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.