Apartheid Museum, Johannesburg

“The Apartheid Museum in Johannesburg is not about history. It’s far more important than that!”

“. . . . very few exhibits – apartheid explained through tons of text and pictures.”

“As a visitor to Johannesburg, your trip won’t be complete without a visit to the Apartheid Museum – even if you’re not interested in history”

SEGREGATION : Once inside, you’re confronted with the reality of racial segregation, which became a cornerstone of apartheid, despite not being officially enforced before 1897.

APARTHEID : Large photographic murals depict the forced removals that were central to apartheid, explaining why politicians, despite segregation existing at the time, found it necessary to legislate racial separation.
Political groups who highlighted this segregation, are also highlighted here.

TURN TO VIOLENCE : This section details the shift away from peaceful protest and on to armed resistance. This happened after the Sharpeville Massacre on 21st March 1960, where 69 protesters were killed during a demonstration against pass laws.

LIFE UNDER APARTHEID : Photographs by Ernest Cole, recognized as South Africa’s first black freelance photographer, depict the harsh realities of life under apartheid. Despite the country’s economic growth in the 1960’s and 70’s, the black community faced increasing oppression under apartheid laws.
Cole died in poverty, in exile, in New York in 1990 – anonymous and homeless.

HOMELANDS POLICY : South Africa has a number of Black ethic groups, and this shows how the Nationalist Government divided the country along tribal lines.
The 10 planned tribal Homelands, that made up only 13% of the country’s total area, would rid the country of blacks, and deny them their political rights in a white South Africa
The first to receive its “independence”, which was recognised only by South Africa, was the Transkei in 1976.

THE BLACK CONSCIOUSNESS MOVEMENT : The ANC leadership had been annihilated in the 1960s, with most serving life-long prison sentences.
From this, the Black Consciousness Movement emerged, led by young students like Stephen Bantu Biko. The movement, which rejected white values and promoted black self-worth, came into conflict with the government, leading to Biko’s torture, and resulting death, in police custody in 1977.

POLITICAL EXECUTIONS : South Africa had one of the world’s highest execution rates during apartheid, with 131 people executed for terrorism-related crimes.
A number of others were tortured to death whilst in police custody, and deemed to have committed suicide by the police..

16th JUNE 1976 : THE SOWETO UPRISING : On 16th June 1976, 20,000 schoolchildren marched through Soweto in protest against apartheid. The unrest spread nationwide, marking a turning point in the struggle for liberation and, despite being crushed, signaled the beginning of apartheid’s downfall.

Hundreds of civil organizations and anti-apartheid groups joined forces to form the United Democratic Front, in their support of the ANC and a democratic South Africa.

THE TOTAL ONSLAUGHT : Despite growing resistance, the government continued to enforce apartheid while simultaneously beginning reforms.

ROOTS OF COMPROMISE : In 1987, top businessmen secretly met with the exiled ANC, marking the beginning of compromise.
By 1990, and after the fall of Communism, President F.W. de Klerk began negotiations for a democratic South Africa, leading to the unbanning of political organizations and Nelson Mandela’s release.

NELSON MANDELA’S RELEASE : Nelson Mandela was released from Victor Verster Prison in Paarl (near Cape Town) on 11th February 1990 after 27 years in prison, marking a pivotal moment in the history of South Africa.

THE NATIONAL PEACE ACCORD AND THE BILL OF RIGHTS : In 1991, twenty-seven political groups, along with the homeland and national government, signed the National Peace Accord and Bill of Rights. This agreement set the stage for negotiations that led to the creation of the Convention for a Democratic South Africa (CODESA).

27th APRIL 1994 ELECTIONS : The 1994 elections marked the first time non-whites could vote, with the ANC winning 63% of the vote, the National Party 20% and the IFP 11%.
These parties, according to the CODESA negotiations, formed a Government of National Unity.

THE SOUTH AFRICAN TRUTH AND RECONCILLIATION COMMISSION (TRC) : Chaired by Archbishop Desmond Tutu, the TRC sought to restore justice for victims of gross human rights violations between 1960 and 1994.
Perpetrators of violence who confessed their crimes, could be given amnesty from both civil and criminal prosecution., to perpetrators who confessed their crimes.

MIRACLE AND BEYOND : The peaceful transition from a minority to a majority government was unprecedented. The exhibit “The Miracle and Beyond” captures this historic moment through newspaper clippings and interviews.

THE NEW CONSTITUTION : The new South African Constitution, along with the national flag and anthem, are displayed as symbols of the country’s new values.

A PLACE OF HEALING : The museum serves as a place of healing, reflecting on the past while looking toward the future.

GARDEN : The peaceful, indigenous Bankenveld Highveld garden offers solace and a chance to reflect on the horrors witnessed inside the museum.

RETAIL SHOP AND RESTAURANT : Before exiting, visitors can browse a retail shop offering books, clothing, and memorabilia, or grab a light meal at the garden restaurant.

AWARD WINNING BUILDING!
The museum’s design integrates seamlessly with the landscape.
The exterior’s rough steel gabions filled with rock evoke Johannesburg’s mining legacy, while the interior’s varying ceiling heights and cramped spaces create an oppressive atmosphere that gradually lightens as the exhibits move toward the dismantling of apartheid.