Chiba, Dave Kitson, Mac Maharaj, John Matthews and Wilton Mkwayi. A confederate of theirs, Lionel Gay turned state witness, and in return, the prosecution dropped the charges against him.[1]
In 1976, Mac Maharaj was released from custody of Apartheid government after serving 12 years in the Robben Island prison.
In 1979, John Matthews, a white South African Communist,[6] was released after serving his 15 year sentence at Pretoria Central Prison.[6] In 1997, years after his release, Matthews received three long service MK medals from then Deputy Minister of Defence, Ronnie Kasrils.[6] Matthews eventually succumbed to cancer at the age of 85.[6]
In 1982, Laloo Chiba was released from custody of Apartheid government after serving 18 years in the Robben Island prison but he was rearrested in 1985 to 1986 without a trial.
On 11 May 1984, Dave Kitson, a white British Communist who served in the High Command of uMkhonto weSizwe,[7][8] was released after being in prison since 1964.[7] He afterwards moved back to his native home of London, England.[9][8] He later died in 2010.[10]
^ ab"David Kitson released | South African History Online". www.sahistory.org.za. Retrieved 2021-07-28.
^ abSchoonmaker, James (2014-11-12). "David Kitson". Manchester Historian. Retrieved 2021-07-28.
^. Archived from the original on 2020-07-22. Retrieved 2020-07-22.
^"David Kitson obituary". the Guardian. 2011-01-17. Retrieved 2021-07-28.
November 01, 2023
little, rivonia, trial, this, article, uses, bare, urls, which, uninformative, vulnerable, link, please, consider, converting, them, full, citations, ensure, article, remains, verifiable, maintains, consistent, citation, style, several, templates, tools, avail. This article uses bare URLs which are uninformative and vulnerable to link rot Please consider converting them to full citations to ensure the article remains verifiable and maintains a consistent citation style Several templates and tools are available to assist in formatting such as reFill documentation and Citation bot documentation September 2022 Learn how and when to remove this template message The Little Rivonia Trial was a South African apartheid era court case in which several members of the armed resistance organization Umkhonto we Sizwe faced charges of sabotage The accused were Laloo Chiba Dave Kitson Mac Maharaj John Matthews and Wilton Mkwayi A confederate of theirs Lionel Gay turned state witness and in return the prosecution dropped the charges against him 1 Judge W G Boshoff presided over the November to December 1964 trial with human rights lawyer George Bizos one of the advocates appearing for the defence All the accused were found guilty Maharaj s legal representatives were expecting that he would receive the death penalty for his Central Committee membership of the South African Communist Party a banned organization at the time During the sentencing phase Mkwayi would simply say in his defence My Lord I am a professional agitator 2 3 Mkwayi received a life sentence Kitson twenty years Chiba eighteen years Matthews fifteen years and Maharaj twelve years 4 While Kitson and Matthews both white were imprisoned in Pretoria Central Prison and joined Denis Goldberg and for Mkwayi Maharaj and Chiba joined Nelson Mandela Govan Mbeki Walter Sisulu and other prominent African National Congress members for hard labour at the famous Robben Island quarry 5 Contents 1 The releases 2 See also 3 Poems referencing apartheid 4 ReferencesThe releases editIn 1976 Mac Maharaj was released from custody of Apartheid government after serving 12 years in the Robben Island prison In 1979 John Matthews a white South African Communist 6 was released after serving his 15 year sentence at Pretoria Central Prison 6 In 1997 years after his release Matthews received three long service MK medals from then Deputy Minister of Defence Ronnie Kasrils 6 Matthews eventually succumbed to cancer at the age of 85 6 In 1982 Laloo Chiba was released from custody of Apartheid government after serving 18 years in the Robben Island prison but he was rearrested in 1985 to 1986 without a trial On 11 May 1984 Dave Kitson a white British Communist who served in the High Command of uMkhonto weSizwe 7 8 was released after being in prison since 1964 7 He afterwards moved back to his native home of London England 9 8 He later died in 2010 10 On 15 October 1989 Wilton Mkwayi was released from custody of Apartheid government after spending 25 years in Robben Island and Pollsmoor Prison and his release which also included five Rivonia Trialists Ahmed Kathrada Raymond Mhlaba Andrew Mlangeni Elias Motsoaledi and Walter Sisulu after spending 26 years each Oscar Mpetha after spending more than 6 years and the co founder and former leader of the Pan Africanist Congress Jafta Masemola after he also spent 27 years in prison See also editList of massacres in South Africa Rivonia Trial 1956 Treason Trial 1964 in South AfricaPoems referencing apartheid edit Nothing s Changed by Tatamkhulu Afrika Still Standing by Athol Williams aka AE Ballakisten in Heap of Stones Mandela and I by Athol Williams aka AE Ballakisten in Heap of Stones Leaders Great by Mayihlome TshweteReferences edit O Malley Padraig 2007 Shades of difference Mac Maharaj and the struggle for South Africa New York Viking pp 137 146 O Malley Padraig 2007 Shades of difference Mac Maharaj and the struggle for South Africa New York Viking pp 146 Trewhela Paul Jul 29 2004 Obituary Wilton Mkwayi Independent The London Truth and Reconciliation Commission of South Africa Report Volume 3 html Retrieved 2007 06 01 Mandela Nelson 1994 Long walk to freedom The autobiography of Nelson Mandela Randburg South Africa Macdonald Purnell pp 393 a b c d https www africabookclub com book review walking on air E2 80 93 the story of anc activist john edward matthews by colleen matthews a b David Kitson released South African History Online www sahistory org za Retrieved 2021 07 28 a b Schoonmaker James 2014 11 12 David Kitson Manchester Historian Retrieved 2021 07 28 Secret Deal with South Africa s Stalinists R W Johnson Standpoint Archived from the original on 2020 07 22 Retrieved 2020 07 22 David Kitson obituary the Guardian 2011 01 17 Retrieved 2021 07 28 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Little Rivonia Trial amp oldid 1171507418, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
