Constitution Hill
Description
Constitution Hill is a city precinct, anchored by the South African Constitutional Court, where visitors can uncover the story of South Africa's turbulent past and its extraordinary transition from apartheid to democracy. Constitution Hill is also the site of Johannesburg’s notorious Old Fort Prison Complex, where many of South Africa’s political activists, including Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, and Walter Sisulu were detained. What once was a place of injustice and brutality has been transformed into a place of solidarity and democracy.
Watch an educational video before exploring the old prison complex on a guided tour of the old jail cells, isolation cells, eating mess, toilets, and showers. As many as 11000 prisoners were kept here in a prison built for 900 - just a small idea of the awful living conditions of the prisoners kept here. The Isolation Cells are a grim affair where prisoners were kept for 23 hours a day (legally for 30 days, but most were kept here for over a year) where they were fed only rice water. They turned the lights on at night and off in the day to disorientate the prisoners, many of whom went mad and were recorded having proper conversations with ants. You will also see the shower situation: 8 showers for as many as 1000 people. The water ran for only 30 minutes a day and most of the time was dominated by the gangs.
In addition to guided tours of permanent and temporary exhibitions, Constitution Hill offers interactive experiences through a full calendar of public and educational programmes.
Permanent Exhibitions and Tours
Nelson Mandela Exhibition: Prisoner in a Garden. Housed in Mandela’s old prison cell, this exhibition documents the time that Mandela spent at Robben Island and the Old Fort.
Mahatma Gandhi: Prisoner of Conscience. Gandhi was imprisoned 4 times in South Africa, and the Fort was one of the prisons where he was incarcerated. The 'Prisoner of Conscience' exhibition commemorates the life of Gandhi and touches on his experiences while in prison.
The Number Four. Journey to the dark heart of Constitution Hill to deepen your understanding of what it means to be placed at the bottom of the racial hierarchy and how the apartheid system made criminals of black men.
The Old Fort. Built in 1893, the Old Fort was used as a fortress by Paul Kruger during the Anglo Boer War before becoming a prison for white males. Nelson Mandela was the only black prisoner to be incarcerated here.
The Women’s Goal. The exhibition touches on the experiences of women such as Albertina Sisulu, Deborah Mashoba, and Fatimah Meer who were imprisoned here.
Constitutional Court. South Africa's highest court also houses a collection of artworks by renowned South Africa artists. A tour gives the chance to experience a real court case from the visitor decks.
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