The narrow entrances to the solitary confinement cells inside the women’s jail.

JOYCE Seroke is sitting in the courtyard of the old Women's jail, enjoying the sunshine. Behind her is the solitary confinement cell that kept her a cold and lonely political prisoner for two months in 1976. 

"We used to take turns pretending we were ill so that we could get transferred to the men's jail where there was the only doctor," remembers Seroke, now 69. "That's how we escaped the loneliness of our cells. But we had to be clever so the prison authorities wouldn't discover what we were doing."

Thirty years later, the historic jail at the Constitutional Hill in Braamfontein, just north of Johannesburg, is no longer a symbol of oppression. While the cells are still as bare, as narrow and as chilling as they were in apartheid's heyday, no women have been bolted behind their heavy steel doors since 1983.

Instead, the jail has been transformed into the Women's Centre, and is now a place honouring the lives and memories of its former prisoners, many of whom were crammed into the jail's tiny cells for fraud, prostitution and breaking the country's pass laws.

Sheila Meintjes of the Commission on Gender Equality (CGE), which will be basing its new headquarters at the jail, says it will always serve as a reminder of the struggle for freedom. The CGE, the Women's Forum and the Women's National Coalition have led the transformation of the jail into the centre. 

Joyce Seroke, at left, a former political prisoner, sits next to her friends Noina Ramphomane, Sarah Kananda and Thendy Rathebe, in the courtyard of the Women’s Jail.

Its tiny cells are now the scene of art and photographic exhibitions, historical displays, women's crafts, healing workshops, and dance, music and poetry performances. For the past week, the centre has also been the meeting place for delegates attending mini-summits on the World Summit on Sustainable Development, which runs until September 4.

The jail, which was built in 1909, seems to be a mockery of beauty. Indeed, one prisoner commented that she was so struck by the beauty of its sweeping balconies and elegantly constructed passages leading off the oval-shaped Atrium that she expected to see beautifully-gowned ladies waltzing gracefully across its wooden floors. Instead, she and the other prisoners were shoved against the cold walls of the Atrium and strip-searched.

The Three Women exhibition in the Atrium is a centrepiece of the centre and serves as a haunting reminder of South Africa's grim past. It tells the poignant stories of three former prisoners, who were jailed at different times and for different reasons. 

The womens prison

In 1932, South Africa's notorious female murderer, Daisy de Melker, was incarcerated for the murder of her two husbands and her son. Nomathemba Funani was jailed for resisting pass laws in 1956. Jeannie Noel, a Durban-based community leader, was jailed for her role as a political activist in 1976. 

Evocative images of these three women have been printed onto translucent silk screens, which sway from the outside breeze. Some of the inmates have recorded their memories and their ghostly whispering is heard in the background.

"I think it's very important that we have this exhibition. It's like a healing process somehow and the women who were imprisoned here are still very much in pain. At least now they are able to talk about it," says Zukiswa Moyo, one of the 200 unemployed women working as first aid volunteers, caterers and tour guides for the centre. 

bars-pA view of the Three Women exhibition from the balcony of the Women’s Jail. The faces of the prisoners have been printed onto large, delicate silk screens. Seen on the right screen is the face of Jeanne Noel, a political activist jailed in 1976

The Babies Behind Bars exhibition, by artist Zantie Swanepoel, focuses on children whose mothers are incarcerated. "Babies that are born in prison … are not raised like ordinary children and are themselves imprisoned. This is still a very relevant issue," says Vanessa Vermaak, the project manager of the centre. 

The Voices Healing Room, which is holding various creative arts therapies, offers visitors a chance to rejuvenate and relax. It features art therapy workshops, yoga classes, workshops on traditional healing and drama and expressive arts (including singing and dancing) workshops.

The arts and crafts courtyard showcases works created by local artists while a gender-based film festival runs for the duration of the summit. Most of the films portray African issues and development. Internet fundis need not despair - Women'sNet has set up a cybercafe where visitors can cruise the information superhighway to their hearts content. Don't leave your children at home, as the Children's Centre will entertain them with body awareness workshops, circle dancing and even children's yoga.

The centre has also offered the chance for a range of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to exhibit information about their work. "We are so excited about this centre. I think a lot of awareness about women's issues was raised at the Beijing conference for women in 1995," says Jocelyn Bell, the president of the Johannesburg branch of the South African Association of Women Graduates, which is showcasing its Aurora project at the centre. The project strives to improve the self-esteem of young girls living in the townships. "The centre and the summit offer a great chance to prove what a great country South Africa is, and what a great asset its women are."

The centre has been chiefly funded by the European Union, but a host of NGOs like Women's Forum and the Women's National Coalition have helped to raise funds for the centre, according to Vermaak. "It's been so wonderful to work on this project. We also want men to be involved and visit the centre and see the issues surrounding women in this country. Our men have been involved and have helped us paint and fix up everything!" she laughs.

And the centre also offers a potentially lucrative spin-off for the unemployed women working as volunteers. "We aim to start a franchise for the women who have done our catering. We also want to help the women become self-sufficient and teach them how to do things after the summit is over," says Vermaak.

The Women's Centre, which was officially launched on 24 August, is open to the public from 9am to 5pm every day except Tuesday, unless specially arranged. Call (011) 403-0189 for more information.