Penguin Random House and Exclusive Books invite you to the launch of Attacking the Heart of Apartheid: The ANC’s MK Special Operations Unit by Yunus Carrim.

Carrim will be in conversation with Mavuso Msimang at the event.

For over 30 years, the inside story of Umkhonto we Sizwe’s Special Operations Unit has remained in the shadows. Now, it’s being told by those who lived it.

Formed under the direct command of ANC president Oliver Tambo and senior ANC and SACP leader Joe Slovo, this elite unit executed some of the most daring and high-profile attacks against the apartheid state in the 1980s. From the spectacular 1980 Sasol bombings to the 1988 attack at the Witbank security police offices, Special Ops was at the forefront of the armed struggle, targeting strategic economic and military sites with precision and determination.

In this groundbreaking book, the history of Special Ops is brought to life through the voices of its surviving participants. Based on interviews with 48 individuals, conducted over nearly 10 years, this oral history offers an intimate and comprehensive look at the unit’s operations, challenges and achievements. Also drawing from press reports, TRC records and official documents, the narrative provides a balanced assessment of the political context, role and significance of Special Ops within the broader ANC-led national liberation struggle.

Attacking the Heart of Apartheid is an essential read for anyone interested in the history of the anti-apartheid struggle, the dynamics of armed resistance and the power of collective action in the pursuit of justice and equality.

Event details

Date: Thursday 21 August 2025
Time: 18:00 for 18:30
Venue: Exclusive Books Rosebank Mall, Joburg
RSVP: Exclusive Books website

Categories Non-fiction South Africa

Tags Attacking the Heart of Apartheid Book events Book launches Exclusive Books Johannesburg Mavuso Msimang Penguin Random House SA Yunus Carrim