MyJHB

Stuff from Johannesburg

2024

Constitution Hill: Precinct

The precinct is divided into several harrowing sections. The Old Fort was primarily reserved for white male prisoners, with the notable exception of Nelson Mandela, who was held in its hospital wing in 1962 because authorities deemed him too influential to be housed with the general black population. Nearby is Number Four, the “Native Gaol,” which is perhaps the most visceral part of the museum. Built in 1904, it was designed to break the spirit of black men. Visitors today can see the isolation cells (called emakhulukhuthu or “the deep dark hole”) and learn about the “Tausa” dance—a humiliating search ritual where naked prisoners were forced to jump and clap to prove they weren’t hiding contraband. The Women’s Jail, a Victorian-style brick building, tells the stories of women like Daisy de Melker (South Africa’s most famous murderess) alongside political icons who were often arrested for “crimes” as simple as brewing beer or not having their passbooks.