Apartheid Museum

31/05/2026

In 1948, the National Party came to power on a platform of apartheid, beginning the formal implementation of a vast system of racial segregation and white minority rule in South Africa.

Between 1949 and 1971, 148 apartheid laws were introduced, shaping nearly every aspect of life in South Africa through controls over land, movement, residence, employment, education, political rights, and countless other restrictions imposed on the black majority.
Together, these measures formed what is described as grand apartheid: the broader framework of policies covering territorial planning, forced removals, segregation, and exclusion that underpinned apartheid rule.

The Apartheid Museum’s ‘Apartheid’ exhibition explores how this system was developed and enforced over time. Through photographs, personal stories, archival material, and historical records, the exhibition also examines the political and social conditions that enabled apartheid to take hold, offering insight into its structure and the lived realities experienced by millions of South Africans.

Visit the Apartheid Museum to explore our exhibitions and engage more deeply with the history, impact, and legacy of apartheid.

www.apartheidmuseum.org

26/05/2026

On this day in 1948, the National Party won the South African general election, forming a government that would go on to introduce apartheid as official state policy.

The election was contested between D.F. Malan’s National Party and incumbent Jan Smuts’ United Party in a deeply unequal society, where black South Africans, who made up more than 70% of the population, were excluded from the vote. The NP campaigned explicitly on the platform of apartheid, drawing on fears of the “swart gevaar” and promising strict racial separation. It built support among small farmers, blue-collar workers, and poorer white voters, while portraying the UP as liberal elites, despite both parties ultimately upholding white minority rule and segregation in different forms.

Although the NP did not win the majority of the popular vote, it secured enough parliamentary seats through its rural constituency advantage to form a government. From this moment, it moved quickly to introduce and entrench legislation that formalised apartheid. This election marked the beginning of 46 years of continuous National Party rule.

Visit the Apartheid Museum to explore the events, policies, and histories that shaped South Africa’s past.

www.apartheidmuseum.org

22/05/2026

MEET OUR TOUR GUIDES
Emmanuel Gumbi

Our tour guide, Emmanuel Gumbi, has been with the Apartheid Museum for 10 years.

WATCH this clip in which Emmanuel talks about an aspect of our permanent exhibition that moves him most – the Hall of Ex*****on.

Displayed here are 131 nooses suspended from the ceiling, commemorating the 131 political prisoners executed by the apartheid government between 1960 and 1989. Among them were five members of the Vulindlela family, members of Poqo, who were hanged on 3 July 1964 for their involvement in the Mbashe River attack of the previous year.

Also featured is a list of 115 people who died in detention between 1963 and 1990, together with the alleged causes of their deaths. The exhibition highlights the emblematic stories of Ahmed Timol, Steve Biko, and Neil Aggett, whose deaths in detention became powerful symbols of the brutality of apartheid repression.

To enhance your visit to the Apartheid Museum, book a guided tour for a minimum of 15 people. Tours last between 2 to 3 hours.

INTERNATIONAL VISITORS (INCLUDING SADC COUNTRIES)
Adult guided tour: R260.00 per person
Pensioners, students, and children guided tour: R200.00 per person

SOUTH AFRICAN CITIZENS (WITH IDENTIFICATION)
Adult guided tour: R190.00 per person
Pensioners, students, and children guided tour: R140.00 per person
All scholars visiting the museum in large groups are automatically given a guided tour.
© Apartheid Museum
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*****ons

19/05/2026

Join us for a Taste of Cultures, a vibrant festival brought to you in partnership with the Apartheid Museum, SOJO Business and Tourism, and Zaza Legacy Markets!

May is Africa Month – a special time to celebrate the rich identities, unity, and diverse cultures of the continent. This year we embrace all cultures fostering a spirit of connection and shared celebration.

Experience a lively gathering featuring delicious cuisines, stunning arts and crafts, and cultural expressions from around the globe. It’s a unique opportunity to explore and enjoy our collective stories and flavours in one unforgettable event!

Save the date and join us 📍 Location: Apartheid Museum, Northern Parkway & Gold Reef Roads, Ormonde, Johannesburg.

The Apartheid Museum opened in 2001 and is acknowledged as the pre-eminent museum in the world dealing with 20th century South Africa, at the heart of which is the aparth

18/05/2026

INTERNATIONAL MUSEUM DAY

Through the eyes of our visitors.

A visit to the Apartheid Museum offers a powerful, personal encounter with South Africa’s history that informs, challenges, and stays with you long after you leave.

Plan your visit and experience it for yourself. Don’t forget to tag us to share your journey.

www.apartheidmuseum.org

Open Tuesdays to Sundays from 09h00 to 17h00, and most public holidays.

14/05/2026

Apartheid Museum Art Collection: Stills from “Mine”, William Kentridge

William Kentridge’s ‘Mine’ forms part of his ‘Drawings for Projection’ series, set in the industrial landscape south of Johannesburg. The work reflects on the mining economy and the labour systems that underpinned it, contrasting the world of wealth and ownership above ground with the harsh realities faced by black mineworkers below.

The film, created through layered charcoal drawings that are repeatedly erased, altered, and re-photographed, reflects on themes of ownership, labour, exploitation, and the way memory and history are continually reshaped but never fully erased.

Art at the Apartheid Museum adds another layer to understanding South Africa’s past, offering perspectives shaped not only by events, but by interpretation and imagination. Through visual culture, artists help us question how history is seen, remembered, and understood, while opening space for reflection and discussion.

Visit the Apartheid Museum to explore the art collection and discover the perspectives it brings to South Africa’s history.

Book tickets online: https://www.webtickets.co.za/v2/EventCategories.aspx?itemid=1517190624

© William Kentridge

12/05/2026

To mark 30 years of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), please join us for the screening of Bones of Memory, followed by a guided tour of the Grave Injustice exhibition.

Date: Saturday, 16 May 2026
Time: 13:30 for 14:00
Venue: Apartheid Museum

Kindly RSVP to [email protected] by 12 May

Bones of Memory, an episode of Enver Samuel's acclaimed Truth Be Told series, tells the story of Ntombikayise Kubheka, an anti-apartheid activist and member of uMkhonto weSizwe, who was abducted, tortured and killed by the apartheid security police in 1987. Her remains were only recovered a decade later, after revelations during the Truth and Reconciliation Commission process. This finally allowed her family to lay Kubheka to rest.

The film shows her daughter, Thuli, who - now an adult living in KwaMashu with her own child - grapples with the lasting impact of her mother's death and questions the cost of that sacrifice. As a new inquest into Ntombi's killing unfolds, the documentary revisits unresolved trauma and memory, culminating in a deep and unexpected turn that brings the past into the present.

The Grave Injustice exhibition examines the unfinished work of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. It is both an inquiry into justice delayed and a tribute to the survivors and families who continue the fight for accountability.
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The Apartheid Museum opened in 2001 and is acknowledged as the pre-eminent museum in the world dealing with 20th century South Africa, at the heart of which is the aparth

08/05/2026

Visit Grave Injustice: The Unfinished Business of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, on display until 30 June.

The exhibition examines the failure to fully investigate and prosecute many apartheid-era crimes, leaving families without answers or accountability more than 30 years later. It reflects on the promises made during South Africa’s transition and the consequences when justice is delayed.

That reality is still unfolding. The Cradock Four (Fort Calata, Matthew Goniwe, Sicelo Mhlauli, and Sparrow Mkonto) were abducted and murdered by security police in 1985. Six officers later applied for amnesty through the TRC, but were denied for failing to make full disclosure, and none were ever prosecuted. All have since died.

Now, decades later, a third inquest into the case is underway following legal action by the families to compel further investigation. Recent testimony from former security police commander, Eugene de K**k, forms part of the current proceedings, as the court seeks to establish the full circumstances of their deaths.

Visit the Grave Injustice exhibition to learn more about the ongoing struggles for truth and accountability in the decades after the TRC. On display at the Apartheid Museum until 30 June 2026.

Book tickets online: https://www.webtickets.co.za/v2/EventCategories.aspx?itemid=1517190624

Open Tuesdays to Sundays from 09h00 to 17h00, and most public holidays.

01/05/2026

Workers’ Day in South Africa reflects the role of workers and trade unions in the fight against apartheid, where labour movements became a powerful political force for change.

Under apartheid, black workers were controlled through systems designed to enforce inequality, including pass laws restricting movement, job reservation policies that reserved skilled work for white workers, and the migrant labour system that separated families and sustained cheap labour for mines and industry. Working conditions were often dangerous, underpaid, and tightly regulated, with little protection or recourse.

Despite this, workers organised and resisted through strikes and trade union action, from the May Day strike of 1950, met with violent repression, to the widespread labour unrest of the 1970s and 1980s that placed increasing pressure on the apartheid state.

Today, Workers’ Day recognises both the struggle against oppressive labour systems and the role of workers in shaping South Africa’s history.

Visit the Apartheid Museum. Free entry for all South Africans today, 1 May.

www.apartheidmuseum.org