Nelson Mandela Capture Site

16/10/2026

“This is a must visit in the Midlands Meander. The museum tells the story of Mandela and South Africa in the best way I have ever seen with incredible memorabilia.” - Caradee

The Visitor Centre exhibition explores Mandela’s life alongside the wider story of South Africa and its journey to democracy, with an incredible collection of photographs, film and artefacts bringing the story to life.

If you’re exploring the Midlands Meander, make the Capture Site one of your stops. Walk the Long Walk to Freedom and watch as the 50 steel columns gradually align to reveal Mandela’s face. It’s a remarkable, moving and unforgettable moment.

Thursday - Monday | 08:30 - 17:00
R103, Howick, KZN Midlands

Plan your visit: thecapturesite.co.za

09/10/2026

in 1963, the Rivonia Trial opened in the Palace of Justice in Pretoria. The men in the dock are the ones history remembers. This year we're marking the people who stood beside them.

The defence was led by Bram Fischer, with Vernon Berrangé, Arthur Chaskalson and George Bizos, and Joel Joffe as instructing attorney. The state was pushing for the death penalty, and the team is widely credited with helping the accused avoid it.

George Bizos made one of the most consequential suggestions. He advised Mandela to add three words to his statement from the dock, so that it closed: "It is an ideal which I hope to live for and to achieve. But if needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die." The qualification kept it from sounding like a man inviting martyrdom. Bizos, who had arrived in South Africa in 1941 as a thirteen-year-old refugee from Nazi-occupied Greece, was a lifelong campaigner against the death penalty.

Bram Fischer would soon be in the dock himself. An Afrikaner advocate opposing an Afrikaner government, he was arrested soon after the trial, tried for supporting communism, and sentenced to life imprisonment in 1966. He was released only when he was critically ill, and died in 1975.

Arthur Chaskalson’s story continued into the new democratic South Africa. Mandela appointed him the first President of the Constitutional Court in 1994, and in 1995 he wrote the leading judgment that abolished the death penalty in South Africa.

Learn more about the Rivonia Trial at the Visitor Centre. Plan your visit: www.thecapturesite.co.za

05/10/2026

Today, we shine a light on a very special person making a meaningful difference in our community - Slondile Mhlongo, Principal of Lions River Primary School.

With 29 years of teaching experience and as Principal of Lions River Primary since 2014, Slondile has dedicated her career to creating opportunities for children and helping them discover what they are capable of.

Under her leadership, Lions River Primary has introduced computer lessons and music programmes, giving learners the opportunity to explore new skills and talents through instruments including violins, recorders, trombones and trumpets.

Her commitment to her learners has also seen the school recognised as the Best Farm School for Nutrition in 2024.

But beyond the achievements, it is Slondile’s passion for her learners and her belief in the power of education that truly stands out.

“A teacher can bring positive change in any child from any environment and background.”

We are proud to celebrate Slondile Mhlongo and the incredible work she continues to do in our community.

05/10/2026

On World Teachers' Day, we celebrate the teachers who have helped shape South Africa, in classrooms and far beyond them.

South Africa's liberation history is full of teachers. Albert Luthuli spent more than a decade teaching at Adams College and led the African Teachers Association. John Dube founded the Ohlange Institute in Inanda. Charlotte Maxeke, the first black South African woman to earn a university degree, taught in Kimberley and Pietersburg. Ellen Kuzwayo trained at Adams and Lovedale and began teaching in Natal in 1936. Oliver Tambo taught science in Johannesburg years before he practised law.

Some of them gave the profession up on principle. Both Desmond Tutu and Gertrude Shope walked away from teaching rather than work under Bantu Education.

Their stories remind us that teaching is about more than what happens in the classroom. It can open possibilities, build confidence and give young people the tools to shape their own futures.

To the teachers who continue to inspire, guide and equip the next generation, thank you.

Bring your learners to the Nelson Mandela Capture Site to explore Mandela's story and South Africa's journey to democracy. School tours are available: thecapturesite.co.za

30/09/2026

We were honoured to recently host the International Justice, Speakers for Justice and Peace Gathering at the Nelson Mandela Capture Site.

The gathering brought together broadcaster, author and political commentator George Galloway, alongside journalist, author and activist Yvonne Ridley, for an incredibly informative and thought-provoking discussion on justice and peace.
Mr Galloway, also shared his reflections on visiting the Capture Site, describing the experience as a “spiritual experience” and speaking to the significance of the site and what we have to offer visitors.

It was a privilege to welcome such distinguished speakers to a place so deeply rooted in South Africa’s history and legacy.

28/09/2026

Thank you for sharing our space with us, Mr Galloway. It was an absolute pleasure having you with us!🇿🇦

The bleakly beautiful spot where was captured by the Apartheid police and thereafter spent 27 years in their dungeons. The visitors centre here is one of the most profoundly moving I have ever seen gayatri pertiwi (Picture by Zein Galloway )

27/09/2026

GOLDEN SHIELD HERITAGE AWARDS 2026 | FIRST RUNNER UP🏆

We are delighted to announce that the Nelson Mandela Capture Site has been awarded First Runner-Up for the Preferred Heritage Destination category in the esteemed 2026 Golden Shield Heritage Awards on the evening of 25 September 2026 in Mbombela.

While we did not take home the award, this recognition is an immense honour and a reflection of the passion, dedication and commitment of all those who contribute to the preservation and promotion of our shared heritage.

Congratulations to the , the recepient of this prestigious award in our category. We are proud of you and the work being done by the entire South African heritage fraternity.

For the Nelson Mandela Capture Site, this recognition encourages us to persist in establishing a welcoming place where heritage, education, tourism and community engagement are combined to ensure the enduring legacy of Nelson Mandela is preserved for all communities.

Thank you to the National Heritage Council of South Africa, the Golden Shield Heritage Awards organisers, our partners, stakeholders, our staff, visitors and supporters for acknowledging our efforts.

🥇 FIRST RUNNER-UP - PREFERRED HERITAGE DESTINATION🇿🇦

🏛️ Golden Shield Heritage Awards 2026

📍 Mbombela, Mpumalanga

We may not have brought the trophy home but we bring home something more meaningful - recognition, gratitude and new-inspiring motivation to continue to serve our heritage.

26/09/2026

24/09/2026

Happy Heritage Day, South Africa.

In 1996, Nelson Mandela stood in a Johannesburg cemetery to unveil a memorial to Enoch Sontonga, a schoolteacher and choirmaster who in 1897 wrote the opening verse of Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika for his school choir. Sontonga was buried in the segregated section of that cemetery in an unmarked grave, even as the words he wrote travelled across the country and, in time, into our national anthem.

Speaking that day, Mandela said: "When our first democratically-elected government decided to make Heritage Day one of our national days, we did so because we knew that our rich and varied cultural heritage has a profound power to help build our new nation."

That is what today is for. Many stories, one country, and a heritage that belongs to all of us.

Spend the day with us: www.thecapturesite.co.za