Missing video
Sorry, this video could not be found.
Our heroes
-
Godfrey Mokoena, Olympic long-jumper
South Africa’s Olympic silver medallist Godfrey Khotso Mokoena is triple-talented, beginning with the high jump and successfully moving on to the long- and triple jump. more
-
Francois le Vaillant: 18th Century explorer
With sponsorship and a wide-eyed attitude to travel, the 18th Century explorer Francois le Vaillant had the time of his life in South Africa. more
-
Ladysmith Black Mambazo
The music of Ladysmith Black Mambazo has won numerous awards and accolades over the last 4 decades and they are recognised as among South Africa’s most successful cultural exports. more
-
Thomas Bain
19th Century road engineer Thomas Bain is the man responsible for most of the elegantly built mountain passes of the Western Cape – and many other local infrastructure projects. more
More about Our heroes
Nelson Mandela
It is impossible to bring tribute to our great Madiba by only using words, especially after a lifetime of unparalleled generosity and forgiveness of this great soul. more
James Kitching: fossil hunter of the Karoo
James Kitching led a full life, most of it in the wide open spaces of the Karoo, looking for fossil remains of the pre-dinosaur Permian Period. more
Esther Mahlangu
Esther Mahlangu has dedicated her life to develop, promote and evolutionise traditional Ndebele wall painting. Her art has been on walls, a car and a plane across the globe. more
Top 10
Monuments
1Voortrekker Monument, Pretoria, Gauteng
On a hilltop overlooking the capital, this monument was built to commemorate the Great Trek of 1835. The Hall of Heroes commemorates the Battle of Blood River.
2Rhodes Memorial, Cape Town, Western Cape
This granite monument designed by Francis Masey and Sir Herbert Baker high on the slopes of Devil’s Peak has a likeness of mining magnate and British imperialist Cecil John Rhodes.
3Huguenot Monument, Franschhoek, Western Cape
Built in 1948 to celebrate the contribution of the French Huguenots who began arriving in South Africa in 1688.
4Mahatma Gandhi Statue, Pietermartizburg, KwaZulu-Natal
Opposite the old colonial buildings in Church St, stands this image of a defiant Gandhi, who spent 20 years in South Africa fighting racial injustice.
5Paul Kruger Statue, Church Square, Pretoria, Gauteng
This statue of this Boer leader who played a pivotal role in the country’s history at the end of the 19th century is the work of another South African, sculptor Anton van Wouw.
6Battle of Blood River Monument, near Dundee, KwaZulu-Natal
This seminal clash in the history of Voortrekker and Zulu is commemorated with 2 interpretations on either side of the Ncome (Buffalo) River.
7Taal Monument, Paarl, Western Cape
This monument to the Afrikaans language towers above a hill overlooking the town.
81820 Settlers National Monument
The Monument was built to commemorate the contributions made by English-speaking Settlers to South Africa.
9Dick King Statue, Durban, KwaZulu-Natal
In 1842 the teenaged Dick King rode 600 miles in 10 days, to get reinforcements from the Cape after the Voortrekker’s besieged Durban.
10Nobel Square, V&A Waterfront, Cape Town, Western Cape
Have yourself photographed with South Africa’s four Nobel Peace Laureates: Albert Luthuli, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, former State President F.W. de Klerk (awarded 1993) and former President Nelson Mandela.
