July 2025

We had the chance to visit three (four) locations of Nelson Mandela’s legacy in the Johannesburg area. This review focuses on logistics and practical experiences rather than deep historical background.

We arrived from Malawi around noon and checked into an airport hotel near OR Tambo. The hotel had a free shuttle to and from the airport, which made things very convenient.

Liliesleaf Farm

Our first destination was Liliesleaf Farm in Rivonia. This was the secret headquarters of the ANC and Umkhonto we Sizwe until it was raided by police in 1963, leading to the arrest of key anti-apartheid leaders and the Rivonia Trial.

We took an Uber there after checking with the hotel staff to confirm that the area was safe. To our surprise, the gate was closed despite a sign indicating the museum should be open. As we stepped out to take a few quick photos, a security guard appeared. He kindly let us in and said we could walk around and take pictures, though the museum itself was closed. Everything was well marked and plenty of information panels, so with didn’t miss much by not visiting the museum. We had arranged for our Uber driver to wait, which worked well.

Constitution Hill

We then continued to Constitution Hill. Constitution Hill in Johannesburg is a powerful symbol of South Africa’s journey from brutal oppression to democracy and justice. Once a notorious prison and military fort, it now houses the country’s highest court – the Constitutional Court – and stands as a living memorial to the struggle for human rights. Nelson Mandela was imprisoned here in 1962 and so was Ghandi. 

The surrounding area felt a bit rough, but inside the complex, everything felt safe and well-organized. Entrance was R100 and included an introduction video, access to Number Four Prison, the Old Fort, and the Women’s Gaol. Visiting the new Constitutional Court building was free. 

An elderly woman approached me and complimented my hair?!. At first, I thought she might be asking for something—but she was, in fact, a witness of truth on her way home. She told me she had been imprisoned at the age of 12, simply for being at Mandela’s house with her mother. Since then, she said, she had been fighting not for freedom, but for peace. She was not satisfied with today’s government, no jobs, more corruption and crime. She wanted peace. It was powerful to hear her story.

We got another Uber back to the hotel without any issues. Later on our guide the next day, told os it was not always easy to get an Uber from here! 

Half-Day Tour to Soweto

The next morning, we arranged a half-day guided trip to Soweto from the hotel. The tour included Orlando East and West, Soweto Towers, Mandela’s former home (very nice), the Hector Pieterson Museum, (closed on Monday)and a visit to the church Regina Mundi. Vilakazi Street in Soweto is unique in being home to two Nobel Peace Prize winners —Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tutu. The area is also famous for the student uprising in 1976, thousands of Black students in Soweto led a protest against the mandatory use of Afrikaans in schools, triggering a nationwide uprising against the apartheid education system.

We asked our guide about the Walter Sisulu Square but he told us it was now considered unsafe and closed to the public. 

Walter Sisulu Square in Kliptown, Soweto, is the historic site where the Freedom Charter was adopted in 1955, laying the foundation for South Africa’s democratic ideals.

He did offer to drive past it for a look and some pictures. From the car, we could see it was indeed in poor condition and definitely closed. 

We returned to the hotel in good time and caught our afternoon flight to Cape Town.

These legacy sites bring Mandela’s story to life in a tangible way—the first three offered a window into different aspects of his life. A remarkable and a very special man. South Africa’s struggle for freedom and democracy is still going on.