The Gauteng province is not only significant in terms of the history of South Africa’s apartheid era, but the province offers experiences that are rich in culture, art, and diversity. Caro Malherbe uncovers Gauteng’s offering.

The best heritage and cultural experiences in Gauteng can be found on the ‘The Struggle Route’, says Laura Vercueil, PR & Communication Manager for Joburg Tourism.

This historical path includes the Hector Pieterson Memorial & Museum and the Mandela House Museum near Vilikazi Street in Soweto; The Walter Sisulu Square of Dedication in Kliptown, Soweto; Liliesleaf Farm in Rivonia; The Apartheid Museum; and Constitution Hill in Braamfontein.

“Soweto is unlike a suburb you’ve ever seen or been to, yet the history of struggle encapsulated here is a cornerstone of the South African story,” says Craig Drysdale, General Manager Global Sales for Thompsons Africa.

Heritage attractions in Soweto

The Hector Pieterson Museum, which commemorates the role of the country’s students in the struggle against apartheid, is just a few blocks from where 12-year-old Hector Pieterson was shot in 1976 during a protest. This site and others can we explored with Thompsons Africa’s Soweto tour, which also takes in Mandela House, the former home of Nelson Mandela that is now museum, and Regina Mundi Church, the site where many secret underground meetings of the then banned political parties took place.

The legacy of Liliesleaf Farm

“Liliesleaf Farm is an attraction that honours South Africa’s heritage and the impressive trajectory of its socio-political past,” says Drysdale. The interactive museum which was once the headquarters of Umkhonto we Sizwe (Spear of the Nation), the military wing of the ANC and the Congress Alliance, holds a position of esteem among struggle landmarks in South Africa.

Visitors to Liliesleaf will experience a first-hand account of the events and circumstances leading up to the infamous raid of the Rivonia farm, as well as insights into some of the revolutionary personalities who helped to shape South Africa’s democracy, Drysdale says.

Recapturing the past at the Apartheid Museum  

The Apartheid Museum recaptures the dark days of South Africa by being a multimedia experience, with documentary film snippets, texts, sound clips and live accounts, says Vercueil. “It’s a fascinating tour, filled with tales of bravery and sadness, but ultimately, it’s a story with the right ending.”

“The first of its kind, this museum illustrates the rise and fall of apartheid. It is a beacon of hope, showing the world how South Africans are coming to terms with their oppressive past and working towards a future that they can all call their own,” Vercueil says.

“Johannesburg has approximately 150 heritage sites, half of which are national monuments, Vercueil adds. “40% of all the world’s human ancestor fossils have been found in areas close to Joburg.”

Heritage-rich Pretoria

Anthony Paton, Deputy Director: Website, Editing & Copywriting for Gauteng Tourism, says: “Although Johannesburg and Soweto have tangible, remarkable and fascinating history, they are new kids on the block compared with the whole of human history in South Africa.”

Freedom Park on Salvokop in Pretoria lets guests experience the 3.6 billion year history of South Africa at one site.  It has several constructed spaces centred on different aspects of the country’s history. The space called //hapo, named in Khoi for the word "dream", attempts to capture the history of the country through seven major epochs. The Garden of Remembrance features three main spaces: S’khumbuto, Isivivane and Uitspanplek. S’khumbuto comprises of the Wall of Names, the Gallery of Leaders, the Amphitheatre, the Hushe Sanctuary, the Eternal Flame and the Reed Sculpture; The Isivane area is a resting place for the spirits of those who died fighting for freedom and liberation in South Africa; and Uitspanplek is a peaceful place where families can spend the day together or where visitors to the Park can relax and reflect after a tour.

Candice Morawitz, Marketing Co-ordinator for Legacy Hotels & Resorts, says Pretoria, or Tshwane as the city is also known, is a city full of history, housing the Union Buildings and Voortrekker Monument. The Centurion, Pretoria and Hatfield Gautrain stations make exploring Pretoria easy and the Centurion Lake Hotel in Centurion offers complimentary Gautrain transfers, and will arrange tours around Pretoria on request.

An educational experience at the Origins Centre

A tour of the Origins Centre at Wits University takes tourists back to the beginning of time. The centre is home to palaeoanthropological, archaeological and genetic materials charting the origins of humankind. These include ancient tools, artefacts of spiritual significance to early humans and examples of rock art, says Vercueil.

“Visitors to the Origins Centre follow an 80 000-year path in search of the art and culture that has inspired human innovation, as well as the beliefs of the ancient San people, including hunting rituals and the trance dance,” Vercueil adds.

Experiences at the Cradle of Humankind

Paton suggests experiencing the Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site to the north-west of Johannesburg. The Interpretation Centre Complex comprises of Maropeng and Sterkfontein. 

Maropeng traces human origins from fossil and genetic evidence and explains how our growing understanding of where we came from is continuously unravelling. It ends with a glimpse of the present and the future and asks how we will continue to educate, feed and clothe people in a world where the population is growing exponentially. 

Sterkfontein is famous as the site where “Mrs Ples” and “Little Foot” were discovered, an almost complete Australopithecus skeleton dating back more than 3-million years. Prof Lee Berger who discovered Australopithecus sediba with his son Matthew will also soon be announcing a further astonishing discovery made not far from Sterkfontein, Paton says.

Thompsons Africa offers a cultural and heritage focused tour - the ‘History of Humankind and Lesedi Cultural Tour’, where guests can explore five different cultures at the Lesedi Cultural Village. The cultural village is home to a range of African tribes, all living harmoniously in traditional homesteads, including Zulu, Xhosa, Ndebele, Sotho and Pedi cultures.