MK

• Formation

  • Birthed in 1961 by the ANC in alliance with the SACP, MK emerged as a response to the brutal Sharpeville massacre and the subsequent banning of anti-apartheid organisations.
• Objectives

  • Initially, MK aimed for acts of sabotage against government installations, avoiding human casualties.
• Objectives

  • As the struggle intensified, there was a gradual shift towards guerilla warfare.
• Strategies

  • Targeted infrastructure like power plants and transportation networks.
• Strategies

  • Later, included ambushes and bomb attacks against military and police targets.
• Strategies

  • Built a network of safe houses and secret training camps both within South Africa and in neighbouring countries.
• Key Figures

  • Nelson Mandela: One of MK's founding members, he believed in its necessity to topple apartheid.
• Key Figures

  • Joe Slovo and Chris Hani: They strategised and executed several of MK's operations from within South Africa and from bases abroad.
• Contributions

  • Demonstrated to the apartheid regime that the oppressed masses were capable of organised retaliation.
• Contributions

  • Engaged in significant operations like the Church Street bombing in 1983, creating ripples in the apartheid establishment.
• Challenges and Opposition

  • While its operations grabbed headlines, MK faced logistical problems, including acquiring arms and safe passage for its operatives.
• Challenges and Opposition

  • Infiltration by government spies often compromised their operations.
• Challenges and Opposition

  • International support was pivotal but came with its own challenges, as global geopolitics sometimes influenced the movement's direction.