Mthethwa: There’s no reason to close Liliesleaf Farm
The Heritage Museum has announced it will be closing its doors after several years of financial crisis.
Liliesleaf Farm Museum. Picture: Facebook.
JOHANNESBURG – Arts and Culture Minister Nathi Mthethwa has weighed in on the closure of the iconic Liliesleaf Farm in Rivonia, following statements by the museum’s management that his department failed to provide desperately needed financial support.
The Heritage Museum has announced it will be closing its doors after several years of financial crisis.
This has been compounded by the impact of COVID-19 on the tourism sector.
On Thursday, Mthethwa said there was no need for Liliesleaf to close.
#LiliesLeaf The crisis facing Liliesleaf is complex and not a new development. However, if something is not done to urgently resolve it, we face a situation where another national treasure is lost. pic.twitter.com/RrQImg0KfT
EWN Reporter (@ewnreporter) September 2, 2021
#LiliesLeaf This quote by Andrew Mlangeni, the last surviving Rivonia Trialist to have passed on, sums up what Wolpe says sites like Lilies Leaf mean and why they should be preserved. Full story to follow on https://t.co/ySziGJ8lr0 pic.twitter.com/z3UOlGmxj5
EWN Reporter (@ewnreporter) September 2, 2021
The Department of Arts and Culture said it took a ‘dim view’ of the announcement of the indefinite closure of the historic museum.
Speaking at the launch of Heritage Month at Freedom Park Thursday, Mthethwa said the closure of this iconic site amounted to shutting down a part of South Africa’s history.
“There’s no reason to close Liliesleaf because you’ll be shutting down a very important history and heritage of our nation.”
Mthethwa said for government to continue funding the museum, Liliesleaf would have to account for the R8.1 million previously allocated for the upgrade and enhancement of the facility.
“The only thing we are asking from Liliesleaf is that the R8.1 million we gave them must be accounted for.”
He said his department remained committed to the preservation of the country’s centres of history
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