WI Rivionia Trial Death Scentance

What if the now infamous Rivionia Trial resulted in the death penalty being official handed down to each member involved. What and how would this likely effect the political climate within South Africa, Regionally and Globally both in the Short and Long Term.

I know this might be a 'touchy' issue for some however please keep personal politics out of this, this isn't Yahoo Answers after all.
 
This is a great idea for a thread and I hope the discussion can be civil.

I don't have much to add in that what I know of the trial is Mandela's account in "Long Walk to Freedom". He indicates that the defendants were in fact worried about death sentences. But he doesn't if I remember correctly speculate on why they weren't handed down.

The Republic of South Africa at the time actually had a pretty independent judiciary, but this was a very high profile political trial.
 
I was looking for further information on this earlier but almost everything now days is extremely bias in particular towards Mandela. The possibility of this case providing a framework of Terrorism Laws later on could be a possibility. I have no idea whether this will have much merit but the execution of all on trial could certainly lead to a collapse of what we would now call the Tripartite Alliance.

I believe the death sentence was not handed down due to the Jury involved. If someone could confirm this that would be good.
 
I was looking for further information on this earlier but almost everything now days is extremely bias in particular towards Mandela. The possibility of this case providing a framework of Terrorism Laws later on could be a possibility. I have no idea whether this will have much merit but the execution of all on trial could certainly lead to a collapse of what we would now call the Tripartite Alliance.

I believe the death sentence was not handed down due to the Jury involved. If someone could confirm this that would be good.

South Africa does not, and has never, used the jury system.
 
According to a documentary I watched on Canadian TV when Mandela was still in jail, the judge, in handing down the sentences, acknowledged that the defendants had deliberately tried to avoid the loss of life. So maybe that had an influence on his decision?

(And one thing I've never been clear about: DID anyone die from the bombing campaign?)
 

Czar Kaizer

Banned
I was looking for further information on this earlier but almost everything now days is extremely bias in particular towards Mandela. The possibility of this case providing a framework of Terrorism Laws later on could be a possibility. I have no idea whether this will have much merit but the execution of all on trial could certainly lead to a collapse of what we would now call the Tripartite Alliance.

I believe the death sentence was not handed down due to the Jury involved. If someone could confirm this that would be good.
The tripartite alliance did not exist at the time and as Marius said South Africa does not have a jury system.
If for some strange reason they are executed even the West would turn against South Africa as it becomes more apparent that it is a brutal regieme that is willing to execute it's enemies. Sanctions would come a lot earlier if this were to happen and this time not even the US and it's allies would back them up.
The execution of these men will have an even bigger impact on black South Africans. While the ANC may be hurt the anti apartheid struggle will continue and black South Africans will become more radiclaised. South Africa would become ungovernable by the late 60's.This could actaully weaken the government to the point that apartheid falls sooner.
 
many

The hope was that mandela could be turned. His cousin Kazier Mantazima was running the Transkei homeland at the time. Marius was right, the jury system was abolished in 1935 for inter racial trials. The opposition United party also had called for no death plenty, as the price for its support for non recognition of Rhodesia. Much unofficial support did go on. But the UP regarded rhodesias policy as an alternative to both apartheid and integration.
 
I have to imagine that there was some international pressure not to give out death sentences. Can anyone confirm that?
 
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