About the book Sometime in the 1980s the apartheid state found itself confronted with full revolt and rebellion by the black townships. At international level, the world is united in its imposition of sanctions against the increasingly bankrupt racist regime. The choice was simple: talk to the ANC or face civil war. The Pretoria regime' began to explore the possibility of a negotiated settlement with prisoner Nelson Mandela and the ANC in exile. The secret talks initiated between the two titans of the South African conflict gained momentum and ultimately matured into open, multi-party talks that lead to the end of apartheid and the birth of a democratic state.