Mkatashinga: Narratives of the Mutiny in ANC Camps in Angola (1983/84)

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Journal of Global Faultlines

Volume 6, Issue 1

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Mkatashinga: Narratives of the Mutiny in ANC Camps in Angola (1983/84)

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Author(s): Luvuyo Zantsi

Publication date (Print): 1 August 2019

Journal: Journal of Global Faultlines

Publisher: Pluto Journals

Keywords: Military, Mutiny, Security, Justice, Democracy, Torture

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Abstract

The 1984 mutiny in the Angolan camps of the African National Congress (ANC) has been the stuff of legends. For a long time two contradictory interpretations were prominent. One interpretation painted it as, completely, the work of apartheid agents and agent provocateurs. The other painted it as an instance where patriotic democrats took a stance for justice and they were crushed by an undemocratic ANC. The information that recently came out of the memoirs and biographies of former soldiers paints a more nuanced picture that reveals the situation to be more complex than the ANC's official view and those of its distractors. While there can be no way of absolutely ruling out enemy interference, all narratives point to the presence of genuine challenges that could have been handled better. The absence of senior leadership from the camps also ensured a weak response to these.

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Journal

Journal ID (doi): 10.2307/j50018794

Journal ID (jcode): jglobfaul

Title: Journal of Global Faultlines

Publisher: Pluto Journals

ISSN: 2397-7825

ISSN: 2054-2089

Publication date (Print): 1 August 2019

Volume: 6

Issue: 1 ( doiID: 10.13169/jglobfaul.6.issue-1 )

Pages: 90-101

Article

Publisher ID: jglobfaul.6.1.0090

DOI: 10.13169/jglobfaul.6.1.0090

SO-VID: 46f875c7-3dcb-4369-9d65-6ce4d834a9a5

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History

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lang eng

ScienceOpen disciplines: Social & Behavioral Sciences

Keywords: Mutiny,Torture,Democracy,Justice,Security,Military

References

Amnesty International (1992). South Africa: Torture, ill treatment and executions in African National Congress camps.
Botoman, W.W. (2010). The Making of an MK cadre. Pretoria: LiNc
Ellis, S & Sechaba, S. (1992). Comrades against Apartheid: The ANC and South African Communist party in Exile. London: James Currey.
Gilder, B. (2012). Songs and Secrets: South Africa from Liberation to Governance. London: Hurst and Company.
Greene, O. (2014). The Embryonic State: Idealisms in an Armed Struggle. Radical History Review, Issue 119, pp. 146–160.
Kasrils, R. (1993). ‘Armed and Dangerous’: My Undercover Struggle Against Apartheid. Oxford: Heinemann
Ketelo, B, Maxongo, A, Tshona, Z, Masango, R and Mbengo, L. (1990). A Miscarriage of Democracy: The ANC security department in the 1984 mutiny in Umkhonto Wesizwe. Searchlight Africa Vol.2, No.l, July 1990. pp. 35–65
Manong, S. (2015). If We Must Die: An autobiography of a former commander of Umkonto Wesizwe. Pretoria: Nkululeko Publishers.
Matakata, J. (2004). Hills of Hope. Pietermaritzburg: Nutrend Productions
Motsoenyane Commission, 1993.
Ndlela, M. (2013). For the Fallen: Honouring the Unsung Heroes and Heroines of the Liberation Struggle. Johannesburg: KMM Review Publishing Company
Ngculu, J. (2009). The Honour to Serve: Recollections of an Umkhonto Soldier. Cape town: David Philip.
Nqakula, C. (2017). The People's War: Reflections of an ANC cadre. Johannesburg: Mutloatse Arts Heritage Trust.
O'malley, P. (2007). Mwezi Twala: A soldier's story. https://omalley.nelsonmandela.org/omalley/index.php/site/q/03lv02424/04lv03370/05lv03421.htm
Sibeko, A. & Leeson, J. (1996). Freedom in our Lifetime. Durban: Indicator Press.
Skweyiya Commission Report, 1992.
Stuart Commission Report, 1984.
Twala, M. & Beranard, E. (1994) Mbokodo: Inside MK: A soldier' story. Cape Town: Jonathan Ball
Jung, C. W. (2010). Memoirs as Historical Sources. https://www.zum.de/whkmla/sp/1112/jcw/jcw1.html#i

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[1] Amnesty International (1992). South Africa: Torture, ill treatment and executions in African National Congress camps.

[2] Botoman, W.W. (2010). The Making of an MK cadre. Pretoria: LiNc

[3] Ellis, S & Sechaba, S. (1992). Comrades against Apartheid: The ANC and South African Communist party in Exile. London: James Currey.

[4] Gilder, B. (2012). Songs and Secrets: South Africa from Liberation to Governance. London: Hurst and Company.

[5] Greene, O. (2014). The Embryonic State: Idealisms in an Armed Struggle. Radical History Review, Issue 119, pp. 146–160.

[6] Kasrils, R. (1993). ‘Armed and Dangerous’: My Undercover Struggle Against Apartheid. Oxford: Heinemann

[7] Ketelo, B, Maxongo, A, Tshona, Z, Masango, R and Mbengo, L. (1990). A Miscarriage of Democracy: The ANC security department in the 1984 mutiny in Umkhonto Wesizwe. Searchlight Africa Vol.2, No.l, July 1990. pp. 35–65

[8] Manong, S. (2015). If We Must Die: An autobiography of a former commander of Umkonto Wesizwe. Pretoria: Nkululeko Publishers.

[9] Matakata, J. (2004). Hills of Hope. Pietermaritzburg: Nutrend Productions

[10] Motsoenyane Commission, 1993.

[11] Ndlela, M. (2013). For the Fallen: Honouring the Unsung Heroes and Heroines of the Liberation Struggle. Johannesburg: KMM Review Publishing Company

[12] Ngculu, J. (2009). The Honour to Serve: Recollections of an Umkhonto Soldier. Cape town: David Philip.

[13] Nqakula, C. (2017). The People's War: Reflections of an ANC cadre. Johannesburg: Mutloatse Arts Heritage Trust.

[14] O'malley, P. (2007). Mwezi Twala: A soldier's story. https://omalley.nelsonmandela.org/omalley/index.php/site/q/03lv02424/04lv03370/05lv03421.htm

[15] Sibeko, A. & Leeson, J. (1996). Freedom in our Lifetime. Durban: Indicator Press.

[16] Skweyiya Commission Report, 1992.

[17] Stuart Commission Report, 1984.

[18] Twala, M. & Beranard, E. (1994) Mbokodo: Inside MK: A soldier' story. Cape Town: Jonathan Ball

[19] Jung, C. W. (2010). Memoirs as Historical Sources. https://www.zum.de/whkmla/sp/1112/jcw/jcw1.html#i