ANC stage marches in major cities

The African National Congress (ANC) and its allies staged marches in major cities across the country in protest at the delays in the release of political prisoners. These mass mobilisation campaigns were seen as another way of the ANC trying to establish itself on grassroots level, thus positioning itself amongst its constituency in anticipation of elections in future. These marches proved a success in major cities such as Pretoria, Johannesburg, Bloemfontein, Port Elizabeth and Cape Town. The government, though under enormous pressure from the ANC to release the political prisoners, responded by re-assuring the party that the due processes had to be followed in releasing them in order to avoid releasing known criminals into society on pretence of political prisoners.