On this day, February 11,1990 Nelson Mandela stepped out of prison into the hearts of South Africans. We can all recall this day and where we were but did you know that Madiba spent his last 14 months of incarceration in Paarl?
Paarl Wine and Tourism and Drakenstein Municipality started with a Madiba Legacy project in 2018 to commemorate the late President Nelson Mandela’s 100th birthday. A photo gallery of ordinary residents of Paarl and Wellington with tata Madiba was launched at the KWV Cathedral Cellar, who also celebrated their centenary in 2018 and where Mandela also attended a function sometime after his release.
The legacy project continued with the Madiba Prison House.
Madiba Prison House at Drakenstein Correctional Services (formally known as Victor Verster Prison) near Paarl, where Nelson Mandela spent the last 14 months of his 27-year incarceration has not been open to the public. This is one of the most important places on Madiba’s journey to freedom. The last steps of Tata Madiba’s ‘long walk to freedom’ was out of the gates of this prison where the statue of Mandela stands at the front.
Manfred Jacobs, a former employee of Drakenstein Correctional services, conducts tours of Madiba Prison House, by appointment only. Bookings can be made at [email protected] or +27 (0) 84 339 0593.
To show the Madiba Journey to the world and hear the story of his first steps to freedom right here in Paarl, the Drakenstein Tourism Association has created a video to provide visitors with a bit of the Madiba magic.
Here is a short glimpse of what you can expect when visiting:
Picture: Supplied
