South Africa's Pre-Colonial Era: Monument built to remember Mandela's long walk to freedom
Updated 18:16, 08-Dec-2018
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To South Africa -- where the late Nelson Mandela's long walk to freedom began on a dusty stretch of road between Durban and Johannesburg. Mandela was arrested by police after leaving a clandestine ANC meeting. He had managed to successfully evade capture for 17-months but authorities finally caught up with him. The road has been commemorated; and now, more than 56-years later, a monument has been built at the very site he was caught as a tribute to the sacrifices he made to secure his country's freedom, CGTN's Travers Andrews with this story.
In August 1962 Nelson Mandela was arrested on this road in Howick, about 107 kilometers outside of Durban. It's a historical event which eventually saw him spend 27 years of his life in prison.
Today the Nelson Mandela capture site stands as a memorial to his arrest and sacrifices and is a powerful tribute to the major role he played to secure the country's freedom and democracy.
GUGU MNCWABE, TOUR GUIDE MANDELA CAPTURE SITE "This is the first important site before Robben Island because this is where he was captured then he was sent to Robben Island. So this is the main spot and it's important. We welcome here tourists who come to view the Nelson Mandela sculpture further down. They come to take pictures, make videos just to honour Nelson Mandela."
The sculpture is a two-dimensional portrayal of the late statesman, comprising of 50 steel columns which reveal an image of Madiba's face when viewed from the correct angle. Now 5 years on since his passing, visitors have been streaming in to pay their respects to his life and where his journey being incarcerated all began.
"It hits home, knowing that his whole prison sentence and capturing of him started here. So at least as a South African guy coming here, you are able to see where everything started, so it kind of hits home and hits the heart."
The Mandela Capture site is also a key tourism attraction for the town and many visitors from around the world are also pilling in the pay homage to a true global leader.
"I don't think any other person in world politics and world leadership, has commanded the respect that he has so just to be here and see the site that is connected with him, is just really moving."
The apartheid museum at the site also offers visitors great insight into the timelines from his arrest to his Presidency.
TRAVERS ANDREWS HOWICK, KWAZULU NATAL "The capture site is currently undergoing a major refurbishment, which is set to be completed in May next year and will include a new state of the art interactive museum, so that more and more people can get to appreciate the important legacy that Nelson Mandela has left behind, Travers Andrews, CGTN, Howick, Kwazulu Natal."