Pretoria - As part of celebrating Freedom Day, South Africans, including tourists, will be offered free entrance to the newly completed //hapo museum at the historic Freedom Park to learn more about the liberation struggle for freedom.
The museum, situated at the hill top of Salvokop in Pretoria, was officially unveiled by Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe earlier this week.
Freedom Park’s chief executive Fana Jiyane said Freedom Park celebrates this year’s Freedom Day by offering the public free entrance to its newest heritage attraction, the //hapo interpretive centre.
“//hapo is more than a traditional museum. //hapo is a living interpretive centre - one with which each and every South African will identify personally.
“As we celebrate our peace, unity, freedom and human dignity, we invite all South Africans to visit a place where they will reach a new understanding of a complex past, and explore the diversity that is South Africa’s greatest wealth, and so create shared dreams of the future,” Jiyane said.
The national Freedom Day commemorations will take place on 27 April at the Union Buildings.
The day is used to celebrate the dawn of freedom and democracy and the achievements of all South Africans in moving away from hatred, divisions and a painful history to build a common future together.
This year’s theme is “Mobilising society towards consolidating our democracy and freedom.”
Jiyane said the celebrations will start with prayers by different faith based organisations at the Freedom Park on Saturday morning, before proceeding in a cultural parade to the Union Buildings.
Freedom Park has been conceptualised as a monument for all South Africans to consolidate and preserve their freedom heritage in an all-encompassing and inclusive manner; including its links to the Voortreker Monument and Union Buildings within the Tshwane Heritage Belt.
//hapo means “a dream” and is derived from a Khoi proverb “//hapo ge //hapo tama /haohasib dis tamas ka I bo” which translates “a dream is not a dream until it is shared by the entire community”.
He said the park will also be hosting educational tours to celebrate Freedom Day with learners from five different schools in Gauteng on 25 and 27 April, in partnership with the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC).
Freedom Park will be open to the general public for free until 1 May for guided and self-guided tours of //hapo and other elements of the park. - SAnews.gov.za
