Walter Sisulu and others are arrested for attending a party

Date: 28 Oct 1961
Updated: 2 Nov 2020

Walter Sisulu, Lillian Ngoyi and Alfred Nzo were arrested after attending a party that was used as a cover up for a political meeting at the house of Lillian Ngoyi. They were charged with contravening section 9(1) of Act 44 of 1950. The case was later withdrawn because there was no sufficient evidence provided to prove that the party was in fact a meeting. Sisulu was later arrested at Liliesleaf Farm outside Rivonia along with 7 other members of Umkhonto we Sizwe High Command. On this occasion Sisulu was not released. He, together with Nelson Mandela and 8 others were charged for treason in October 1963 and convicted. In June 1964 he was among 8 of the accused sentenced to life imprisonment at Robben Island. He was released at the beginning of the negotiation process that paved the way for a non racial democracy in South Africa.

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01Anc.org This week in history [online] Available at: www.anc.org.za [Accessed on 25 October 2012]
02The New Age Today in history (25 October 2012) [online] Available at: www.thenewage.co.za [Accessed on 25 October 2012]

Last updated · 2 Nov 2020

Cite this entry

South African History Online. (2012, October 25). Walter Sisulu and others are arrested for attending a party. South African History Online. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0093891

South African History Online (2012) 'Walter Sisulu and others are arrested for attending a party', South African History Online, 25 October. Available at: https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0093891 (Accessed: 28 August 2026).

South African History Online, Walter Sisulu and others are arrested for attending a party [website], https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0093891, (accessed 28 August 2026).

"Walter Sisulu and others are arrested for attending a party." South African History Online, 25 Oct. 2012, https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0093891. Accessed 28 Aug. 2026.

South African History Online. "Walter Sisulu and others are arrested for attending a party." South African History Online. October 25, 2012. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0093891.