Often referred to as “The Trial that Changed South Africa”

Goldberg was tried from June 1963 to October 1964 in the Pretoria Supreme Court along with Nelson Mandela, Govan Mbeki, Walter Sisulu and others in the Rivonia Trial. Goldberg was charged under the Sabotage and Suppression of Communism Acts for ‘campaigning to overthrow the Government by violent revolution and for assisting an armed invasion of the country by foreign troops’.

The charge sheet contained 193 acts of sabotage allegedly carried out by persons recruited by the accused in their capacity as members of the High Command of uMkhonto we Sizwe.

Goldberg was found guilty and sentenced to life imprisonment in Pretoria Local Prison.  From the time of his arrest, Goldberg was in jail for a total of 22 years before being released in 1985.

 

Detailed Rivonia Trial content can be found at South African History Online:

 

http://www.sahistory.org.za/topic/rivonia-trial-1963-1964

http://v1.sahistory.org.za/pages/governence-projects/rivonia-liliesleaf/rivonia-trial.htm

http://www.sahistory.org.za/topic/rivonia-trial-fifty-years-later