Building Europe's First Anti-Apartheid Museum at 28 Penton Street
View of proposed entrance at 28 Penton Street (Al-Jawad Pike Architects)
In the heart of Islington, London, a powerful transformation is underway. The historic building at 28 Penton Street, once a refuge and HQ for the exiled African National Congress (ANC) and hub for the coordination of anti-apartheid activity in the UK and across the globe, is being reimagined as Europe’s first Anti-Apartheid Museum, the “Anti-Apartheid Legacy Centre”. This space will honour South African heritage and the British solidarity that supported the fight for liberation of South Africa from apartheid.
A Creative Partnership with the Community
In preparing to lay the foundations of this museum, engaging the local community has been a vital part of our mission. One exciting collaboration is part of an ongoing partnership with Elizabeth Garrett Anderson School (EGA), a nearby secondary school. Over the last few years we’ve been working with EGA students and staff on projects inspired by social justice and the history of anti-apartheid, including after-school enrichment clubs, drama-based learning, lived-experience speakers and local history walking tours as well as supporting the development of curriculum.
This year, we worked closely with the art department and Key Stage 3 students to explore the legacy of anti-apartheid activism. Through a series of workshops, supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund and Islington Council’s Local Initiatives Fund, we introduced students to the history of apartheid and the crucial role played by British solidarity in supporting South Africa’s liberation.
The students also learned about six South African activists who were exiled in London with deep connections to 28 Penton Street. These figures were more than names in history books—they were freedom fighters, thinkers, and leaders whose presence in the UK helped amplify the call for justice across the globe and shaped the course of South Africa’s freedom.
Portraits of Liberation
The students were tasked with creating portraits of these six individuals, representing their character, physical features, and contributions to the movement. Guided by prompts from their workshops, and building on portraiture skills taught by Head of Art, Ms John, they explored how to use tone, colour, and symbolic imagery to reflect the lives and struggles of these activists.
The creative process was as inspiring as the results. Students began by making mind maps of their chosen figures, diving deep into impactful life events, important quotes, and symbols that encapsulate their fight for freedom. They practised various drawing techniques and collaborated to refine their final pieces.
Student work in progress during the creative response workshops at EGA.
EGA Head of Art, Aasha John shared her reflections on the project:
“Collaborating with the Anti-Apartheid Legacy team has been a truly enriching experience for our students. The portraits produced are a representation of the legacy of these individuals as understood by our EGA artists. To have their artwork on display within the community is fantastic for our students and reflects the values of the EGA art department: giving our students the opportunity to create artwork that critically investigates the world around them, and producing personal, meaningful and impactful artworks.”
A Living Legacy
Whilst the building work takes place on site, these portraits will take centre stage on the hoardings surrounding 28 Penton Street, turning a construction site into a vibrant celebration of resistance and resilience. The artwork is more than a visual homage; it is a reminder of how history connects us across generations.
Here’s how the students described the project:
“I never knew so much about apartheid or the activists who worked right here in London. Learning their stories has made me realise how important it is to stand up for what’s right.”
“It feels amazing to know my artwork is going to be part of something so special. I’m proud to share what I’ve learned and contribute to remembering these incredible people.”
The museum itself will be a place where these connections come alive—a space to learn, reflect, and honour the individuals and movements that fought tirelessly against apartheid. It will preserve and share the story of how British and international solidarity helped sustain a global struggle, showing visitors the power of collective action.
Hoarding covering scaffolding at front of 28 Penton Street during building works with artwork by EGA students (Al-Jawad Pike Architects)
Join Us on the Journey
The artwork created by EGA students is just the beginning. As 28 Penton Street transforms into a museum, we invite everyone to join us in building this unique cultural and educational space. Visit our website to explore more about the museum’s mission, read the stories of the activists below, and learn more about the incredible journey of this historic building. Works are expected to be complete in summer 2025, with the Centre opening to the public in autumn 2025.
Penton Street’s design team is led by architects Al-Jawad Pike, with structural engineering by Milk Design and services engineering by Ritchie+Daffin. Cragg Management are engaged as capital project managers, and Appleyard + Trew as quantity surveyors. Local contractors Sullivan Brothers Construction are delivering the capital works
Together, let’s keep the legacy of anti-apartheid alive and inspire future generations to stand up against injustice. We welcome further community participation and are keen to hear from you with any suggestions or questions, please get in touch on [email protected]
Oliver Tambo was born 1917 in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. He worked hard at school and went on to study at the University of Fort Hare where he was elected chair of the students’ committee. After graduation, he was expelled for his political activism so he was unable to continue studying. He went on to join the ANC Youth League and in 1947 was elected to the executive committee. He trained with a law firm, qualified in 1951 and went into partnership with Nelson Mandela. Tambo was amongst the 156 defendants in the 1956 Treason Trial. He became Acting President of the ANC in 1967. It was decided by the political leadership that he would be more useful outside the country in heading the ANC in its campaign against Apartheid. He had an office at 28 Penton St from where he spearheaded advocacy with (inter)national visitors from diplomatic, political, and commercial spheres and co-ordinated covert operations in South Africa. Tambo died in 2011.
Ruth First was born in 1925 in Johannesburg. She was a keen reader and joined the Young Left Wing Book Club as a teenager. After finishing school, she studied for a BA in Social Science at the University of Witwatersrand. She edited Fighting Talk and was appointed Johannesburg editor of the anti-apartheid Guardian newspaper. In 1949, Ruth married Joe Slovo, a lawyer, who like Ruth was a member of the Communist Party. The following year they were amongst the first 600 people to be ‘named’ under the Suppression of Communism Act. In 1956, she was one of the 156 defendants in the Treason Trial. After Joe had been forced into exile in 1963, Ruth was arrested and held in solitary confinement for 117 days, with no contact with him or their three young daughters. In 1964, Ruth left with her daughters on an exit permit to London and lived in Camden Town. She wrote regularly for various political journals, including Sechaba, which was edited from Penton Street. In 1977, she relocated to Mozambique and continued her academic research and writing. On 17th August 1982, Ruth was murdered by a parcel bomb sent to her office in Maputo by the Apartheid regime.
Yusuf Dadoo was born in 1909 in Transvaal, South Africa. Inspired by the teachings of Mahatma Gandhi who visited SA, Dadoo started challenging the racial restrictions that affected the Indian communities.He left for London in 1929 where he joined the Labour Party then studied medicine in Edinburgh. Once back in SA, he resumed his political activism and in 1939 became a member of the Communist Party. He participated in the Passive Resistance campaigns of the 1940s and was a defendant in the 1956 Treason Trial. Dr Dadoo was one of the three signatories to the ‘Three Doctors pact’ in 1947 (with Dr Xuma, ANC President and Dr Naicker of the Natal Indian Congress) which brought the Indian and African communities together for the first time in opposition to apartheid. Following the state of emergency in 1960, it was decided that Dadoo should go into exile in London where he could continue his political work more freely, where he worked with comrades at Penton Street. He was Chair of the Communist Party of South Africa (CPSA) from 1972 and Vice-Chair of the ANC Revolutionary Council. He died in 1983 and was buried opposite Karl Marx in Highgate Cemetery.
Vernet Mbatha was an ANC voluntary worker and caretaker at 28 Penton St, the London headquarters of the African National Congress (ANC). He was asleep during the morning of the 14th March 1982 when an 11-kilogram (24 lb) bomb exploded at the back of the building. It caused considerable damage to the building and other premises on White Lion Street. Fortunately, Mbatha survived the attack sustaining only minor physical injuries but was undoubtedly shaken by what was clearly an act of sabotage. He escaped by scaling the roof and climbing down over neighbouring buildings. At the time, the Apartheid regime and Margaret Thatcher, the then British PM, called the ANC terrorists. However, during the post-Apartheid Truth and Reconciliation process, a group of white South African state operatives admitted their responsibility for the attack, confirmed they brought explosives in their luggage to London, passed through security without being stopped and assembled the bomb at the South African embassy on Trafalgar Square.
Ruth Mompati was born in 1925 in the North West Province of South Africa. After completing her schooling, she trained as a primary school teacher.The working conditions were bad which led her to become active in the teachers’ union. Ruth married a reverend who was also a member of the ANC.They moved to Johannesburg and she left teaching. After learning to type she gained employment as a secretary for Mandela and Tambo at their law firm. In 1954, she joined the ANC. She was a founding member of the Federation of South African Women which led the Women’s March on Pretoria in 1956. In the early 1960s, she left South Africa to undergo military training for the newly formed armed wing of the ANC. Between 1981 and 1982, Ruth served as the chief representative of the ANC in the United Kingdom based at Penton St. In the new democratic South Africa, she was appointed ambassador to Switzerland from 1996 to 2000. She died in 2015.
