What Happened at the Treason Trial?

When and where did the trial take place?

The trial started on 19 December 1956. As the biggest case in South Africa's history lumbered to the end of its first stage this August 1957, the 156 accused men and women wondered how many of them would be back in court again.

The 156 national leaders had first appeared at a preparatory examination into treason at the end of 1956, in the specially constructed court at the Drill Hall, Johannesburg; they had spent their lives in and out of court for most of 1957; and they could now see the possibility of the same prospect for the third calendar year, 1958, if they were committed for trial in the Supreme Court.

What happened on 13 October 1958?

The mild, cloudy Pretoria morning on which the most sensational of things happened for the 91 men and women of all races facing a charge of high treason.

Mr Pirow, leader of the Crown team at the trial, rose to his feet, touched a colleague who was still addressing the court, and brought the microphone to his mouth: 'Your Lordship, I withdraw the indictment against the accused,' he said in his hoarse voice. The height of the trial's drama had come.

Up in the packed non-white gallery, black faces lit up and swung round to take swift looks at the judges, still wondering if they had heard right. Out in the street, where spectators and photographers were pressing on the accused, shouts of 'Africa' rang high and firm, victory handshakes spelled the day's relief.

Who were the accused?

Almost the entire leadership of the Congress Alliance made up of the African National Congress, the Congress of Democrats the South African Indian Congress, the Coloured People's Congress, and the South African Congress of Trade Unions, were put on trial.

The accused: Walter Sisulu

Walter Sisulu comes to Pretoria with others on a special bus from Johannesburg.

The accused: Nelson Mandela

Nelson Mandela arrives in Pretoria with others on a special bus from Johannesburg. It was the end of many months of waiting, and the beginning of yet another journey.

The accused: Helen Joseph

Helen Joseph was born in 1905, in Britain. She became politically active when she emigrated to South Africa. She soon became a member of the South African Federation of South African Women. In 1955 she was one of the 20 000 women who marched to the Union Building in Pretoria, to protest against the extension of the pass system to black women.

Helen was the first person to be placed under house arrest in South Africa and one of one hundred and fifty six people arrested in 1956, who were charged with high treason. The treason Trial ended after four years, in March 196, when Helen Joseph and all the accused were acquitted of all charges. From then on, Helen was banned repeatedly and placed under house arrest.

The accused: Bertha Mashaba

Bertha Mashaba was an anti-apartheid and women's rights activist. Born in Germiston in 1934, she was a supporter of ANC and worked tirelessly to defend women. She was one of the organisers of the Women's March in 1956 and co-founded the Federation of South African Women. She would later serve in parliament under President Nelson Mandela. She died in Johannesburg. in 2010.

The accused: Joe Molefi

Zeff came into political prominence as one of the main leaders of the 1955-58 Evaton bus boycott. During that time Joe Molefi and other leaders faced many charges in the courts - including one of incitement and public violence. There were no convictions.

He was educated at St. Peter's, then studied medicine at the University of the Witwatersrand. In his second year, he took part in the Defiance Campaign of 1952 and was jailed. He became Officer for Propaganda and Organisation in the banned A.N.C. Youth League. Was one of 156 leaders arrested in the big police swoop of 1956, remained with 27 others to the conclusion of the 4 -year Treason Trial, was one of the hundreds of detainees in the State of Emergency.

The accused: Ruth First

Ruth First was a journalist, activist and wife of defence attorney Joe Slovo. She was born in Latvia in 1925, immigrated to South Africa and was killed while in exile in 1982 in Mozambique. She was banned from publishing and attending meetings after the Sharpeville massacre in 1960. She was arrested in 1963 and spent 117 days under the 90-Day Detention Law., making her the first white woman to be detained under the law.

Nelson Mandela talking to Ruth First.

What were they accused of?

The 156 defendants included South Africans of all races (in apartheid categories: 105 Blacks, 21 Indians, 23 Whites and 7 Coloureds), were accused of high treason, a charge which carried the death sentence.

Who defended them?

Lawyers defending the trialists were led by Izrael Maisels and included Bram Fisher. Bishop Ambrose Reeves, author Alan Paton and Alex Hepple, a labour MP, Dr Ellen Hellman of the Institute of Race Relations and Julius First set up the South African Treason Trial Defence Fund.

Were there any implications?

Justices Rumpff (left) and Ludorf of the Transvaal were asked by the defence to withdraw from the trial due to their involvement in other cases.

What was the verdict of the trial?

All of the defendants were found not guilty, but some of them were later convicted at the Rivonia Trial.

What was the aftermath of the trial?

When the Treason Trial finally collapsed and the defendants were released, happy people embraced each other. Parties were held. But when rejoicing died down, men and women faced the job of earning their interrupted living. How will they make out?

Walter Sisulu "My opposition to the government's policies has not ended. I want to write an article about the situation here and to carry on with my agency work. My wife was the main support for our family during the trial."

What happened outside?

Drill Hall could not accommodate all the 5.000 people outside and lead to an uprising with stone-throwing. and gun-shooting.

Were they any demonstrations?

Black women demonstrated with placards and sign songs intermittently throughout the day on the 19th December 1957.

Were they any unplanned consequences of the trial?

One unplanned consequence of the trial was that the leaders of the movement against apartheid got to spend significant time together. Another consequence was that Oliver Tambo, who was released for lack of evidence, left South Africa and began to coordinate ANC activity from exile including turning international opinion against apartheid.