This year marks the 61th anniversary of the All in Africa Conference held on March 25 and 26, 1961. This major historical event took place at the Arya Samaj Hall now known as Manaye Hall at Imbali.
After the original venue (Local Health Commission now known as kwaPoyinandi) was discovered to have been bugged by the SAP Special branch.and an alternative venue, the Arya Samaj Hall now known as Manaye Hall was found. Delegates had to walk from the original venue to the alternative venue.
The 2nd All in African Annual walk is commemorating the original walk.
The conference was in response of National Party’s intention, after holding a whites-only referendum, to proclaim South Africa a white Republic on May 31 of the same year, which would intensify policies of racial oppression against non-whites. The conference called for “one man, one vote” and coined the slogan “Amandla Awethu”.
Mandela made a surprise appearance at the conference attended by 1 400 delegates from all social formations in Southern Africa. The conference marked the last time that Mandela addressed a public gathering as a free man before his arrest outside Howick on August 5, 1962.
