Southern Africa - Day 24 (Part 2)

Wednesday, 5 February 2020 - Johannesburg, South Africa 

The guards inflicted psychological torture on the inmates in isolation cells; they switched the lights on and off at different times, so that the prisoners didn’t even know what time of the day it was. Diet was only rice water which is the water that is left after washing the rice. In these dire circumstances, cell number 13 became known as Lucky No. 13 because it was facing the courtyard so sometimes when the window is opened you can see and communicate with the other prisoners. 

The Awaiting Trial Block stood at the heart of Number 4 where it operated as a jail for nearly 100 years. The cells held black male awaiting-trial prisoners. It was demolished in 2001 to make way for the new Constitutional Court which was established under the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa in 1993, and opened by Nelson Mandela in 1995. The 4 stairwells were retained as a haunting reminder of the horrific experiences of many black South Africans.

I also visited Mandela’s cell, which was in one of the sickbeds (wards). His second stay here was in August 1962. While in hiding, Mandela posed as a driver but was arrested outside Howick in Natal. He was held in one of the sickbeds for a few weeks before being transferred to Pretoria to stand trial. The authorities told him that he was held here due to his status; he had privacy, a bed, his books and the space to prepare his defence. Some suspect that he was put here because it was easier to guard him here than in the crowded communal cells, because they were worried that he was planning an escape. 

Then I visited the women’s prison (certainly better conditions than Numbers 4 and 5, but also segregated between whites and non-whites. There is a Flame of Democracy in one of the Awaiting Trial Blocks; it was originally ignited by Nelson Mandela on 9 December 2011 and has been burning ever since. 

Then on the tour again and we passed the Nelson Mandela Bridge. This bridge is about 295 m high and connects Braamfontein and Newtown across the railway lines. We also passed Carlton Centre, a 50 storey office building which is also a shopping centre. It is the tallest building in Johannesburg (possibly in South Africa) but I didn’t go inside to go all the way up. 

Next, to Hillbrow which according to Arthur is the second most dangerous place in South Africa after a township called Diepsloot. Actually I wouldn’t have known it, it looks ok from the outside. There are many immigrants here from Nigeria, Mozambique, Congo, Zimbabwe etc and they are involved in drug activities, prostitution, robberies, hijacking etc. Unfortunately I can’t tell the difference between the immigrants and the locals because I can’t really tell the different languages apart and they don’t really have distinctive features from one country to another. 

Ever the adventurer, I walked around this area to just have a look at the everyday life of the people in the heart of Johannesburg. I could tell that Arthur himself was nervous although he would not admit it and although he tried to play it cool. One thing I noticed is that there are no whites around at all. The streets looked quite old and dirty, and it was very crowded. To be honest, I don’t think I would’ve dared to walk alone here.