Pretoria – South Africans will this year mark the 100th anniversary of one of the most iconic structures in the capital city of Pretoria, the Union Buildings.
Cabinet has approved the Union Buildings’ 100th anniversary celebrations, which will be held in December under a theme that will promote social cohesion, national unity and reconciliation.
“Cabinet approved that the centenary be marked through various projects, such as celebrations on Reconciliation Day, 16 December 2013,” said Minister in the Presidency for Performance Monitoring and Evaluation, Collins Chabane, while briefing reporters after Cabinet’s regular meeting.
The Union Buildings form part of the official seat of the South African government and also houses the Presidency offices. The imposing buildings are located in the northern end of Arcadia, Pretoria.
On 9 August 1956, 20 000 women marched to the doors of the Union Buildings, chanting "Wathint’ Abafazi, wathint’ imbokodo!" (which means ‘you strike a woman, you strike a rock’) to protest against the pass laws of 1950.
The historical event is commemorated by the public holiday, National Women's Day.
On 10 May 1994, the inauguration of former President Nelson Mandela, South Africa's first democratically elected president, and his vice-presidents, after the country's first free elections, heralded the beginning of a new era in South Africa's history.
Designed by Sir Herbert Baker in 1908, building began in 1909 and was completed in 1913.
It took approximately 1 265 artisans, workmen and labourers almost three years to construct, using 14 million bricks for the interior office walls, half a million cubic feet of freestone, 74 000 cubic yards of concrete, 40 000 bags of cement and 20 000 cubic feet of granite. - SAnews.gov.za
