Liliesleaf Manor House and Liberty Path Johannesburg

Liliesleaf was a farm bought by the South African Communist Party in 1961 and because it was in a fairly isolated area on the outskirts of the city, it soon evolved into the headquarters of the military wing of the African National Congress - ANC. Besides being the headquarters of the ANC’s military wing, it was also a hideaway and meeting place for the senior members of the ANC. It was a dark time in South African history and Apartheid laws had taken its toll on the ANC, the Communist Party and their supporters.

At the farm, senior members held key debates on political and military policy and strategy. It was at Liliesleaf Farm that the most prominent leaders of South Africa’s struggle against Apartheid sought shelter, and attended meetings. Some of these included Nelson Mandela, Govan Mbeki (Father of South Africa’s current president Thabo Mbeki), Walter Sisulu, Ahmed Kathrada, Bram Fischer, Joe Slovo, Ruth First, Raymond Mhaba, Rusty Bernstein, Bob Hepple, Harold Wolpe, and Denis Goldberg. Many of these individuals were discovered in the police’s raid on Liliesleaf in 1963 by the South African Security Police, and tried in the subsequent Rivonia Treason Trial. They were later to spend over 25 years in prison.

Liliesleaf is one of the most astonishing places in the city of Johannesburg and it is here you will see and feel what apartheid was all about. It is here that you will start to grasp the horror of an oppressive regime that sent anyone who dared to defy the laws to prison for long terms.

Liliesleaf has been restored and the project was overseen by Nic Wolpe, whose father, Harold Wolpe was one of the few able to escape after being incarcerated at a Johannesburg prison.

The facilities at Liliesleaf include:

The Resource Centre: sustains Liliesleaf’s tradition of intellectual discourse and provides academics, scholars and visitors access to historical material, records and critical theoretical writings on the Struggle.

The Museum: consists of manor house, the thatched cottage, the outhouse buildings, the water tank and coal bunkers. The museum offers an interactive and experiential snapshot of South Africa’s recent history.

Liberation Centre: marks the visitor’s entry point to their ‘journey of enlightenment’, from liberation to transformation.

Liberation Path: connects the Resource Centre with the Liberation Centre.

Coffee and Curio Shop: It will be open daily, serving delicious light meals in peaceful atmosphere, with views of the Liliesleaf buildings.

Kindly contact info@africanstay.co.za for rates or to organise a tour or conference.

If you’re planning a stopover in Johannesburg, please give yourself time to visit Liliesleaf - you wont be sorry!