Johannesburg and the Women’s Prison

Constitution Hill also contained a Women’s Prison, which interestingly enough for me as an Australian was built in the same design as the ‘model prison’ at Port Arthur in Tasmania.  The main ‘cell block’ located inside the prison walls, consisted of a central ‘hub’ with wings of cells, both communal and individual, radiating out from it.  This allowed the minimum number of guards to supervise a larger amount of ‘cells’.  The design was based on a 19^th Century British concept.  The old Women’s Prison complex is still in use as offices by the organisation (not sure if it is RSA Government) that look after equal rights within South Africa, specifically gender issues, which I think is extremely poignant given the history of the place.  The presentation of the Women’s Prison as both a museum, a memorial and a working office block is extremely well done.  Some photos of the prison are included below.

The ramparts of the Fort also provided some good photo opportunities over Johannesburg, which I have included below:

A huge bronze statue of Madiba (Nelson Mandela) at Nelson Mandela Square in Johannesburg.  Without doubt he is one of the greatest political figures in modern history, and rates right up there with people such as Gandhi and Castro.

The 'Africa Steps' leading up to the main door of the Constitutional Court constructed from the bricks recycled from the old Apartheid era court which once inhabited the site. In the photo the Constitutional Court is to the left and the old No 4/5 prison is to the right.

The Constitution Hill Women's Prison complex as seen from the ramparts  the old Fort.

In the 20th Century the area near Constitution Hill was also characterised by a range of world class hospitals and medical research facilities which paradoxically produced some fantastic medical breakthroughs during the Apartheid era.  The building pictured above was the old black and coloured hospital.

The central 'hub' of the Women's Prison showing the doors of one of the wings or 'spokes' containing a large communal cell on the ground and first floors.

The 'spoke' containing the isolation cells in the Women's Prison.

A 'reconstruction' of the interior of one of the isolation cells (with plywood walls) made by an ex prisoner as part of a display in one of the communal cells.

Constitution Hill Fort

The following series of pictures deals specifically with the old fort on Constitution Hill. Unfortunately the interior was closed on the day I visited, but a walk around the ramparts was worthwhile just for the view over Jo’burg.

The ramparts of the old fort seen between the remaining stair wells of the apartheid era court on Constitution Hill.

The corner entrance through the ramparts.  My assessment is that this entrance was created when the fort reverted back to being a prison after the Anglo-Boer War, and the defences no longer needed to be complete.

Inside the ramparts, showing how store rooms for weapons and ammunition were incorporated into the walls.

The same view as above but from the top of the ramparts.

A view along the top of the ramparts, showing some of the internal 'prison' buildings.

What was the original gate to the fort, set into the ramparts.

More store rooms and buildings inside the fort.

More of the prison buildings.  The wire fence also dates from this period as it is designed to prevent people climbing the ramparts from the inside.

More Constitution Hill Pictures

As Constitution Hill was such an emotional place for me to visit, I was unable to reduce my photos to a single post, so once again I will do a series.  Here is the next instalment, which is specifically the modern Constitutional Court.

The Constitutional Court taken from the ramparts of the Fort.  The two old brick staircases (one in the centre of the building with the extension above it, and one to the right of the building) from the apartheid era court and detention cells have been incorporated into the building as a reminder of the past. 

The massively tall front doors of the Constitutional Court with the 27 principles of the modern RSA Constitution carved into them in all 11 official languages (including Afrikaans and English), and sign language.



The RSA symbol of justice, representing a the 'tree of justice' where traditionally the chiefs met to dispense justice based on the ancient lore and their wisdom.



The forecourt of the Court.  Everything incorporated into the design is symbolic in some way to one of the 11 official cultures represented in the modern Republic of South Africa.

One of the previously mentioned staircases, which originally led from detention cells to the sentencing court during the apartheid era.  As you can see it is also still in use (the step ladder is not traditional or symbolic!).

The main Constitutional Court room.  In front sit the 11 judges, representing each culture in the RSA, with the bench being fronted by cow hide which was so important to both the African pastorilists and the European settlers of South Africa.  The mottled pattern on the floor represents the shade pattern underneath the 'tree of justice'. The bricks in the wall behind the judges are from the apartheid era prison and court tying the past with the future.  The long glass windows in this brick wall represent the transparency of the court, allowing the public to see in, and reminding those inside that they serve the people.

The RSA flag behind the judges bench.  It is made from traditional African Beadwork, and is the largest beaded artwork ever made.  Up close the beads also have patterns and the principles of the constitution worked into them.

Constitution Hill

Kasey and I visited Constitution Hill in Johannesburg on 9 Nov, which was both very interesting and very emotional.  In the 19^th Century the hill was the site of the original Johannesburg Gaol, and during the Anglo Boer War, Paul Kruger turned the gaol into a fort as part of the defences of Johannesburg by having the prisoners build a rampart wall and bastions around it.  After the war it continued to be a gaol and over the years was expanded outside the fort walls to include a larger but separate men’s and women’s prison.  The prison was in use until 1983.  The Women’s prison was particularly well presented, especially considering that many of the buildings have been refurbished and added to for use by the equal rights office.

Coming from Australia, prisons and the type of conditions that convicts were kept in is fairly familiar to us all.  However the conditions and treatment meted out to the prisoners on Constitution Hill up until 1983 equates to that of early to mid 19^th Century Australia.  Food for thought!  The other thing that struck me was some of the offences that people were incarcerated for.  Obviously there were the usual criminal offences that any nation punishes, but also there were a whole range of anti-apartheid political offences as well.  Some of these could be as basic as falling in love, and sleeping with, someone not of your own race group.  It is a sobering thought while walking around that if Anna and I had been in our relationship 25 years ago, then both of us could have ended up in prison as we were breaking the law at the time!

Subsequent to full democracy, the RSA government has built the Constitutional Court on the Hill, immediately adjacent to the fort and prisons.  It is appropriate and poignant that the court which looks after the constitution and therefore the civil rights of all South African citizens is located in a place where so many civil rights were violated.  It reinforces what a great country and positive future the Republic of South Africa has, in that they can move forward positively without placing blame, but not forgetting the past.

The block 4/5 Men's Prison showers, with part of the cell block in the background.  These were the latest 'refurbished' cells which had high set windows for ventilation.

The inside of one of the Block 4/5 communal cells.  These cells had a mixture of criminal and political prisoners.  At the far end were the 'cell bosses' who were generally members of a prison gang and preyed on the other prisoners.  The cordoned their area off with a blanket wall.  The newer or non influential prisoners were on the left and they were called sardines as they slept head to foot side by side.  On the right near the blanket wall were other senior prisoners who had some standing and the two bodies to the right (closest) were the junior prisoners who looked after the toilet, and held blankets up for the privacy of the 'cell bosses'.  A cell like this would hold up to 50 prisoners.

The communal toilet in the cell.  Earlier eras had buckets only.

The prisoners dining area (the benches are for modern tourists).  There were no tables and chairs, the prisoners used to squat and eat off the ground, facing the communal toilet in the background, which was slightly higher in elevation.  Often raw sewerage used to run through the dining area.  Remember this was the 1970s/80s.

You can't see it in this picture, but this sign board and photographs show how the prisoners were strip searched at the end of each work day, including internal examinations.  These two photographs were taken by a journalist from a building adjacent to the prison.

The building where the photos shown above were taken from which was an old hospital (top right window).  I believe that the publishing of these photos was one of the catalysts for change and the eventual closure of the prison.

The remains of the communal showers, which had four outlets that only ran for 30 min a day for up to 1500 prisoners.  Many ended up not showering for weeks.

Sundays were a 'rest day' and one of the ways that prisoners kept themselves amused was to make non permanent 'sculptures' out of the prison blankets.  The guards would judge the best sculptures and the winning cell was allowed some sort of privileges for the next week.

More 'blanket sculpture'.

The frame used for lashing prisoners to for flogging!

The isolation/solitary confinement cells.

Cape Buffalo

As its been a while since I did an animal post, I thought just to keep all the animal lovers interested I might do an older one that I had pre-prepared.  While I had seen small groups and individual Buffalos before, In Kruger NP I saw herds of hundreds.  One morning when heading out, I was lucky enough to end up in the middle of one of these herds.  Bearing in mind that Buffalo are one of the Big 5, here a few photos from that morning:

This was a bit later in the day, but these two buffalo were fighting while the baboons were running around screaming.



Western Cape 3

Sorry that I am a bit behind in my posts, but no real excuse other than having a great time.  Anna and I are spending a large amount of time together and doing some wonderful things which doesn’t actually leave a lot of time for getting on my computer and doing posts (unlike when I was by myself!).  We have been doing a lot of sight seeing, Christmas shopping, eating in great restaurants and socialising with Anna’s friends.  You definitely have a better social life in Pretoria if you are a de-facto local.

We are heading to Swaziland this weekend, which has a great local craft industry, so I should pick up the last of my Christmas presents then, and post them next week.  Anyway, here are the last of the Western Cape pictures.

This was the 'view from the loo' in the B&B we stayed in at Plettenberg Bay (obviously looking out over the bay).

The road up to the Kango Caves, which has Bushman rock art in the first chamber, and spectacular limestone formations in the others.

After we left Kango Caves we decided to go to Prince Albert for the night.  Little did we know that the road became a goat track over the mountains, but the scenery was spectacular.  The line going across the mountain in front of us is the track road.

Finally got to the top of the mountains and this is the view down the other side.

The next day we decided to take a 'shortcut' back to the coast, which reduced a one hour trip to five hours.  This is one of the spectacular valleys we travelled through to get back on the coastal side of the mountains.

More valleys!

Still going!  We just made the plane with about 10 minutes to spare.  Because of the rush, that is why I didn't lock my bag up properly, hence my camera getting stolen.

Western Cape 2

When we arrived back at Jo’berg airport from the Western Cape, I noticed that my bag had been opened after I checked it in. At that stage it didn’t appear that anything was missing, however the next day I discovered that my camera had been stolen.  Fortunately I had downloaded all of the photos that morning so I didn’t lose any of my ‘memories’.  Ah well, I guess I will have to go shopping again!  Bummer!  Anyway I have spent the last couple of days getting to know Pretoria, which for me is pretty scary as I don’t do cities very well.  I guess comparing Tzaneen to Pretoria is like comparing Katherine to Sydney.

The other night we went to one of Anna’s Friend’s places for ‘bunny chows’.  I had read about bunny chows before I came to South Africa and wanted to really try them, but I didn’t find anywhere in Limpopo that made them.  What is a bunny chow I hear you ask?  Basically it is a loaf of bread hollowed out and filled with a savoury filling.  Anna’s friend, who is Indian South African, cooked us lamb curry to go inside.

I brought a new camera on Friday, however when I got home the charging cable was missing.  On Monday I took the camera back and they couldn’t find the original cable so they gave me a multi cable adaptor for free.  Anyway last night when I went to connect the new cable it didn’t fit.  So back to the shop this morning and they are getting the correct cable in for me.  I offered to pay for the multi cable as it can be used for charging my IPOD, phone and speakers simultaneously from my car cigarette lighter, however the manager told me I could keep it for free as they had already written it off.  It was priced at R300.00, so I was happy.  Can’t complain about the service.

Anyway, in the meantime here are some more photos of the Western Cape.

A poster at the start of the Outineque Choo Tjou train ride which I thought rather amusing!

The view of the water at Mussel Bay, which was one of the original trading settlements on the South African coast.  Mussel Bay had an amazing craft shop, with local artists working on the premises, so I brought a lot of presents here.

The view down from the Outineque Choo Tjou as it went into the Outineque Pass.

Anna and the Outineque Choo Tjou at our turn around point.

Anna and I at Outineque Pass.

Kasey, Anna and I enjoying wine and nibbles at our stop on the Outineque Choo Tjou ride.  Kasey is Anna's friend from the USA and basically brought the two of us together.