Liliesleaf, Johannesburg, Gauteng | Joburg Attractions with Liliesleaf for Local Attractions and Things to do when in in Johannesburg and Gauteng

Liliesleaf

On 11 July 1963 members of the Security Police raided the farm after an anonymous tip-off that Walter Sisulu was in hiding at Liliesleaf. The consequences of the raid were disastrous for the ANC and MK internal leadership structures and the liberation struggle. The raid on Liliesleaf led to the arrest of a number of key leaders of the High Command, stalling the momentum of the liberation struggle. The arrests and subsequent trial did however have a slightly positive side-effect- they catapulted South Africa’s prevailing socio-political conditions into the international spotlight.

Liliesleaf brings the events that took place in Rivonia 46 years ago into South Africa’s current socio-political context by allowing the original infrastructures to recreate the living and working environment at the time of the raid. The restoration process was a collaborative effort between archaeological findings, oral recollections and archival and historical research to document the history of this pivotal moment in the liberation struggle for current and future generations.

The Learning Centre comprises the following:
• Resource Centre
The Resource Centre sustains the tradition of intellectual discourse that took place at Liliesleaf through its collection of historical documents and literature. It provides academics, scholars, the public, and local and international visitors access to historical material, records and critical theoretical writings and analyses of the Liberation Struggle.

• Museum
The Museum consists of Manor House, the Thatched Cottage, the Outhouse Buildings and the Water Tank Coal Bunker. The Museum offers a snapshot of South Africa’s recent history, which is disseminated in an interactive and experiential manner.

• Liberation Centre
The Liberation Centre is the entry point of the visitor’s “journey of enlightenment” - from liberation to transformation. This multipurpose centre houses:
- a crèche, gift and coffee shop
- an information and ticket reception
- permanent and temporary exhibits
- an auditorium (66 seats)

The sixty-six seat auditorium shows an introductory film to set the historical and political context for the visitor. From the Liberation Centre visitors make their way through the historical buildings and structures which offer them an insightful interactive experience.

An Experiential and Interactive Exhibit

During a reunion at Liliesleaf in 2002, Ahmed Kathrada remarked that it was “through a process of osmosis (Liliesleaf) became the headquarters of the High Command of MK”. The Experiential and Interactive Exhibits not only pay tribute to Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK) by telling the story of its inception and administration but also the events and activities that took place on the Farm.