Where the
legend once lived
The Nelson Mandela House was closed to the public for almost a year while
it was renovated and has re-opened as a stylish yet intimate tribute to South
Africa’s most famous son and his family, writes Clive Vanderwagen
V
ilakazi Street in Soweto’s Mase, the cousin of Walter Sisulu. They kitchen, and a bucket toilet at the
Orlando West is probably the got divorced in 1957, after which she back. Although there were street lamps
only street in the world which moved out. In 1958, his second wife, outside, we used paraffin lamps as the
can count not one, but two Nobel peace Nomzamo Winifred Madikizela (Winnie), homes were not yet electrified. The
prize winners – former President Nelson joined him in the house. bedroom was so small that a double
Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tutu
– among its famous past inhabitants.
“It was the very opposite of grand, but it was my first
This historic street, once the scene
of police shoot-outs and arrests, now true home of my own and I was mightily proud.”
V
has an energetic vibe and has become
a firm favourite on tourist itineraries. The “matchbox” house is bed took up almost the entire floor
E
Ever since the small red-brick house the remembered fondly by the former space. These houses were built by the
N
Mandela family used to call home was president in his autobiography Long municipal authorities for workers who
U
restored and opened its doors to the Walk To Freedom: needed to be near town. To relieve the
public earlier this year, Vilakazi Street “The rent of our new home was monotony, some people planted small
E
has become even more popular. 17s. 6d. per month. The house itself gardens or painted their doors in bright
|
was identical to hundreds of others colours. It was the very opposite of
l
Fond memories built on postage-stamp-size plots on grand, but it was my first true home of e
Madiba moved to 8115 Vilakazi Street dirt roads. It had the same standard tin my own and I was mightily proud. A
g
in 1946 with his first wife, Evelyn roof, the same cement floor, a narrow man is not a man until he has a house
a
c
y
Nelson Mandela’s first home
61
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