Three of the 22 Delmas Treason trialists were released after Judge K van Dijkhorst delivered his judgment. The judge released them on the grounds that there was no sufficient evidence to justify keeping the men behind bars. He pointed out that the government had failed to present a case against them after a year of court hearings and two years in custody. The three men were Lazarus More, a literacy teacher, Mkhambi Malindi, a timekeeper at a power station, and Maxala Vilakazi, a clerk at the South African Committee for Higher Education (Sached). All three were members of the United Democratic Front (UDF). The other 19 trialists were not freed. These 22 men were arrested for being members of the illegal organisation, the African National Congress. The state argued that they were part of a conspiracy to overthrow the government Click here to read an article about the UDF and Delmas Treason trial.
27 November 1986
Three Delmas trialist released

- Updated
- 26 Nov 2021

How we know this
- 01Bekker, J. (1986). "Treason accused go free", Weekly Mail: Vol 2 (47) pg 1.
- 02South African History Online,"Message from COSATU and the UDF",From: South African History Online, [Online], Available at: www.sahistory.org.za,[Accessed : 21 November 2013]
Last updated · 26 Nov 2021
South African History Online. (2011, March 16). Three Delmas trialist released. South African History Online. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0012675
South African History Online (2011) 'Three Delmas trialist released', South African History Online, 16 March. Available at: https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0012675 (Accessed: 7 October 2026).
South African History Online, Three Delmas trialist released [website], https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0012675, (accessed 7 October 2026).
"Three Delmas trialist released." South African History Online, 16 Mar. 2011, https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0012675. Accessed 7 Oct. 2026.
South African History Online. "Three Delmas trialist released." South African History Online. March 16, 2011. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0012675.
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