Mandela threatens armed struggle

Date: 8 Sep 1990
Updated: 30 Sep 2019

African National Congress (ANC) deputy president Nelson Mandela warned that if the South African government fail to take effective steps to end the current violence in the country, the only defence of the people will be to take up arms. Mandela was alluding to the fact that the political violence and vigilante activities that had engulfed KwaZulu-Natal and the Rand, were due to the government's inability of putting effective measures in place. He ran short of accusing the government of fuelling violence in order to enhance its aim of thwarting any effort of having a democratic government in place.

Search events by date

What happened on your birthday?

How we know this

01Baloyi J. S. (2002). (Unpublished thesis). An Investigation into vigilantes and political violence in Kwazulu- Natal, 1985 - 1994. Pretoria
02sahistory,'Nelson Mandela',[online],Available at: www.sahisory.org.za[Accessed: 03 September 2013]

Last updated · 30 Sep 2019

Cite this entry

South African History Online. (2011, March 16). Mandela threatens armed struggle. South African History Online. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0012914

South African History Online (2011) 'Mandela threatens armed struggle', South African History Online, 16 March. Available at: https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0012914 (Accessed: 28 August 2026).

South African History Online, Mandela threatens armed struggle [website], https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0012914, (accessed 28 August 2026).

"Mandela threatens armed struggle." South African History Online, 16 Mar. 2011, https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0012914. Accessed 28 Aug. 2026.

South African History Online. "Mandela threatens armed struggle." South African History Online. March 16, 2011. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0012914.