Janet Cherry – författare

Umkhonto weSizwe, Spear of the Nation, was arguably the last of the great liberation armies of the twentieth century—but it never got to "march triumphant into Pretoria." MK—as it was known—was the armed wing of the African National Congress, South Africa's liberation movement, that challenged the South African apartheid government. A small group of revolutionaries committed to the seizure of power, MK discovered its principal members engaged in negotiated settlement with the enemy and was disbanded soon after.The history of MK is one of paradox and contradiction, of successes and failures. In this short study, which draws widely on the personal experiences of—and commentary by—MK soldiers, Janet Cherry offers a new and nuanced account of the Spear of the Nation. She presents in broad outline the various stages of MK's thirty-year history, considers the difficult strategic and moral problems the revolutionary army faced, and argues that its operations are likely to be remembered as a just war conducted with considerable restraint.

Informative and portable, this guide offers a brief yet lively introduction to the Umkhonto we Sizwe’s (MK) history; the MK was the armed wing of the African National Congress, which fought against the South African apartheid government. Written by leading experts in their fields, it presents in broad outline the various stages in MK’s 30-year history, considers the difficult strategic and moral problems the army faced, and argues that its operations are likely to be remembered as a just war conducted with considerable restraint. With personal accounts from those who were active members of this armed group, this handbook also provides a critical analysis of the South African liberation struggle.

Analyses the fragmentation and future of labour movements in South Africa and globally in the context of globalisation, the fourth industrial revolution and the Covid-19 pandemic.