Locality Map
Introduction
In
this page i will be analyzing one of the public space in Braamfontein
namely Constitution Hill. Constitution Hill is a city precinct, anchored
by the South African
Constitutional Court – the highest court in the country on
constitutional matters.It is also the site of
Johannesburg’s notorious Old Fort Prison Complex,where thousands of
ordinary people were brutally punished before the dawn of democracy.
History of the site
Constitution
Hill Precinct in Braamfontein Johannesburg has a very
complex history going back to 1892 when the Old Fort was built under the
Zuid Afrikaanse Republiek. Functioning as a prison, except for the
brief period of the South African War (1899-1902) when it was a military
defence post, new buildings were added to the site in the late 1900s
and early 20th Century: the so-called Natives’ section and isolation
cells known as Sections Four and Five where black male prisoners were
held, a Women’s Prison (1907), and an Awaiting Trial building (1920s).
The prison complex of the Fort has impacted deeply on hundreds of
thousands of ordinary South Africans lives as it was essentially a
transitory prison where prisoners were held until they were sentenced
before being transferred to serve their prison terms elsewhere
One
of the aspects which gives this site its distinctive unique layout is
the existence of public art which displays some of the activities which
took place previously in the precinct.I will also argue that this
precinct serves as both tourism destination and a landmark since Kevin
Lynch describes landmarks external physical objects that can be used as
point of reference.
Some of the exhibitions and museums you can engage with at Constitution Hill include the following:
The 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. Prisoners such as Mahatma Ghandi, Robert
Sobukwe, Nelson Mandela and the Students of the 1976 uprising know this
prison all too well.
The Old Fort
Built in 1893, this is one of Johannesburg's oldest buildings and was
used as a fortress by Paul Kruger during the Anglo Boer War. This was a
prison for white male prisoners, with Nelson Mandela being the only
black prisoner to be held in this "whites only" prison.
The Women's Jail
The grace of this Victorian-style building belies the pain and suffering
that occurred within. This is the place where the likes of Winnie
Madikizela-Mandela, Albertina Sisulu, Fatima Meer and many other
political activists were held.
Constitutional Court
South Africa's highest court, the guardian of the basic human rights
and freedom that so many imprisoned here had fought for and won, also
houses a collection of artworks by eminent South Africa artists. A tour
through the court gives a visitor a chance to experience a real court
case from the visitor decks.
In addition to the guided tours, Constitution Hill also offers a
range of meeting, banqueting, conferencing venues, and locations for
film shoots. A full calendar of public programmes, temporary and
permanent exhibitions bring the site to life and enables the public to
connect with the activities of the Constitutional Court.
References
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