Mandela held secret meetings with reporters, and after the government failed to prevent the strike, he warned them that many anti-apartheid activists would soon resort to violence through groups like the PAC's Poqo.
Mandela mengadakan beberapa rapat rahasia dengan wartawan, dan setelah pemerintah gagal mencegah mogok tersebut, ia memperingatkan mereka bahwa banyak aktivis antiapartheid yang beralih ke aksi kekerasan melalui kelompok-kelompok seperti Poqo PAC.