A meticulously written and moving report of the groundbreaking events that dramatically accelerated the downfall of the apartheid movement, this new edition focuses on a particularly violent period in South Africa’s tumultuous history. Clearly and without bias, this book discusses the Sharpeville Six Trial, the Delmas Treason Trial, the 1984 uprising that led to international sanctions against South Africa, the first-ever army invasions of the Vaal townships, and the still controversial Boipatong massacre. With firsthand accounts—including those from formerly despised councillors—this record clarifies many misconceptions regarding the important events that were instrumental in bringing down the apartheid regime.
Patrick Noonan is a Catholic priest of the Franciscan Order who studied and worked in Europe, the Middle East and, for more than 30 years, in the townships of South Africa. He currently assists the Gauteng Council of Churches in the area of postapartheid reconciliation and has written articles for various books, magazines, and newspapers, including Ireland’s St Anthony's Brief, Jerusalem’s Holy Land Review, and South Africa’s Southern Cross.