MK in the Aftermath of Rivonia (1963–1976)

The history and fortune of Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK) is the history of the South African liberation movement in the period 1960-1990 culminating in the triumph of democracy over apartheid in 1994. The creation of Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK) in 1961, its achievements, reversal of fortune and recovery, culminating in the people’s victory over apartheid in 1994, must be seen in the international context, the collapse of the colonial system in Africa from the late 1950s, and the armed contestation for change in Algeria and Southern Africa where colonial racism refused to budge. The impact of the Rivonia arrests of July 1963, possibly the biggest setback in the liberation struggle for South Africa in the 20th century, has been well documented. A more considered assessment is needed for the aftermath years 1965-1975 when MK in an organised sense had ceased to exist inside the country.