Today is Freedom Day in South Africa, which celebrates the country’s first democratic elections, which took place on April 27, 1994. The national holiday is an especially meaningful day for the group to visit Constitution Hill. This national historic site, which is now home to South Africa’s highest court on constitutional matters, began as the Old Fort, a military prison built in 1893 by the British colonial government. The prison was notorious for its harsh treatment of inmates, who were often subjected to brutal forms of punishment and forced labor.
During the apartheid era (1948–1996), the prison became a symbol of the oppressive regime, and held many anti-apartheid activists and political prisoners, including Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, Albertina Sisulu, Nelson Mandela, Walter Sisulu, and Ahmed Kathrada.
The Constitutional Court of South Africa was inaugurated in 2004 on the site of the Old Fort, becoming a beacon of hope and justice for the country.
Today, Constitutional Hill is home to museums and exhibitions that tell the story of South Africa’s struggle for freedom and democracy. Prison cells have been preserved and are now open to visitors as a powerful reminder of the country’s turbulent history.
“This photo shows part of the Freedom Day celebration on Constitution Hill. These are traditional African performers, as seen through the windows of the South African High Court. The blinds reminded me of the cell bars where Black people were disproportionally imprisoned.”
~Jason Vice, assistant professor, UAB OT
