{"id":825,"date":"2011-05-05T08:11:09","date_gmt":"2011-05-05T06:11:09","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.myza.co.za\/?p=825"},"modified":"2011-05-05T08:11:09","modified_gmt":"2011-05-05T06:11:09","slug":"facelift-for-chancellor-house","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.myza.co.za\/press\/facelift-for-chancellor-house\/","title":{"rendered":"Facelift for Chancellor House"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Image via Wikipedia<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Pretoria \u2013 The building\u00a0 from which former President Nelson Mandela<\/a> operated while practicing as an attorney in Johannesburg<\/a>, known as Chancellor House<\/a>, has been partly refurbished at a cost of R7 million.<\/p>\n

The complete refurbishment of the building is expected to be at the end of June this year.<\/p>\n

Chancellor House, on the corner of Fox and Gerard Sekoto<\/a> streets in the CBD, was the location of the law offices in the 1950s of Nelson Mandela and OR Tambo.<\/p>\n

Speaking at the launch of the refurbished Chancellor House, Johannesburg Mayor Amos Masondo said a decision was taken in 1999 to declare Chancellor House a provisional national monument.<\/p>\n

“Many people and conservation bodies were involved in the efforts to save Chancellor House,” he said.<\/p>\n

Masondo said Chancellor House will also be used to showcase Mandela’s work and photographs.<\/p>\n

Prior to the decision being taken to renovate the building, the building was in bad state, damage by fire and water penetration compromised its structural integrity.<\/p>\n

The building was also vandalised and illegal occupation contributed to its deterioration.<\/p>\n

About 68 people who were living in the building were offered alternative accommodation by the City of Johannesburg.<\/p>\n

Mandela and Tambo’s office at the building ran for eight years, from 1952 to 1960. Both were arrested in 1956 and tried for treason.<\/p>\n

According to Masondo, Chancellor House will be regarded as an iconic site to celebrate the struggle for human rights.<\/p>\n

Chancellor House is situated across the road from the Magistrates’ Court, where Mandela, Tambo and their partners represented their clients.<\/p>\n

In 1952, Mandela was brought before the same court and charged and sentenced under the Suppression of Communism Act.<\/p>\n

Also present was George Bizos<\/a> who also worked at the building during the Mandela times.<\/p>\n

“I’m very pleased with the restoration of the building, this is in honour of Madiba,” he said.<\/p>\n

Bizos is an advocate known for representing activists during the apartheid era.<\/p>\n

The late Oliver Tambo<\/a> famously described Chancellor House as ‘a shabby little building.’ – BuaNews<\/p>\n

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