Falling leaves
Liliesleaf Farm Museum in Rivonia is another casualty of the coronavirus pandemic.
The heritage site and museum — which is closed at the moment — was the secret headquarters of the ANC, SACP, Umkhonto weSizwe and the Congress Alliance in the 1960s. On July 11 1963 the farm was raided and struggle leaders were arrested.
During the ensuing Rivonia Trial, Nelson Mandela was accused No 1.
Joining him in the dock were Walter Sisulu, Denis Goldberg, Govan Mbeki, Ahmed Kathrada, Lionel “Rusty” Bernstein, Raymond Mhlaba, James Kantor, Elias Motsoaledi and Andrew Mlangeni.
This vital repository of memory, a reminder of one of the most important periods in SA’s history, was reportedly already suffering cashflow problems even before the pandemic pushed it beyond the limits of financial survival and it had to close to visitors.