Despite the negative rumours, Andrew had won the confidence of the leadership, leading to his recruitment for military training abroad. On his return from China in early 1963, he was inducted into the National High Command and within days his MK programme was in full swing. He was instructed to report all his activities to Govan Mbeki, who was effectively the link between the regional commands and the National High Command. ‘Mbeki knew about new recruits from all the provinces before anyone became aware of them.’ At the induction of the Chinese trainees, the National High Command had given Andrew a clear programme to brief all the regional commands on the direction MK was taking and to rally more recruits in pursuit of the implementation of Operation Mayibuye, MK's ambitious programme that sought to take over from white minority rule within a short space of time. ‘This was the clearest of MK's programmes in what it sought to achieve and how it wanted to achieve it,’ explained Andrew. Regional commands had been identified as some of the key elements in this ‘takeover strategy’, hence the importance of having them fully briefed of the ‘war strategy’ and having them fully checked for readiness.

Aware of the tough task ahead and its risks, Andrew threw himself into it with his usual energy, commitment and enthusiasm. He masqueraded as a priest to evade arrest. Philemon Mononyane, his friend, comrade and fellow resident at Dube, mastered his disguise strategy. A staunch member of the Apostolic Faith Church in the township (one of the independent African churches), he sought and obtained all the necessities from his bishop, Jim Ngubane, who had powers to anoint priests and other leaders of the church. Within days, Andrew had become ‘Rev Mokete Mokoena’ and was armed with a certificate for priesthood, a collar and a matching costume called a porapora. This was the image he was to use throughout his regional road shows.

He made his first trip to the township of Botshabelo in Bloemfontein, where MK structures in the Orange Free State were not as organised and as developed as those of Natal and the Cape. His first stop there, disguised as a priest, was the house of a local priest who was also a member of the ANC.