Mahlamba Ndlopfu

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Mahlamba Ndlopfu
Mahlamba Ndlopfu
Former namesLibertas
Alternative namesEnglish: "The New Dawn"
General information
Architectural style Cape Dutch architecture
Location Bryntirion Estate, Pretoria
Country South Africa
Coordinates 25°44′16″S28°13′36″E / 25.7377612°S 28.2265393°E / -25.7377612; 28.2265393
Current tenantsCyril Ramaphosa, President of the Republic of South Africa
Opened1940;84 years ago (1940)
Design and construction
Architect(s)Gerard Moerdijk
Website
thepresidency.gov.za

Mahlamba Ndlopfu (formerly known as Libertas) is the chief official residence of the President of the Republic of South Africa. The head of government has made it their official home since 1940 and it is located in the Bryntirion Estate in Pretoria.

Contents

Libertas, since 1994 known as Mahlamba Ndlopfu, in 1934 by Gerard Moerdijk designed as official residence in Pretoria for the state of the Union of South Africa. - panoramio.jpg

The building was built in 1940 and was designed by Gerard Moerdijk, a South African architect, to be the official residence in Pretoria of the Prime Minister of the time, General Jan Smuts. Since its creation, Mahlamba Ndlopfu has also hosted official visits from foreign heads of state, such as visits by François Mitterrand, the President of the French Republic, and Barack Obama, the President of the United States.

The current occupant of Mahlamba Ndlopfu is Cyril Ramaphosa, President of the Republic of South Africa since February 14, 2018.

Architecture

Gerard Moerdijk, the architect

The architect of Libertas was Gerard Moerdijk (1890–1958). He came from a family of Dutch immigrants and was even deported during the Second Boer War. He was passionate about architecture, especially the Renaissance, [1] so, after his studies in Pretoria, he went to France ( École des Beaux Arts ) and Italy (British School of Archeology, Rome).

Upon his return in 1913, he specialised in the realisation of churches with a special touch, since he did not follow the traditional method. He received nearly 80 orders for churches in South Africa, but also in the Rhodesias and South-West Africa. Moerdjik was particularly interested in Greek theatres. His most famous masterpiece is the commemorative Voortrekker Monument, completed in 1949.

In order to realise Libertas, Gerard Moerdijk won a competition organised by the Public Works Department and Prime Minister Jan Smuts.

Cape-Dutch style

Libertas was built in the atypical style of Gerard Moerdijk, mixing classical European architecture with colonial and African influences. It was mainly inspired by the Cape Dutch style, [2] an architecture specific to the settlers, especially farmers, established in South Africa. It was brought by the Dutch and re-used by the British in the Cape region.

The white colour of the walls of Mahlamba Ndlopfu is inspired from the 18th century Boer [3] farms in the Cape area. The flourishing nature around is also part of the Cape Dutch environment, although Moerdijk wanted to keep a structured garden around the residence. The architect also insisted on modernising the techniques and limited the use of woods which was not resistant enough for such a construction.

The Bryntirion Estate

Mahlamba Ndlopfu was built on the Bryntirion Estate. Besides the Presidential residence, the official residence of the Deputy President, Oliver Tambo House, [4] is also located on the Bryntirion Estate. Oliver Tambo House is currently occupied by Paul Mashatile, Ramaphosa’s Deputy President since 2023. The estate also incorporates a Presidential guest house and official residences for several Cabinet ministers. In total the zone contains 28 properties (called erfs ), and they are all owned by the Republic of South Africa (except for erf 16 [5] ).

The estate is 107 hectares (264 acres) and its infrastructures allow the government officials spare-time activities. There are 15 tennis courts, a 9-hole Presidential golf course [6] and several private swimming pools in Bryntirion. A helipad was also built in order to facilitate governmental travelling.

Because of its political importance, the Bryntirion Estate is a highly protected place. The security system is made of 202 surveillance cameras, 4 massive gatehouses and 8.1km of anti-climb motion detection fences which were built in 2007. The fences eventually cost 90 million Rand (USD12.8 million), which makes each metre worth 11,000 Rand. [7]

Political influence

Place of power

As the chief official Presidential residence, Mahlamba Ndlopfu is not only useful as a house to live in. It is also the place where the President holds his meetings with the important government representatives, and where he sometimes invites his foreign equivalents.

In 1994, when Nelson Mandela became President of the Republic of South Africa, an important inauguration ceremony was organised at the Union Buildings in Pretoria. He decided to invite his political friends from all around the world such as Fidel Castro (Cuban leader) or Al Gore (US Vice-President). [8] Mandela therefore received many of his powerful guests in Mahlamba Ndlopfu after the ceremony. [9]

In July 1994, the French President, François Mitterrand, was the first foreign head of state to make an official state visit since 1947 [10] and was eventually invited to Mahlamba Ndlopfu. Because of the apartheid system, international political leaders refused to go to South Africa until the election of Mandela. Many influential figures followed Mitterrand, such as Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom (and formerly Queen of South Africa), the German Chancellor Helmut Kohl, and the U.S. President, Bill Clinton.

Symbolic place

Mahlamba Ndlopfu as an embodiment of South African Presidential power has had a great symbolic value over time.

First, the use of the architectural Cape Dutch style, which was used to build Libertas in 1940, was picked for its important symbolic value. It was chosen to prove that the place where the head of government lived was marked with colonial heritage. It was at the same time honouring the ancestors of the white minority of South Africa, and the typical style of the region. The name Libertas was chosen in order to highlight the value of freedom.

Moreover, this place became an important symbol of the African influence when it changed its name during President Mandela’s term. Indeed, Mandela gave a significant importance to the Africanisation [11] of the country which had been dominated by colonial descendants for decades. Africanisation led to symbolic changes like the inclusion of African history on the education programme, the new South African flag, and the changing of the Libertas name to Mahlamba Ndlopfu.

Occupants


See also


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References

  1. Roger C. Fisher, Gerard Moerdijk : The Formative Years, University of Pretoria https://repository.up.ac.za/bitstream/handle/2263/7933/Fisher_Gerard(2003).pdf?sequence=5
  2. Artefacts: ”Mahlamba Ndlopfu (was Libertas) Artefacts: ”Mahlamba Ndlopfu (was Libertas)” https://www.artefacts.co.za/main/Buildings/bldgframes.php?bldgid=7339
  3. Waybackmachine: Cape Dutch Architecture, June 2006 https://web.archive.org/web/20060618001306/http://www.encounter.co.za/article/19.html
  4. Presidential Website: Oliver Tambo House http://www.thepresidency.gov.za/content/oliver-tambo-house
  5. Erf 16 Bryntirion http://www.saflii.org/za/cases/ZAGPPHC/2010/154.html
  6. Presidential Gold Estate https://web.archive.org/web/20120302070843/http://www.secelec.co.za/projects/project2.htm
  7. Mbeki's R90 millions wall https://web.archive.org/web/20070222081321/http://www.news24.com/News24/South_Africa/Politics/0%2C%2C2-7-12_2071893%2C00.html
  8. History: Mandela's inauguration day, 1994 https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/nelson-mandela-inaugurated
  9. 6 Tony Trew, Transcript of interview with Jessie Duarte, Johannesburg, 2014 https://archive.nelsonmandela.org/uploads/r/nelson-mandela-centre-of-memory-south-africa/6/e/7/6e7640ac75c833e7b9707f9cd0b57b1e1343b98994da78861a37b02be5743e89/8fd6abd5-2938-4349-b94d-92c8c41be6e1-TPY_2_Transcript_Jessie_Duarte.pdf
  10. "Rencontre Nelson Mandela / François Mitterrand"
  11. Africanisation: Louw, W. 2010, A rich environment for active learning on a global platform : University of South Africa http://uir.unisa.ac.za/bitstream/handle/10500/4999/Africanisation.pdf?isAllowed=y&sequence=1#:~:text=Ramose%20(1998)%20describes%20Africanisation%20as,right%20to%20be%20an%20African'.&text=It%20is%20a%20situation%20that,in%20higher%20education%20in%20particular.