Rivonia farm now a heritage site

Minister of Arts and Culture Paul Mashatile has announced that Lilliesleaf farm, in Rivonia, would be turned into a heritage site.

Mashatile, speaking at the 48th anniversary gala dinner to honour the Rivonia Trialists in Sandton, told President Jacob Zuma and dignitaries that the story of the farm - used as a meeting place and a hide-out for senior ANC and SACP leaders in 1960 - had to be told "again, again and again".

The farm was bought by MK High Command and the SA Communist Party, and was to be used as a meeting place and a hideout for banned activists from police.

However, on July 11 1963, police raided the farm and found the men studying "Operation Mayibuye" - an MK proposal for guerilla warfare and revolution.

Struggle heroes including Walter Sisulu, Govan Mbeki, Rusty Bernstein, Ahmed Kathrada, Denis Goldberg, James Kantor, Andrew Mlangeni, Raymond Mhlaba, Nelson Mandela and Elias Motsoaledi were all arrested.

Arthur Goldreich and Harold Wolpe escaped before going on trial.

Goldberg, in his entertaining address peppered with funny anecdotes and recollections of conversations he had with Madiba and others, spoke of his "pride" in sharing his experiences with his fellow trialists.

Goldberg said: "They [security forces] wanted to hang us ... But there was no fear, there was a sense of 'what a moment in our lives'."

Goldberg also read a message from former state president Mandela, in which he said the occasion had to be used "to honour those that stood in the dock".

Kathrada also couldn't make it, but Mlangeni and Goldberg were honoured by Zuma, with commemorative artworks of the trialists.

Families of the other trialists were on hand to accept awards.

Zuma, in his keynote address said: "We believe that by preserving this heritage [Lilliesleaf farm] we are contributing to the ongoing process of national healing and the building of a more cohesive society.

"We will therefore continue to ensure that the story of [the farm] is told in full for the benefit of current and future generations," Zuma said.

This year is also the 50th anniversary of uMkhonto weSizwe.