The Rivonia Trialists are charged with sabotage and attempting to violently overthrow the state

On this day in 1963, the Rivonia trialists were charged with sabotage and attempting to violently overthrow the South African government. This after a raid by security police at Lilliesleaf farm on 11 July 1963, the police arrested many prominent leaders of the African National Congress (ANC) and uMkhonto weSizwe (MK). Amongst them were, Walter Sisulu, Govan Mbeki, Ahmed Kathrada, Rusty Bernstein, Dennis Goldberg, James Kantor, Andrew Mlangeni, Elias Motsoaledi, Raymond Mhlaba and Bob Hepple. According to reports, police informer, Gerard Ludi, leaked the information about the whereabouts of the MK headquarters. In gathering evidence to be used in the trial against the accused the police were also able to arrest others such as Dennis Goldberg and Nelson Mandela. When the Liliesleaf raid occurred Nelson Mandela was serving a five year sentence for incitement and leaving the country illegally. During the raid police had discovered documen­tation implicating Mandela in MK's activities, including notes he made from his readings about guerrilla warfare and a diary he had kept during his Africa trip. The accused appeared be­fore Justice Quartus de Wet. The incident occurred three years after the banishment of the ANC, Pan Africanist Congress (PAC) and other liberation movements in April 1960.