Under the Public Holidays Act 36 of 1994, September 24 has been declared heritage Day in South Africa. The objective of commemorating heritage day is to encourage all South Africans to celebrate their diverse cultural heritage, beliefs and traditions. It is within the mandate of Community Development Department to put together programmes which seek to unite people across race, gender, religion, culture and class. One of the biggest challenges facing the country is how to encourage South Africans to unite behind common national identity. 

The primary mandate of James Hall Museum of Transport is to restore, preserve, and promote the history of land transport in South Africa. Situated at Pioneer’s Park along Rosettenville Road, James Hall Transport Museum was established in 1964 and it is the largest land transport museum in South Africa. The museum boasts a rare collection of land transport which ranges from trains, trams, trolley buses, vintage motorcycles and bicycles, steam driven vehicles to animal drawn carriages. The museum offers guided tours, rides, exhibitions for educational and public programmes to school groups, interest groups and the general public.

With its notable vintage collections, James Hall Transport Museum has a niche market which plays an important role in diversifying tourism in the Gauteng region but also attracts tourists of a special kind in the promotion of automobile tourism. Today, Vintage and Classic cars shows have taken South Africa by surprise. It has changed from been a male dominated event thereby accommodating families across age, race and religion and class spectrum whilst adding value to economic growth. There are more than one thousand bike and classic car clubs in Gauteng alone registered with South African Vintage and Veteran Association.

On September 23, 2018 James Hall Museum of Transport in collaboration with Final Few Motorcycle Club plans to host a vintage cars and bikes show to showcase South Africa’s automotive heritage. The event will be characterised by various activities such as exhibitions, cars show, free bus rides, guided tours, mini train rides, food stalls, arts and crafts etc. Vintage cars and bike clubs will be invited to showcase their private collections to the public. Other stakeholders to be invited include SAVVA, Gauteng Tourism Authority, and Joburg Tourism. The museum will also use this platform to launch the completed restoration work done on the red Alfa Romeo, 1952 London Bus, AEC Regent Bus, and the Sentinel Steam Wagon as part of JHMT friends of the museum Grant-in Aid project. This is a family fun day and visitors will have an opportunity to experience and ride on these newly restored vehicles. 

For more information, please contact Mr. Rambau Fhatuwani on 084 454 6912 | FhatuwaniR@joburg.org.za