Liliesleaf Farm

Tucked away in the leafy suburb of Rivonia, Johannesburg is Liliesleaf. Once the nerve centre of the liberation movement and a place of refuge for its leaders, today Liliesleaf is one of South Africa’s foremost, award-winning heritage sites, where the journey to democracy in South Africa is honoured.Recognised as one of South Africa’s leading heritage sites, Liliesleaf opened to the public in June 2008 and has since attracted thousands of local and international visitors, eager to understand and engage with a pivotal period in South Africa’s liberation struggle. The museum pays testimony to the many lives that changed the political landscape of this country and through its educational programmes, appeals to younger audiences to face today’s challenges with creative enthusiasm.Take a TourOn 7 April 1960 the Unlawful Organisations Act was proclaimed, declaring illegal all groups campaigning for the end of apartheid. The PAC and the ANC were banned and forced to go underground.The South African Communist Party (SACP) set up a front company called Navian (Pty) Ltd through which Liliesleaf was purchased. The property was ideal; secluded in the peri-rural area of Rivonia. It provided a secure location where the underground leadership could meet. The purchase of Liliesleaf also coincided