Liliesleaf- A place of liberation.
In the suburb of Rivonia north of the CBD of Johannesburg is
Liliesleaf which was once the secret home of the liberation struggle in South
Africa. Under the cover of a white family who were resident here, the ANC
conducted many of its meetings and discussed their strategy to overturn the
white minority government. During the period 1961 to 1963 many of the leaders
of the liberation movement met and took refuge at Liliesleaf hiding in the
outbuildings at night to avoid detection.
The South African police smashed the underground movement in
a raid in July 1963 resulting in the arrest of many of the leaders and the
later incarceration of the top echelon of the ANC following what became known as the
Rivonia Trials. Nelson Mandela was already serving a jail sentence of five
years at the time of the trial but was tried at Rivonia and along with his
comrades was also sentenced to life imprisonment
.jpg) |
| The Main House |
.jpg) |
| Out buildings now restored |
.jpg)
.jpg)
Liliesleaf is testament to the ‘new’ South Africa and this
fascinating museum is a must see for all visitors to South Africa who wish to
understand the events that have shaped this nation. The museum is highly
interactive with many recordings and displays in the main house and
outbuildings which take the visitors on a journey through South Africa’s dark
past. Liliesleaf should not be confused with the Apartheid Museum which is
situated in Parktown Johannesburg. For more information visit:
www.liliesleaf.co.za
