Forms of Violent Resistance

[David Morris]

http://www.juancole.com/2013/12/political-outlawed-sabotage.html

We of the ANC had always stood for a non-racial democracy, and we shrank
from any action which might drive the races further apart. But the hard
facts were that 50 years of non-violence had brought the African people
nothing but more and more repressive legislation, and fewer and fewer
rights. By this time violence had, in fact, become a feature of the South
African political scene.

I came to the conclusion that as violence in this country was inevitable,
it would be unrealistic to continue preaching peace and non-violence. This
conclusion was not easily arrived at. It was only when all else had failed,
when all channels of peaceful protest had been barred to us, that the
decision was made to embark on violent forms of political struggle. I can
only say that I felt morally obliged to do what I did.

Four forms of violence were possible. There is sabotage, there is guerrilla
warfare, there is terrorism, and there is open revolution. We chose to
adopt the first. Sabotage did not involve loss of life, and it offered the
best hope for future race relations. Bitterness would be kept to a minimum
and, if the policy bore fruit, democratic government could become a
reality. The initial plan was based on a careful analysis of the political
and economic situation of our country. We believed that South Africa
depended to a large extent on foreign capital. We felt that planned
destruction of power plants, and interference with rail and telephone
communications, would scare away capital from the country, thus compelling
the voters of the country to reconsider their position. Umkhonto had its
first operation on December 16 1961, when government buildings in
Johannesburg, Port Elizabeth and Durban were attacked. The selection of
targets is proof of the policy to which I have referred. Had we intended to
attack life we would have selected targets where people congregated and not
empty buildings and power stations.
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