SATHYANDRANATH RAGUNANAN MAC MAHARAJ
Chairperson, I joined Umkhonto weSizwe at its formation.  I went off for military training, 11 months training in the German Democratic Republic, in 1961 to 62.  I then came into the country, served in various underground structures including those of the Communist Party, of which I became member of the Central Committee.  I served in Umkhonto weSizwe and just before my arrest had been selected to become the Political Commissar of Umkhonto weSizwe.
	I served 12 years in prison, came out, was house arrested in Durban, escaped from house arrest 6 months later and went to Zambia where I was appointed secretary to the Internal Reconstruction department of the ANC which was the name for the ANC as it operated illegally within South Africa, as distinct from the ANC's external structures around the world.  I joined the Revolutionary Council which was charged with prosecuting the military political struggle within South Africa.  I then became elected member of the National Executive of the ANC and when the Political Military Council was appointed, I was member of the Political Military Council.  
	In the course of that work as the secretary of the ANC underground, I was selected by Pres Tambo to lead Operation Vula.  It was mandated by a decision of the National Executive in 1986 and I was charged by Pres Tambo together with Joe Slovo and himself, to develop the strategy for such an operation, covering not just Vulangela but any such operation within South Africa.