Sanctuary Mandela’s imposing gates on Houghton’s 13th Avenue swung open and I approached the arched portico, where I was greeted by a bronze sculpture of Nelson Mandela reading a newspaper. The statue, by André Prinsloo, was commissioned as a replica of a famous photo of Madiba reading the news in this very spot.

Stepping inside I was met with a joyful “Welcome home!” before being led upstairs to room one, Madiba’s bedroom. It was spacious with pressed ceilings, green walls and fine views of the garden. In a circular cabinet beside my bed lay his towel, aftershave and tub of Vaseline, personal effects that added an intimate and touching dimension to staying in his room.

After settling in, I went exploring the house and its exhibits, learning the backstory to Sanctuary Mandela. After his release from prison, Mandela lived on Vilakazi Street, Soweto, with his wife Winnie. But when the marriage broke down in 1992, he moved into this gracious home, large enough to accommodate his bodyguards, secretaries and staff. He could also receive visits from high-level deputations and stars such as Michael Jackson and Oprah Winfrey in this central but private location.

Madiba grew to love the house and invited his grandsons Mandla, Mbuso, Ndaba and Andile to live with him here. When he married Graça Machel in 1998, he moved with her into a new home a block away on 12th Avenue. The house on 13th Avenue then became the headquarters of the newly established Nelson Mandela Foundation – an organisation focusing on memory, dialogue and legacy work. In 2001, the foundation moved into new premises close by and subsequently began exploring options for turning the 13th Avenue house into a site that would honour Mandela.

Thought-provoking interiors inspired by the life and times of Mandela. (Photo: Justin Fox)

After a dip in the lovely pool, I was taken on a tour of the Sanctuary and shown which elements of the old structure had been retained during restoration. The architects strove as far as possible to keep the surviving internal and external heritage fabric, with elements left intact to represent the original building. These included a wall panel made from the original parquet flooring, reception-desk bricks salvaged from the old home and the original fireplace.

In the boardroom, you can still see the original foundations of Madiba’s office and one of its structural beams. The front façade and entrance, including all window frames, have been preserved to retain the aesthetics of the old building.

Every bedroom has a name associated with Mandela at some point in his career, and the walls are adorned with a series of 16 paintings by renowned artist John Meyer. This biographical series, commissioned and owned by Richmark Holdings CEO Andrew Dunn, offers scenes from Mandela’s life and aims to capture the former president’s humanity and “saintliness”. It took Meyer three years to complete the works, executed in acrylic and sand.

This statue by André Prinsloo was commissioned as a replica of a famous photo of Madiba reading the news in this very spot. (Photo: Justin Fox)

The painting associated with my bedroom is called Father of the Innocents and depicts Mandela outside the Union Buildings surrounded by children of all races who are “innocent” of the scourge of racism and apartheid. Another particularly fine work (associated with room five, “Nel” – his nickname on Robben Island) is Pillars of Stone, which depicts Mandela breaking limestone in the island’s quarry during his long imprisonment.

In contrast to the harsh realities of history, I found myself in the Sanctuary garden, planted with Eastern Cape grasses in honour of Madiba’s birthplace. Designed by celebrated horticulturist Keith Kirsten, it’s a haven of peace and a place for contemplation. Beside the Pond of Reflection, I found Mandela’s Gold strelitzias, beautiful plants with blue petals and yellow sepals. Mandela’s Gold was released under the name Kirstenbosch Gold until 1996, when it was renamed in honour of Mandela.

The Meyer painting, ‘Pillars of Stone’, depicts Mandela (right) breaking limestone in Robben Island’s quarry.

One of the nine beautifully decorated rooms, which are a reflection on the extraordinary life of Nelson Mandela. (Photo: Justin Fox)

Close by, I spotted a bed of orange roses, developed by Kirsten and named in honour of Madiba. Kirsten described the rose as representing Mandela’s “vibrancy, stature and love”, and hoped it would serve as a reminder “that we are because of others”.

Sitting beside the Pond of Reflection, I thought about this bricks-and-mortar act of preserving Madiba’s memory. I thought, too, about how it has become a sanctuary for heritage, art and culture. At a time when almost everything the ANC touches turns to dust, threatening to damage so much of what Mandela built and stood for, it’s important to remember those moments of Madiba magic that offered, and still offer, a rainbow of hope. DM

Justin Fox is an author, travel photojournalist and poet. He was hosted by Sanctuary Mandela (sanctuarymandela.com)

This story first appeared in our weekly Daily Maverick 168 newspaper, which is available countrywide for R29.