Date: 5 December, 1956

Following the highly successful multi-racial Congress of the People Conference in June 1955, the South African Police raided the homes and offices of those who had participated in the conference, seizing a large number of documents.  At dawn on 5 December 1956 the South African police swooped down on the homes of various Congress of the People leaders across the country. Ten days later, the police had arrested 156 leaders, both Black and leftist Whites.

Among those arrested were Albert Luthuli (president of the African National Congress), Prof. Z.K. Matthews, Oliver Tambo, Walter Sisulu, Nelson Mandela and many more. They were all transported to Johannesburg where they were confined in the Old Fort Prison in two large adjacent cells.

This led to the infamous Treason Trial, 1956 - 1961.

References

• Muller, C.F.J. (ed) (1981). Five Hundred years: a history of South Africa; 3rd rev. ed., Pretoria: Academica, p. 498.
• Reader's Digest. (1988). Illustrated History of South Africa: the real story, New York: Reader's Digest Association, p. 389.