National
50 year anniversary of infamous Rivonia Trial─── 11:55 Fri, 22 Nov 2013
Pretoria - Yesterday marked 50 years since the start of the infamous Rivonia Trial, in which Nelson Mandela and nine others stood accused of treason.
Between 1963 and '64, 10 ANC leaders were tried for 221 acts of sabotage designed to overthrow the apartheid system.
It was during the Rivonia Trial, named after the Johannesburg suburb where 19 ANC leaders were arrested at Liliesleaf Farm, that Madiba made his historic speech declaring that he was prepared to die to stop racial oppression.
Ahmed Kathrada, who was sentenced to life imprisonment along with Madiba, reflected in the very same courtroom at the Palace of Justice in Pretoria.
Rivonia Trial defence lawyer George Bizos and presidential spokesperson Mac Maharaj were also in attendance.
Ahmed Kathrada reflects on the Rivonia trial:
