Matola Raid

The Matola Raid was an attack of an African National Congress (ANC) training camp by the South African state security forces in Matola, Mozambique on 30 January 1981 that left 13 MK operative dead. The attack also left 3 of the special forces and 1 civilian dead.^{[1] [2]} The raid was a carefully planned operation which began by soliciting allocations of the ANC training camps as well as intelligence of the number of ANC operatives key figures in Matola. It took place during the height of apartheid in South Africa in order to quell the ANC and PAC anti apartheid activities in exile. ^[1]

Background[]

The raid was planned over a couple of months and attacks were carried out in the morning of 30 January 1981. Three ANC safe houses were targeted and attacked by the South African security forces, however the ANC MK veterans retaliated and killed 3 of the attackers. One Mozambican who bore a striking resemblance to Joe Slovo was also killed which caused the South African Security Forces to celebrate thinking they've succeeded in killing the high profile ANC leader only to discover later that it was not Slovo. ^[3]

Reaction[]

Both president of the ANC Oliver Tambo and president of Mozambique Samora Machel condemned the killings. In the inaugural commemoration of the killings President Machel declared this as a day of friendship between the ANC and the government of Mozambique which presidents Filipe Nyusi and Jacob Zuma continued to acknowledge during the unveiling of the monument in 2005.^{[3] [1]}

References[]

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