Constitution Hill, Johannesburg
The Constitution Hill complex in Braamfontein comprises four areas - the Old Fort, the Women's Gaol, the Number 4 prison block, and the Constitutional Court of South Africa.The Old Fort prison buildings, which were built in 1896 – '99, were originally created by the Boers for holding captive British invaders.
The Constitution Hill complex in Braamfontein comprises four areas - the Old Fort, the Women's Gaol, the Number 4 prison block, and the Constitutional Court of South Africa.
The Old Fort prison buildings, which were built in 1896 – '99, were originally created by the Boers for holding captive British invaders. The tables were turned during the Anglo-Boer War, and the British used the facilities for the incarceration of Boers. Number Four or the Native Prison which was reserved for non-white men was once home to prisoners such as Mahatma Gandhi, Robert Sobukwe and the students of the 1976 Soweto uprising. Though the rest of the complex was for white prisoners, Nelson Mandela had been held in the hospital section for some time.
The Victorian-style building Constitution Hill Women's Gaol was built in 1909 with separate facilities for whites and other races. Preferential treatment was meted out to white prisoners, while non-whites languished in deplorable conditions.
The Awaiting Trial prison block was torn down to make way for the Constitutional Court, which was originally the final appellate court for constitutional matters. The building is open to the public who can attend hearings, see the old preserved stairwells, and explore the art gallery in the court atrium, which has over 200 contemporary South African paintings and sculptures. The doors have the 27 rights of the Bill of Rights carved into them. The middle of the plaza outside has a stairwell with the Flame of Democracy, which was lit in 2012 when South Africa celebrated the 15th anniversary of the signing of the constitution.
