Umkhonto we Sizwe, meaning "Spear of the Nation," was the armed wing of the African National Congress (ANC) formed in 1961. It was established in response to the increasing repression of the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa. The organization aimed to fight against the apartheid regime through sabotage and guerrilla warfare. Led by figures like Nelson Mandela, Umkhonto we Sizwe carried out various operations targeting government infrastructure. The group sought to mobilize support for the struggle against racial segregation and oppression, ultimately contributing to the end of apartheid and the establishment of a democratic South Africa in the early 1990s.