Sixty pupils visited Century City Long March to Freedom to connect classroom lessons with the nation’s enduring history of struggle and hope.
Ayabonga Tsala
- Pupils from Dunoon, Silverleaf, and Marconi Beam schools stepped out of class to see the bronze heroes of South Africa’s liberation up close.
- Milnerton police and teachers join forces to guide pupils through 100 freedom statues.
- The trip left the youngsters buzzing with pride, “a day they’ll never forget,” said one teacher.
A group of 60 pupils from Dunoon and Joe Slovo Park spent the day tracing South Africa’s history of liberation at Century City’s Long March to Freedom exhibition, a learning trip organised by Milnerton police to inspire pride, curiosity, and understanding of the country’s hard-won freedom.
The pupils from Dunoon Primary, Silverleaf, and Marconi Beam Primary swapped their classrooms for a journey through history, walking among the bronze heroes of the Long March to Freedom at Century City in Cape Town on Friday, 26 September, during an educational trip organised by Milnerton police to give children from low-income communities a living connection to South Africa’s story of liberation.
Captain Jacques Van Merwe, who helped coordinate the outing, said the idea was to let young people “see their roots in the faces of those who fought for their freedom”.
The open-air monument, featuring more than 100 life-size bronze figures, traces South Africa’s long struggle from the 1600s to democracy, honouring figures such as Mandela, Sisulu, Biko, and other leaders who shaped the nation’s destiny.
The installation at Century City was designed to make history accessible to new generations and to celebrate Freedom Day each year through public learning.
The children, drawn from Grades 4 to 7, moved quietly from statue to statue, guided by teachers and volunteers, stopping to read the plaques and reflect on what freedom means.
Some sketched the statues in their notebooks; others simply stood and stared. Teachers said the visit helped pupils connect classroom lessons to lived experience.
The day was made possible through collaboration between schools, parents, community leaders, and the Milnerton police, who provided safety support and helped guide the tour.
Van Merwe said it was important for children to see the police working alongside communities, not just enforcing laws.
As the group boarded their buses home to Dunoon and Joe Slovo Park, there was chatter, laughter, and a shared sense of pride.
“It’s about more than a day out,” said a teacher. “It’s about showing them that history belongs to them too.”