In the 80's the Tories were right, the ANC were terrorists

Despite already apologising for the description of Mandela and the ANC as terrorists in 2006 Dan Hodges wants David Cameron to do it again. To do so would be wrong, firstly because it would seem like an attention seeking move and secondly, more importantly, they were terrorists in the 80's.

The rate at which history books are being revised is scary indeed. News outlets referring to Mandela as a "political prisoner" when Amnesty refused such a title because of the violence he helped organise and refused to denounce. Well during the 80's the military side of the ANC that he co-founded (the MK) were hard at work and here are just some of the highlights.

Church Street bombing, 20th of May 1983

A car bomb attack that killed 20 and wounded 217. This was one of their largest attacks in the ANC's campaign again's Apartheid. Was this terrorism? Well while the number of civilian vs military deaths & injuries was unclear the truth and reconciliation commission but the estimates at 7 dead and 84 injured for the military. Meaning you were far more likely to die if you were an innocent than a legitimate target.

Amanzimtoti Shopping complex, December 23rd 1985

During the peak of the Christmas shopping season, MK member Andrew Sibusiso Zondo detonated a bomb in a rubbish bin at the Sanlam shopping centre. Two women and three children were killed in the blast and more than forty were injured.

Roodepoort Standard Bank, June 3rd 1988

The target had not been civilians but a police station nearby but something went wrong, or so they say. The ANC gave no explanation for what happened. 4 people were killed with 18 injuries.

The debate continued on Twitter with Mr Hodges in debate with others on the subject of the ANC and terrorism. He believes that because there was no democracy then the ANC weren't terrorists. I disagree and while there is no international consensus on the definition this sums it up pretty well.

"The unofficial or unauthorized use of violence and intimidation in the pursuit of political aims"

So while you could argue that a group engage in terrorist acts for justifiable reasons you could still say that that terrorist acts are being committed. Further to that it is my personal opinion that any group targeting the public deliberately are terrorists. Sure if a political or military Apartheid base got bombed civilians would be killed as well but the intent is to attack the enemy. Instead, in one example, they kill three innocent children out Christmas shopping.

Judging what you describe terrorism because of what the goals of the group are is dangerous. It means that the acts themselves are inconsequential and there is no line for them to worry about crossing.

Mandela could have ended the violence sooner by denouncing it's use as a political weapon, this would have also meant he would have been released from prison earlier but he refused. So next time the Tories are pressed on their 80's stance they would do well to give an answer rather than meekly backing away into a corner saying sorry.

For all Mandela's rights and wrongs one thing scares me. He has been a figurehead, his unity dream that he emerged from prison with (be it genuine or coldly calculated) is now gone. Without it the ANC are free from those shackles and they are well versed in using violence to achieve their goals. 

When Zuma was elected I remember a real fear that he would become the next Mugabe. Well the sight of him and Winnie Mandela side by side and smiling at the weekend should have us all deeply concerned for the future of South Africa.

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