Rivonia trial sentence is delivered

Updated: 12 Jun 2020

At the conclusion of the Rivonia trial eight of the accused were sentenced to life imprisonment in the Pretoria Supreme Court. The eight were Nelson Mandela, the central figure in the trial, along with Dennis Goldberg, Walter Sisulu, Govan Mbeki, James Kantor, Andrew Mlangeni, Elias Motsoaledi and Raymond Mhlaba. Mandela argued that he was driven to acts of sabotage because all legitimate means of protest were denied to him, but his argument was rejected by Mr Justice de Wet. Since the State had not charged the accused with High Treason, the Judge did not impose the supreme penalty.

How we know this

01Kalley, J.A.; Schoeman, E. & Andor, L.E. (eds)(1999). Southern African Political History: a chronology of key political events from independence to mid-1997, Westport: Greenwood.
02Hayes, S. (ed)(2000). Who's Who of Southern Africa 2001..., Graighall: Jonathan Ball

Last updated · 12 Jun 2020

Cite this entry

South African History Online. (2011, March 16). Rivonia trial sentence is delivered. South African History Online. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0012018

South African History Online (2011) 'Rivonia trial sentence is delivered', South African History Online, 16 March. Available at: https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0012018 (Accessed: 13 October 2026).

South African History Online, Rivonia trial sentence is delivered [website], https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0012018, (accessed 13 October 2026).

"Rivonia trial sentence is delivered." South African History Online, 16 Mar. 2011, https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0012018. Accessed 13 Oct. 2026.

South African History Online. "Rivonia trial sentence is delivered." South African History Online. March 16, 2011. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0012018.