I was in the last phase of my stay in the Gauteng province and on the agenda was visiting the Apartheid Museum and Soweto where we would lunch at the Nambitha Restaurant. No trip is complete to Johannesburg without visiting these two very historical venues which take you back for a moment to the era of detention, oppression and division during the apartheid days.
The regular tourist would have a great time at Gold Reef City but I always believe that when you visit a place it is also equally important to know a little bit of the history of that place and not just visit the amusement parks and man made attractions. This is especially true for when visiting South Africa, a beautiful country which was cut off from the world due to apartheid.
The Apartheid Museum takes you back in history to remind you of the “old South Africa.” It reminds you how wonderful it is to live in the free world. The experience begins right at the ticket counter. Some tickets have WHITES written on the, and others have NON-WHITES written on them. As someone has rightly said, a visit to the museum is a journey back in time to understand the significance of freedom and equality.
The exterior of the museum brings to you images of detention, oppression and sets the stage for the visit through the darkest years of South African history. This “first of its kind” museum illustrates the rise and fall of apartheid: The racially prejudiced system that blighted much of its progress and the triumph of reason that crowned half a century of struggle.
The Museum has been assembled and organized by a multi-disciplinary team of curators, film-makers, historians and designers. An architectural consortium comprising several leading architectural firms, conceptualized the design of the museum on a seven-hectare site. The museum is a superb example of design, space and landscape offering the international community a unique South African experience. The exhibits are from film footages, photographs, text panels and artifacts illustrating the events and human stories that are part of the epic saga known as apartheid. A series of exhibition areas takes the visitor through a dramatic emotional journey that tells a story of a state sanctioned system based solely on racial discrimination.
For anyone wanting to understand and experience what South Africa was really like, a visit to the Apartheid Museum is fundamental. The museum is a beacon of hope showing the world how South Africa is coming to terms with the past and working towards a future that all South Africans can call their own. At the entrance are the seven pillars of the new constitution of South Africa. On each pillar are each of the seven fundamental values of the constitution viz democracy, equality, reconciliation, diversity, responsibility, respect and freedom. However, the most striking of all is Nelson Mandela’s quote in June 1999 which stands out on one of the stones in front of the main entrance of the museum – “TO BE FREE IS NOT MERELY TO CAST OFF ONE’S CHAINS, BUT TO LIVE IN A WAY THAT RESPECTS AND ENHANCES THE FREEDOM OF OTHERS.”
On arrival inside, you are separated according to racial classification for your first encounter with apartheid.
Reunited, you will then follow the journeys of various South Africans from their birth in Africa or their landings as immigrants, through to the current day. Using documentary pieces of film, text, audio and live accounts you will then experience for yourself the early part of the last century, the rise of both Afrikaner and African nationalism, the birth of the African National Congress (ANC) and the passing of the law that lead to the several Acts of Apartheid.
Feel the plight of a people subjected to forced removals, political executions and imprisonment. Witness the beginning and increase of black consciousness in South Africa and see the consequences of the 1976 Soweto student uprising.
Finally, you will bear witness to the unraveling of Apartheid and the release of the world’s most famous prisoner and subsequent president – Nelson Mandela. Witness the jubilation of the first democratic elections and see hope triumph as South Africa is set free, ready to face the world as a nation united. The experience is one of upliftment and triumph of the human spirit over adversity and each visitor should leave with the same feeling of hope. Outside the Museum is a wide open space – the Amphitheatre which is a perfect location for events and concerts.
After having spent time at the Apartheid Museum we headed south of Johannesburg and into Soweto. Soweto is a township which was developed for black people under the apartheid system. Most of the struggle against apartheid was fought in and from Soweto. The name Soweto is an acronym, made up – in apartheid days – from the first letters of the words “south western township”. Soweto is estimated to be inhabited by over two million people, with homes ranging from extravagant mansions to makeshift shacks. Soweto is a city of enterprise and cultural interaction. It is a popular tourist destination with sites such as Kliptown (where the Freedom Charter was drawn up), the home of former President Nelson Mandela, the Hector Petersen Memorial site, restaurants and shopping malls. It boasts of one of the largest hospitals in the continent and the only African-owned private clinic.
First, we visited the Hector Peterson’s Memorial. The Hector Peterson Museum opened on Youth Day, 16 June 2002 to commemorate the event that took place almost 26 years ago when over 500 innocent people were killed. Hector, 12, was one of the first casualties of the Soweto uprising of 16 June, 1976, when over 500 people were killed as they protested against the imposition of Afrikaans as a medium of instruction in township schools. A news photograph of the dying Hector being carried by a fellow student, was published around the world. However at the memorial you see a photograph of an unconscious Hector being carried by fellow student Mbuyisa Makhubo, with Hector’s sister, Antoinette Sithole, running alongside. The Museum is located two blocks away from where Hector was shot.
Later we visited Nelson Mandela’s House which has now been turned into a museum. Located on Vilakazi Street, this four roomed home of Nelson and Winnie Mandela now houses various memorabilia. It is one of the most popular tourist attractions for those who visit Soweto. This is the place where Mandela used to live before he was imprisoned for 27 years.
A visit to Soweto isn’t complete if you do not savour some fine cuisine at one of the shebeens and we were lucky to visit one of the finest restaurants as part of the FUNDI trip. I am referring to the Nambitha Restaurant.
The cuisine at Nambitha is a delectable experience of various cuisine from different ethnic regions served in the midst of a great exhibition of classic photographs from world-acclaimed photographers. The restaurant is located on Vilakazi Drive, a few minutes away from the famous street where two of South Africa’s greatest sons Dr Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tutu have their residences. The locals at Nambitha are extremely hospitable and the experience of a sumptuous meal will leave you wanting to return again in the future.
Later in the day we visited Gold Reef City again at night. The next day we took the South African Airways flight to arrive in Durban at around 1210 hours where we were welcomed by Zueli from African Dimensions to head to our next destination – the Hluhluwe Game Reserve. We were now in KZN and we would in the next 3 days visit Hluhluwe, Phinda and Shakaland – to explore the heart of Zulu Culture. The Kingdom of Zulu is a melting pot of African, European and Indian cultures washed by the shores of the Indian Ocean. On arrival at Durban, we were very keen to do a brisk city tour by coach before heading west into the Hhluhuwe-Umfolozi Park – an approximately 5 hours drive from the city of Durban.
Durban to a great extent is mini-India as it is inhabited by a large number of Indian immigrants! 15 Percent of the population of Durban is Indian.
Durban’s beachfront is also known as the Miami beach of South Africa as it has innumerable luxury hotels on the beach front. Unfortunately, we encountered wet weather on arrival and therefore it wasn’t inspiring enough for us to stay longer in Durban and we quickly moved on to our first Game Reserve of the trip, the Hill Top Hotel at Hhluhuwe Reserve.
We arrived at Hluhluwe Game Reserve at around 1830 hours and we were welcomed by heavy rains. Not a great way to start your trip at a game reserve! Hluhluwe is one of the oldest reserves in Africa and is home to the big 5 – the leopard, lion, rhino, buffalo and elephant. On arrival at the Hluhluwe Game Reserve Memorial gate, we followed the posts and reached the Hilltop Camp.
The Hilltop Camp is one of the oldest in the Kwa-Zulu Natal province and was refurbished in the early nineties. It is well equipped with a buffet restaurant, a pub and a lounge decorated with photographs and memorabilia of the history of Hluhluwe, as well as a gift shop and a convenient store. For more on the Hluhluwe reserve, you will have to click here for the next diary entry!
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