Mbokodo was the internal security unit of the African National Congress (ANC) during its years in exile, particularly from the 1970s to the early 1990s. Operating under the Department of National Intelligence and Security, Mbokodo was tasked with maintaining discipline within ANC camps and addressing perceived dissent among cadres as well as fighting off infiltration by enemy agents within ANC-controlled territories, like its camps in Angola and Zambia. It was established in 1969 as part of the resolutions of the Morogoro Conference.[1]
Activities and controversies
editMbokodo became infamous for its harsh methods, which included torture and extrajudicial executions of cadres. Under the leadership of Mzwai Piliso, Mbokodo became notorious for its harsh methods, including arbitrary arrests, torture and executions of suspected spies or traitors - notably at the Quatro detention camp in Angola.
In 1984, a mutiny led by disgruntled uMkhonto we Sizwe (MK) members known as 'Mkatashinga' (meaning "exhausted soldier" in Kimbundu language), erupted at the ANC's Viana camp in Angola. The mutiny was sparked by several factors, including widespread dissatisfaction with Mbokodo's brutal and arbitrary tactics.
The mutiny led to clashes between the mutineers and loyalists, resulting in several deaths and arrests. The ANC leadership responded by appointing the Stuart Commission, led by Hermanus Loots, to investigate the causes of the mutiny. The commission's 1984 report found that the unrest was due to poor camp conditions, lack of clear leadership, and the oppressive actions of Mbokodo, rather than sabotage by enemy agents as claimed by some ANC officials.
Following the mutiny and the Stuart Report, the ANC recognized the need to address the issues within its security structures. At the 1985 Kabwe Conference, the Department of National Intelligence and Security, which oversaw Mbokodo, was restructured and Piliso was removed from his position to prevent further abuses.
References
edit- ^ Ellis, Stephen. Mbokodo: Security in ANC Camps, 1961-1990. African Affairs, vol. 93, no. 371, 1994, pp. 279–98. JSTOR. Accessed 18 Aug. 2025.