The artwork is the focal piece of a neighbourhood park in Savoy which was named in honour of the Weinberg Family in 2014.
The monument consists of two main elements: firstly, a plinth topped with a portrait of Eli and Violet Weinberg; and secondly, facing onto the plinth, an old-fashioned camera, through which to view the portraits (Eli Weinberg began his career as a photographer in the 1920s, so references for the camera are taken from that era). Inside the camera are portraits of the Weinberg children, Mark and Sheila.
The monument was commissioned by Community Development (Arts, Culture and Heritage) in 2013/14.
Protected under Section 37 of the National Heritage Resources Act (Public Monuments and Memorials). “Public monuments and memorials must, without the need to publish a notice to this effect, be protected in the same manner as places which are entered in a heritage register …”
For over twenty years, the City of Johannesburg has awarded blue plaques to sites of heritage significance, aiming to publicly acknowledge and commemorate special buildings and sites, outstanding personalities, freedom struggles, and events that have shaped our city.
A culmination of research gathered over many years, the Online Johannesburg Heritage Register is being launched on Nelson Mandela Day 18 July 2025.
Among the many heritage sites featured is Chancellor House, the downtown offices of Mandela and Tambo Attorneys in the 1950s. After having been vacant and shuttered for more than a decade, this iconic building is being revived and brought to life once again as offices for the Community Development Department, which oversees the City’s Arts, Culture & Heritage Services.
