Editing Union Buildings (section)

===Historical events===
On 9 August 1956, 20,000 women marched to the doors of the Union Buildings, chanting "Wathint' Abafazi, wathint' imbokodo!" which means "strike the women, strike the rock", to protest against the [[pass laws]] of 1950. This historical event is commemorated by the public holiday [[National Women's Day]].

Wilma Cruise and Marcus Holmes were approached to design a memorial to commemorate the [[Women's March (South Africa)|Women's March]]. They made use of the "imbokodo". The imbokodo is a grinding stone used by the women to grind maize. Cruise and Holmes, rested the imbokodo, representing nurture and sustenance, on bronze plates, representing the earth and fire. There are two sets of stairs leading to the memorial. On each step, raised in bronze letters are the words from 'The Demand of the Women of South Africa for the Withdrawal of Passes for Women and Repeal of the Pass Laws.' On approaching the imbokodo, visitors trigger infrared beams, which activates history's "whispered voices", echoed in all 11 official languages, the rally cry, repeated softly.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Union Building – Governmental Nucleus of South Africa |url=http://www.southafrica.com/gauteng/pretoria/union-building/ |url-status=dead |access-date=15 December 2009 |archive-date=5 January 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090105173800/http://www.southafrica.com/gauteng/pretoria/union-building/ }}</ref>

In 1986, significant restoration of the Union Buildings was undertaken by [[Johan de Ridder]] and T.W. Baker as the appointed architects.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Johan de Ridder Architect |url=http://www.artefacts.co.za/main/Buildings/archframes.php?archid=4612 |access-date=25 May 2014 |website=Artefacts.co.za |archive-date=19 October 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151019093145/http://www.artefacts.co.za/main/Buildings/archframes.php?archid=4612 |url-status=live }}</ref>

On 10 May 1994, the inauguration of [[Nelson Mandela]], South Africa's [[South African general election, 1994|first democratically elected]] president after the end of [[Apartheid]], and his vice-presidents, heralded the beginning of a new era in South Africa's history.<ref name="RSA-Presidency" /><ref>{{Cite news |date=10 May 1994 |title=1994: Mandela Becomes SA's First Black President |work=BBC |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/may/10/newsid_2661000/2661503.stm |access-date=26 May 2010 |archive-date=13 May 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080513191619/http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/may/10/newsid_2661000/2661503.stm |url-status=live }}</ref>

Part of Nelson Mandela's inaugural address:

<blockquote>"Today, all of us do, by our presence here, and by our celebrations in other parts of our country and the world, confer glory and hope to newborn liberty.

Out of the experience of an extraordinary human disaster that lasted too long, must be born a society of which all humanity will be proud.

Our daily deeds as ordinary South Africans must produce an actual South African reality that will reinforce humanity's belief in justice, strengthen its confidence in the nobility of the human soul and sustain all our hopes for a glorious life for all.

All this we owe both to ourselves and to the peoples of the world who are so well represented here today.
.......
We understand it still that there is no easy road to freedom.

We know it well that none of us acting alone can achieve success.

We must therefore act together as a united people, for national reconciliation, for nation building, for the birth of a new world.

Let there be justice for all.

Let there be peace for all.

Let there be work, bread, water and salt for all.

Let each know that for each the body, the mind and the soul have been freed to fulfill themselves.

Never, never and never again shall it be that this beautiful land will again experience the oppression of one by another and suffer the indignity of being the skunk of the world.

Let freedom reign.

The sun shall never set on so glorious a human achievement!

Let us as a Rainbow nation keep this in focus and move forward!" </blockquote>

On 31 December 1999 the South African flagship [[Millennium celebration]] was held here. In attendance was the then deputy president [[Jacob Zuma]], and other ministers.

On 10 December 2013, the Union Buildings Amphitheatre was renamed the Nelson Mandela Amphitheatre.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Mataboge |first=Mmanaledi |date=10 December 2013 |title=Zuma Renames Union Buildings Amphitheatre to Honour Madiba |work=Mail & Guardian |url=http://mg.co.za/article/2013-12-10-zuma-renames-union-buildings-amphitheatre-to-honour-madiba |access-date=16 December 2013 |archive-date=13 December 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131213084706/http://mg.co.za/article/2013-12-10-zuma-renames-union-buildings-amphitheatre-to-honour-madiba |url-status=live }}</ref>

On 16 December 2013, a 9-metre high bronze statue of Mandela was unveiled at the Union Buildings.<ref>{{Cite news |date=16 December 2013 |title=Zuma Unveils Bronze Statue of Madiba in Pretoria |work=Mail & Guardian |agency=SAPA |url=http://mg.co.za/article/2013-12-16-zuma-unveils-bronze-statue-of-madiba-in-pretoria |access-date=16 December 2013 |archive-date=16 December 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131216190526/http://mg.co.za/article/2013-12-16-zuma-unveils-bronze-statue-of-madiba-in-pretoria |url-status=live }}</ref><!-- Deleted image removed: [[File:Statue of Nelson Mandela at Union Buildings, Pretoria, December 2013.jpg|thumb|right|A 9-metre tall statue of former president Nelson Mandela in front of the Union Buildings.]] -->