Hector Pieterson Memorial
Hector Pieterson Memorial
Hector Pieterson Memorial
4.5
About
The 1976 photograph of slain thirteen-year old Hector Pieterson, carried by a friend while his grieving sister runs alongside, is a chilling reminder that South African was changed thereafter.
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
347 reviews
Excellent
158
Very good
147
Average
38
Poor
4
Terrible
0
PinkPanthea
Johannesburg, South Africa217 contributions
Mar 2021
Crazy to imagine the amount of passion, strength in their conviction, belief in a better South Africa/world, and dedication that fired these students. They've made a monumental contribution to the South Africa of today. Beautiful and moving.
Written March 29, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Mark Leiper
Belas, Angola48 contributions
Mar 2019 • Couples
We stopped here on a tour of Soweto, the guild talked us through the start of the up raising and the history of Hector Pieterson. the whole experience puts a lump in your throat.
Worth a visit
Worth a visit
Written April 11, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
maxamoh
Australia563 contributions
Dec 2013 • Solo
The Hector Pieterson Memorial is a well designed memorial that has a lot of meaning. It stands as a very important piece of South Africa's history. The main feature was inspired by Nelson Mandela and therefore was well presented. Worth a visit.
Written January 5, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kayl_D
830 contributions
Feb 2020
Went here as part of a tour. I received a history lesson about some uncomfortable events which was eye opening.
Written February 20, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Heidi B
Tampa, FL363 contributions
Sep 2019
To understand the whole story of how that day came to be is pretty fascinating. Like a snowball that rolled out of control and would not have come to light without a well placed photographer.
One thing that I had trouble reconciling was the somberness of the memorial and the giant vibrant market behind - it;s so extreme - but the Johannesburg is like that - so many extremes.
One thing that I had trouble reconciling was the somberness of the memorial and the giant vibrant market behind - it;s so extreme - but the Johannesburg is like that - so many extremes.
Written October 25, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jerk01
Chicago, IL23 contributions
Oct 2019
Learn the roots of the Aparthied movement and the main catalyst. Tender moments in histroy that I never knew
Written October 10, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
AnneandJoetrips
Stockbridge, GA191 contributions
Mar 2019 • Couples
It is an average memorial, but depicts the happenings of the time. Not very crowded, so easy to see.
Written April 14, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jonathan
Los Angeles, CA106 contributions
Jan 2019 • Family
While I understand apartheid and its deleterious affects and aftermath, I was not familiar with the first young person shot during the Soweto uprising. A simple yet moving tribute reminds of us all of what it cost for freedom and what it continues to cost today.
Written January 14, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Buggeritwillthisdo
Perth, Australia89 contributions
Oct 2018 • Friends
The event that this commemorates was extraordinarily brutal and so unnecessary, but yet again, expensive symbolism that goes unexplained until someone points it out. It needs to have an explanation board somewhere for the memorial, otherwise it is just masonry, water and rocks that perhaps even locals do not understand.
For me, the museum next to the memorial, perhaps, shows a one sided version of what happened when perhaps there was a little more truth that needed to be told. The killing of innocents was deplorable and an act of criminal lunacy from a regime that was long past its sell by date. Yet, faced with 16000+ protestors most likely hurling rocks and feeling empowered and invincible perhaps should have expected the response they received. No doubt the provocation for the organised march was well justified, but whether it was to preserve their own lives in the face of a hostile mob, or whether the police genuinely were out to kill and maim is the question. My gut feel is that the actual truth lies somewhere between, but why ruin a good message with an inconvenient truth that perhaps detracts from the actual event’s importance in SA’s history of escaping the evils of apartheid?
I guess history will be the judge, but it leaves you with a feeling of dread for what humans can do to fellow humans. We are truly and totally undeserving of this world.
As if to underline that thought. Reflecting on the raw feeling left after the visit I walked up the street a way where I saw a colourfully painted garden wall. A man came running down the street in a hurry claiming to be the artist and asking for a “ donation” as he blatantly figured he could make a few Rand from a sympathiser. Whether he was the artist or not is immaterial , but like several occasions in the two short days I have been in SA, It seems that this was now a tourist money making venture for anyone who hangs around on street corners panhandling visitors to the country and it left me cold and wondering. It certainly made me very uncomfortable and that was personified further when waiting for our minibus to return. More panhandlers seeking “donations” and offering to sing. Innovative enough, but is obviously a more lucrative way of earning money without actually working for it. In the face of rampant Governmental corruption on a grandiose scale, I just wonder if they have traded one bad political system for another and the underclasses still continue to suffer.
For me, the museum next to the memorial, perhaps, shows a one sided version of what happened when perhaps there was a little more truth that needed to be told. The killing of innocents was deplorable and an act of criminal lunacy from a regime that was long past its sell by date. Yet, faced with 16000+ protestors most likely hurling rocks and feeling empowered and invincible perhaps should have expected the response they received. No doubt the provocation for the organised march was well justified, but whether it was to preserve their own lives in the face of a hostile mob, or whether the police genuinely were out to kill and maim is the question. My gut feel is that the actual truth lies somewhere between, but why ruin a good message with an inconvenient truth that perhaps detracts from the actual event’s importance in SA’s history of escaping the evils of apartheid?
I guess history will be the judge, but it leaves you with a feeling of dread for what humans can do to fellow humans. We are truly and totally undeserving of this world.
As if to underline that thought. Reflecting on the raw feeling left after the visit I walked up the street a way where I saw a colourfully painted garden wall. A man came running down the street in a hurry claiming to be the artist and asking for a “ donation” as he blatantly figured he could make a few Rand from a sympathiser. Whether he was the artist or not is immaterial , but like several occasions in the two short days I have been in SA, It seems that this was now a tourist money making venture for anyone who hangs around on street corners panhandling visitors to the country and it left me cold and wondering. It certainly made me very uncomfortable and that was personified further when waiting for our minibus to return. More panhandlers seeking “donations” and offering to sing. Innovative enough, but is obviously a more lucrative way of earning money without actually working for it. In the face of rampant Governmental corruption on a grandiose scale, I just wonder if they have traded one bad political system for another and the underclasses still continue to suffer.
Written October 16, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
belleretraite
Montreal, Canada7,713 contributions
Apr 2018 • Couples
The Hector Pieterson Memorial was a stop on our guided tour of Soweto with City Sightseeing and it was for us the first time that we learned about Hector Pieterson and his impact on the fight against the apartheid ! We had a guide who provided us with a lot of informations about the events surrounding the death of this young man and the memorial itself was quite nice . There are many souvenir shops close the memorial that offer some local handicraft .
Written June 8, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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