A group of 48 children from Parow Park were afforded the opportunity on Wednesday 15 July to visit the Long March to Freedom Exhibition at Century City as part of an excursion ahead of Mandela Day.

The visit was made possible by three local non-profit organisations, Action 4 Humanity, Called to Serve Foundation and Concerned Parents Association. These are run by Nikita Bezuidenhout and Leann Nero.

The children were from two local primary schools – Parow West and De Tyger Primary School – and between Grade 4 and 7.

Planning

Bezuidenhout explained how the idea of the trip had come about. “Leann and I wanted to do something different this year for Mandela Day, and since it’s school holidays we reached out to the National Heritage Project Company, developer, owner and operator of the Long March to Freedom Exhibition, and enquired about receiving a discount for the children if we brought them.

“They were so generous and told me they would sponsor the 50 kids, and we just needed to organise transport. Hiring buses is not cheap, and while stressing about how we would do this they put us onto Golden Arrow Bus Service for possibly sponsoring the trip. So everything really came together and we are so grateful.”

News of the planned excursion spread by word of mouth around the community, she said.

“At first we were thinking Grade 4 to 11, but realised the age gap was too big and opted for up to Grade 7 only. The kids were informed and they were so excited they were ready early in the morning already.”

Their soup kitchen staff started at 06:00 that morning to prepare the hamburgers and yoghurts they gave to the children before setting out.

“All in all the day was a success,” Bezuidenhout declared.

Tour

During their visit, Tumo Bopape, exhibition education officer and guide, told them about apartheid and they learnt more about the country’s leaders, including Nelson Mandela, the first democratically elected President of South Africa. They were also given a few activities to perform as part of the educational trip.

Other statues to see in the exhibit, aside from Mandela’s, include those of Oliver Tambo, longest-serving president of the ANC, and other anti-apartheid and human-rights activists Albertina Sisulu, Anglican Archbishop-Emeritus Desmond Tutu (who was also an author and a Nobel Peace Prize winner), Johnny Clegg (also a performer and anthropologist) and Helen Suzman (a reformist politician).

There are currently 100 statues in the exhibition, but Sarah Haines, director of the National Heritage Project Company, said more statues would be added as funding became available.

She said visitors can enter the exhibition free of charge on Saturday 18 July as part of the Mandela Day celebrations, and only a small donation is being requested by the facility.

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