Congress Alliance

Led by the African National Congress, the CA was multi-racial in makeup and committed to the principle of majority rule.

At this rally, the Charter was read out in three languages (English, Sotho and Xhosa), and discussed by various delegates.

[1] The Charter was the statement of core principles of the Alliance, which included a commitment to multi-racial democratic government and a fundamental restructuring of all aspects of South African Society.

[citation needed] In December 1956 many key members of the Alliance were arrested and charged with treason, including the entire executive committee of the ANC.

Many leaders, including Nelson Mandela, were detained in communal cells in Johannesburg Prison, resulting in "the largest and longest unbanned meeting of the Congress Alliance in years.