Human Rights Day Outing: A guided heritage walk of Cape Town
By: 
Antonia Malan
Date: 
Sat, 21/03/2026 - 09:45 to 12:30
Branch: 
Western Cape

Starting Point: 9:45 am at Prestwich Memorial, Buitengracht Street.
Ending Point: Iziko Slave Lodge, near Company's Garden
Duration: ~2.5 hours
Cost: Free for members | R50 for non-members | R20 for student non-members
Booking required: To RSVP, click here to complete the Google Form
Booking Deadline: Friday, 20 March 2026 

Please note: No refunds will be given for this outing.



About the Event
Join us for a guided heritage walk through the heart of Cape Town led by archaeologist and heritage practitioner Dr Antonia Malan. This walk connects the city's visible fabric — its streets, structures, and spaces — to a history that is often hidden in plain sight. The walk begins at the Prestwich Memorial in Buitengracht Street and concludes at the Iziko Slave Lodge, taking approximately two and a half hours. Those who wish to continue the conversation are welcome to join an informal lunch at one of the nearby restaurants in the Company Gardens, or bring a picnic.

About the Host
Antonia Malan has been studying the history of people and places at the Cape since she was a post-graduate at UCT in the 1980s, and since then as a professional archaeologist and heritage practitioner.  By applying the approaches and resources available to historical archaeologists, based on excavations, archives and oral history, we have been able to find evidence related to the lives and contributions of enslaved and unfree people to the Cape's cultural and physical landscape.  It may appear that very few tangible traces remain, but the layout, streets, structures and cultural fabric of the city are tributes to that past and memorials for the present.

Practical Details
The walk takes approximately two and a half hours. Please bring a hat, water, and sunscreen, and wear comfortable walking shoes. Truth Coffee at the Prestwich Memorial is open from 7am if you'd like to arrive early. Limited street parking is available at the Memorial. After the walk, some of the group may wish to continue the conversation over lunch at one of the nearby restaurants in the Company Gardens, or with a picnic there.

Further reading