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CONSTITUTION HILL JOHANNESBURG
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Constitution Hill Johannesburg, South
Africa: Nowhere can the story of South Africa’s turbulent past and its
extraordinary transition to democracy be told as it is at Constitution Hill. This national
heritage site has witnessed a century of South Africa’s history. From rebellious
British soldiers who fought with the Boers at the turn of the century, to the youths
caught up in the Soweto Uprising, to the dawn of democracy and the building of South
Africa’s new Constitutional Court, Constitution Hill has witnessed it all. Visit
Constitution Hill and learn about the injustices of South Africa’s past while
observing the process by which freedom was won and is now protected. Exhibitions and
guided tours have been designed as an interactive experience, offering visitors the
opportunity to participate in the building of Constitution Hill.
The Constitutional Court of South Africa is Johannesburg’s newest historical landmark
and a unique architectural symbol of South Africa’s democracy. On this site, once the
Old Fort Prison Complex, commonly known as Number Four, political prisoners and common
criminals awaited trial and sat out their jail sentences. Today, the elegant
Constitutional Court presides over this once-reviled place and stands as a proud monument
to South Africa’s hard-earned freedom.
The Court extends an invitation to the general public and international visitors to
explore the history of South Africa’s political transition. Come and see the splendid
and symbolic artwork, sit in the graceful public gallery, watch the 11 justices deliberate
the finer details of the Constitution and wander around the largest human rights library
in the southern hemisphere. Or simply soak in the atmosphere of one of the world’s
most progressive constitutions.
In 1995, the Constitutional Court justices began looking for a permanent location for the
new Court. The dilapidated Prison Complex provided a central location with a rich cultural
history. At the height of apartheid rule, up to 2 000 black South Africans were processed
through its entrance daily. Struggle stalwarts like Mahatma Gandhi, Albert Luthuli, Robert
Sobukwe and Nelson Mandela spent many cold, lonely hours in the cells reserved for black
males at Number Four. The prison was closed in 1983, leaving a scar on Johannesburg’s
metropolis - a bleak reminder of our painful past. The site has now been transformed into
a modern, living museum dedicated to human rights.
To chart the history of the Old Fort Prison Complex, commonly known as Number Four, is to
broadly map the history of resistance in South Africa. For decades, thousands of prisoners
streamed through the ''delousing'' chambers of the Prison Complex. They were made to do
the humiliating Tauza dance, were beaten and abused in the notorious Number Four prison
for black men, held for months in dirty, overcrowded conditions in the Awaiting Trial
Block, and stripped of their underclothes and their dignity in the Women’s Jail. From
rebellious British soldiers who fought with the Boers at the turn of the century, to
striking mineworkers, Defiance Campaigners, Treason Trialists and youths caught up in the
Soweto Uprising, to the hordes of ordinary men and women incarcerated daily under the
inhumane Pass Laws, the Prison Complex saw it all.
Visit Constitution Hill and experience the unique way that the South African transition
has built hope for the future out of the pain of the past. Constitution Hill’s public
participation programme, We the People, has begun the long process of inviting
ex-prisoners and warders back on to site to participate in research-based workshops. The
images, sounds and voices recorded in these workshops have recreated the tenor of prison
life, revealing individual stories and experiences that form the basis of the exhibitions
and tours. Objects, photographs and memories give a sense of how power and punishment were
inflicted on the minds and bodies of prisoners and demonstrate the efforts that men and
women made to overcome prison conditions.
Exhibitions are designed as a participatory experience. There are many facilities on
Constitution Hill for you to record your own memories and response to the exhibitions. By
participating you will set down another layer of history for future generations to
discover.
Exhibitions and Tours: Number Four - The journey to Number Four, the dark
heart of Constitution Hill, deepens the visitor’s 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 Mandela Cell - View a film documenting Mandela’s time at the Old
Fort, and his emotional return to Constitution Hill some forty years later. The film is a
poignant reminder of one man’s ability to inspire change in the political and moral
structure of an entire society.
The Women’s Jail - The grace of this handsome Victorian-style
building belies the pain and suffering that occurred within. Currently closed for
renovation, the hoarding, which protects the building, has been transformed into a
temporary exhibition that honours the contribution of women to the struggle for freedom in
South Africa.
We the People wall - Running the length of Constitution Square, at the
base of the Old Fort ramparts, contributors range from Nelson Mandela and other
ex-prisoners to ordinary people across South Africa. Leave your message for the We the
People wall.
We the People – in the shade of the Constitution - This photographic
exhibition is the result of the first We the People road trip that travelled across South
Africa’s nine provinces in 2003 from urban areas to isolated rural communities.
Objects from the Past - A collection of prison objects and emblems that
sheds light on the system of punishment and incarceration in apartheid South Africa.
Guided Tours - A tour of the old prison buildings and the Constitutional Court is a
journey through South Africa’s painful past, but also a celebration of its remarkable
transition to democracy. |
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| Address: |
Constitutional Court, Johannesburg |
| Contact: |
Visitor Services Manager |
| Telephone: |
+27 (0)11 381-3100 |
| Fax: |
+27 (0)11 381-3108 |
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  The Hector
*Pieterson Memorial and museum opened in Soweto in 2002, not far from the spot where 12
year-old Hector was shot on the 16 June 1976 during the Soweto uprising that today is a
symbol of resistance to the brutality of the apartheid government. On 16 June on the day
Hector was ... more » Hector
Pieterson Memorial Site
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THE APARTHEID MUSEUM |
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 The Apartheid Museum: An extraordinarily
powerful museum dedicated to South Africa’s darkest days. It documents the struggle
for freedom, to ensure that younger South Africans don't forget the sacrifices which were
made on their behalf. As you begin your historical journey by walking ... more » Apartheid
Museum
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Africa Game Reserves » |
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| Johannesburg Car Hire: Hire from
international and local companies, which offer a wide range of cars, from budget to
luxury. For the best deals we recommend you book your car before travelling. |
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