The Delmas Treason Trial (1985–1988) in

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring countri ...

was the prosecution of 22 anti-

apartheid Apartheid (, especially South African English: , ; , "aparthood") was a system of institutionalised racial segregation that existed in South Africa and South West Africa (now Namibia) from 1948 to the early 1990s. Apartheid was ...

activists under security laws, with the intention of suppressing the United Democratic Front (UDF).Gerhard, Gail
"Trial by Color"
''New York Times'', New York, 30 December 1990. Retrieved on 3 October 2010. The defendants included three senior UDF leaders,

Moses Chikane Moses Mabokela "Moss" Chikane (1949 – 17 October 2018) was a South African politician and anti-apartheid activist who represented the African National Congress (ANC) in the National Assembly. He was convicted in the Delmas Treason Trial The ...

Mosiuoa Lekota Mosiuoa Gerard Patrick Lekota (born 13 August 1948) is a South African politician, who currently serves as the President and Leader of the Congress of the People since 16 December 2008. Previously as a member of the African National Congress, ...

and

Popo Molefe Popo Simon Molefe (born 26 April 1952 in Sophiatown, Johannesburg) is a businessman and former politician from South Africa. Early life One of eight children, Molefe was the son of a laborer and a domestic worker, though he was raised largely by ...

, known as the "Big Three"."Pretoria Supreme Court sentences 11 "Delmas Treason Trialists""
''South African History Online'', Pretoria. Retrieved 3 October 2010 Eleven of the accused were found guilty in the same courtroom where

Nelson Mandela Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela (; ; 18 July 1918 – 5 December 2013) was a South African Internal resistance to apartheid, anti-apartheid activist who served as the President of South Africa, first president of South Africa from 1994 to 1 ...

was found guilty. Their sentences were overturned in 1989 after an appeal to the Supreme Court. The trial was the longest in South African history at the time.

Judge

Justice Kees van Dijkhorst

Defendants

* Thomas Madikwe Manthata * Popo Simon Molefe * Mosiuoa Gerard Patrick Lekota * Moses Mabokela Chikane * Simon Tseko Nkoli

Prosecution side

Prosecutors in the trail argued that the United Democratic Front was a cover-up for an internal wing of the African National Congress. The African National Congress had been outlawed by the government for over two decades during the trial. Therefore, by the prosecution linking the two groups together, the state could use that for grounds to criminalize any violent or non-violent protest activity initiated by the UDF. The trial mainly focused on the UDF's role in protesting and boycotting the Indian elections during South Africa's 1984 General Election.

Defence side

The defence rejected the fact that its clients had any plans or participated in overthrowing the state. It argued that the United Democratic Front was a non-violent organization. It brought up documents and meeting notes showing that the African National Congress had long-standing grievances with the United Democratic Front on issues surrounding the Black diaspora. Additionally, the United Democratic Front provided witnesses that argued that the organization fought for a more united, non-racial South Africa; however, they did this through ensuring more political rights for Blacks rather than plotting to overthrow the government.

Verdict

In his ruling, the judge found that the dominant leadership of the United Democratic Front, Moses Chikane, Mosiuoa Lekota, and Popo Molefe were responsible for forming a revolutionary climate against the state. He stated that the group had popularized views made by the African National Congress and fueled hatred against the government. The judge ruled that no group, especially the UDF, could commit high treason without violence. Ultimately, the verdict showed how South African government was still unwilling to accept opposition to apartheid policies. The men were sentenced to 10 years in prison. However, on December 15, 1989, after being in jail for over four years, the United Democratic Front members won an appeal based on a technicality and were released from jail.

References

{{Political history of South Africa 1985 in South African law 1986 in South African law 1987 in South African law 1988 in South African law Treason in South Africa Trials in South Africa Treason trials