Where was Nelson Mandela inaugurated as South Africa’s president in 1994?

Nelson Mandela was inaugurated at the Union Buildings in Pretoria on 10 May 1994. The ceremony marked the start of South Africa’s first government formed through a fully inclusive democratic election.

The Union Buildings are the official seat of South Africa’s national executive and a major landmark in Pretoria. Mandela took the presidential oath there before an international audience that included political leaders and dignitaries from around the world.

The inauguration ceremony symbolised a transfer of political power after decades of apartheid rule. Mandela became president while F. W. de Klerk and Thabo Mbeki served as deputy presidents in the Government of National Unity. The Union Buildings remain closely linked with Mandela’s presidency and South Africa’s democratic transition.