NHC Women’s Day at Conhill

The NHC closed-off Women’s Month with an engagement at the recently inscribed World Heritage Site – Constitution Hill in Johannesburg on 30 August.  

 The Constitution Hill precinct is the seat of the Constitutional Court of South Africa. It is located at the site of the 19th century Johannesburg Fort Prison 9 where many political prisoners including Nelson Mandela, Mahatma Gandhi, Joe Slovo, Albertina Sisulu, Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, Fatima Meer and tens of thousands of ordinary people served jail time during its 100-year history. Constitution Hill is a living museum that tells the story of South Africa’s journey to democracy. The site is a former prison and military fort that bears testament o South Africa’s turbulent past. 

 Mr Reuben Phasha, a representative from Constitution Hill together with his male only team on the day who are part of the Curators in the museum welcomed the attendees and gave a brief overview about the museum and the history behind it.  

 The detailed and interactive tour was conducted by the esteemed Mr Lerato Sefume at the Women’s jail and the Women’s court.  

 During the tour, the NHC team encountered Ms Palesa Musa, an anti-apartheid activist who at the tender age of 12 was one of the school children that were arrested, detained, and tortured for challenging the apartheid government who shared her poignant and traumatic experience at the time with the NHC women.