Do you smell that suffocating stench? That is the reality of Pollsmoor Prison. Officially known as Pollsmoor Maximum Security Prison it is located here in Tokai a suburb of Cape Town. Pollsmoor Prison is not just any prison it is a maximum security penal facility.
Pollsmoor was established in 1964. Since then it has been expanded to comprise five prisons. These include the Admission Centre Medium A Prison Medium B Prison Medium C Prison and the Female Prison. The Admission Centre serves courts in the Cape Peninsula. Medium A houses juveniles awaiting trial. Medium B houses sentenced adult males. Medium C houses adult males with shorter sentences. The Female Prison houses juvenile and adult women. Some even have infants living with them.
Overcrowding is a major issue here at Pollsmoor Prison. It was designed for 4336 inmates but houses over 7000. Imagine the tension and the strain on resources. The majority of inmates are from oppressed communities. They face unemployment lack of education homelessness and gangsterism.
Gangsterism is a potent feature of Pollsmoor Prison life. Gangs segregate into three sections. These gangs are known as The Numbers: the 26s 27s and 28s. The 26s secure money. The 27s act as enforcers. The 28s procure sexual partners. Gang rule involves extreme violence including sexual violence.
Pollsmoor’s Admission Centre is the largest of the five prisons. It holds about 3200 inmates. Most are unsentenced awaiting-trial prisoners. Some are sentenced prisoners facing further charges. The population is constantly changing. About 300 prisoners are booked out daily for court appearances.
Let’s talk about some notable inmates who once walked these corridors. Nelson Mandela was held here after Robben Island. Anti-apartheid activists Walter Sisulu and Ahmed Kathrada were also inmates. Allan Boesak served time here after being convicted of fraud. These walls have held both criminals and freedom fighters.
In 2001 a BBC documentary focused on Pollsmoor. It followed two soon-to-be-released prisoners. The documentary showed their adaptation to civilian life. Photographer Mikhael Subotzky exhibited his photos inside Pollsmoor in 2005. The exhibition Die Vier Hoeke echoed the prison’s environment.
Nelson Mandela described Pollsmoor as having a modern face but a primitive heart. The conditions were so bad that even he contracted tuberculosis here. The prison was built to break black prisoners. This legacy continues to taint the system.
The Prisons Transformation Project tries to raise self-awareness among prisoners. It aims at rehabilitation. This includes humane treatment and alternatives to violence. They even give prisoners birds and feral cats to care for.
Pollsmoor Prison remains a place of stark contrasts. It is a place of confinement and a symbol of South Africa’s complex history. It’s a place where hope and despair coexist.