Pretoria — Secret Negotiations Plot

Your quest begins at Church Square, Pretoria's central square where the city was founded in 1857. It is here, on this approximately 1-hectare area with its 1872 fountain, that the founding negotiations of the Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek (ZAR) took place in 1855. Surrounded by the four statues of Paul Kruger, president of the ZAR, erected in 1899 and 4.5 meters high, you feel the weight of past decisions. This location was also the scene of key political gatherings during the Second Boer War (1899-1902), a pivotal period for Pretoria's history.

A short walk away, the Palace of Justice, built between 1897 and 1898 in a Dutch neoclassical style by François Pienaar, awaits you. This 3-story building, with its 100-meter facade and 20-meter dome, is more than just a structure; it is the site of the Rivonia Trial in 1963-1964, where Nelson Mandela was sentenced to life imprisonment. Later, this same location hosted the South African constitutional negotiations from 1990-1994, essential for ending apartheid. Restored in 2013, it remains a Rivonia Trial monument and a strong symbol of Gauteng's heritage.

Your journey then takes you to the Union Buildings, a government complex inaugurated in 1913, designed by Sir Herbert Baker. This site is the seat of the South African presidency and was the location of Nelson Mandela's inauguration speech on May 10, 1994. The semi-circular amphitheater, 1.3 km in circumference and reaching 90 meters at its highest point, hosted the secret CODESA negotiations in 1991 for the democratic transition. The 14-hectare gardens, planted with 1,200 jacaranda trees imported from India in 1930, offer a serene setting for a Pretoria visit rich in history.

Nearby, the Statue of Nelson Mandela, a work by Kobus Hattingh, captures your attention. Unveiled on December 16, 2013, by Jacob Zuma, this 6-meter-high, 2.6-ton bronze statue depicts Mandela with his fists on his hips, symbolizing the 1994 victory. Located on Arcadia Hill, 1.5 km as the crow flies from Church Square, it attracts 500,000 tourists annually. Right next door, the South African Reserve Bank, an Art Deco building from 1932-1934 with its 40-meter central tower, has managed post-apartheid monetary negotiations since 1994, 500 meters from the Union Buildings.

Finally, your investigation leads you to the Old Raadsaal, built between 1889 and 1891 as the ZAR's first permanent parliament. This Victorian building of 800 m², with its main hall accommodating 120 people, was the site of legislative sessions under Paul Kruger until 1902. It also witnessed the Vereeniging peace negotiations in 1902, ending the Boer War. Converted into a museum in 1983 and managed by Ditsong Museums, this historic Pretoria site concludes your thematic circuit, offering you a deep understanding of Gauteng's heritage and the decisive moments in South African history.