THE JOHANNESBURG DIARIES - UNION BUILDINGS, PRETORIA - #BLOGCHATTERA2Z2023

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Credits: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Union_Buildings


Every country has its centres of political life, and the Union Buildings in Pretoria form the official seat of the government of South Africa. These are located at a picturesque spot at the highest point of Pretoria and are considered a tourist attraction as well an emblem of democracy. These impressive buildings made of light sandstone also house the office of the President of South Africa. Sir Herbert Baker was the architect who designed them in the English monumental style.



When we (again the four grandparents) went to visit Union Buildings, visitors were prohibited from entering it. Hence, we stood outside and gazed at the imposing building that loomed ahead of us as the bright sun shone down relentlessly, making it almost impossible to take clear photographs. What crossed my mind was how similar this appeared to our own Rashtrapati Bhavan which constituted the abode of the Indian President and the adjoining North and South Block buildings.

                                           Rashtrapati Bhavan - Getty Images

At the pinnacles of the two domes are two statues of Atlas holding up the world. Between the two wings, stands a statue of Mercury, the Messenger God, atop the amphitheatre. The suburb that nestles by the Union Buildings is called Arcadia which translates to ‘Playground of Gods’.

Mercury, the Messenger God


 Across these buildings is a well maintained terraced lawn  replete with indigenous plants, with steps going down at the end of which is a tall 9 metre bronze statue of Nelson Mandela with his arms held apart, which reminds one of a similar statue at Sandton. Official photographers scurry across to take unique pictures of visitors in poses that make them appear to be holding Madiba’s hands or in the classic victory stance. The immense respect that the whole nation has for Mandela and his pacific views is reflected in the number of people who come to honour him every single day.







Various monuments, statues and memorials dot the verdant area. The Delville Wood War Memorial commemorates the number of South African soldiers who perished in World War 1. There is also a plaque that mentions those who died in the Korean War.





We walked down to the bottom of the lawn where there were a few tents where there was a protest being launched by the Afrikaans local tribes who had been evicted from their land. They had put up a public petition where signatures were being collected so that they could approach the government for redressal. A man dressed in traditional grab was explaining their pitiable situation to a group of visitors.

This dichotomy is found in all nations – the tussle between the haves and the have-nots. In an unequal world, it is said that some people are more equal than others. It is this very dichotomy that creates tensions amongst people living in the same country, and even among the nations in the world that wage war for equality and against injustice.





This post is a part of #BlogchatterA2Z2023.

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