Neil Fraser
July 12, 2004
THE echoes of marching feet, shouted orders, rifle fire and tearful goodbyes; elegant ball gowns, acerbic counsel, the muted camaraderie of the accused, the anger of the crowds and the nervousness of the police; the thankfulness of the homeless for a roof over their heads, their terror in the fires and the smouldering ruins.
This is Johannesburg's Drill Hall - a building that encapsulates the full range of the city's chequered history.
The hall, built in 1904 as the headquarters of the Transvaal Volunteers during the city's colonial period, remained in military hands from Union in 1910 to 1992.
The building featured prominently during the strikes of 1922 when it was the headquarters of the troops used to quell the riots. Here troops also gathered on their way to fight in the first and second world wars and then the border wars. It was known for its New Year's Eve parties and was a popular dance venue from the 1930s to the late 1970s.
The Drill Hall was identified with the apartheid regime because of its use at the start of the treason trial in 1957. It was later moved to Pretoria for security reasons. In 'Long Walk to Freedom', Nelson Mandela recalls: "It was a great barn of a building, with a corrugated iron roof, and considered the only public building large enough to support a trial of so many accused."
It continued to be occupied by the SA Defence Force until 1992.
The building was then vacated by the SADF and neglected by the state, its owner, to the extent that it was totally overrun by squatters and became a haven for gangs and a centre of criminal activity. It was a cesspit - a major health hazard - and it was condemned as structurally unsound.
In June 2001 a fire killed nine people and the council committed itself to moving the inhabitants and sealing the building off. But the building belonged to the state; nothing happened.
Another fire in April 2002 destroyed a large section of the building and another five people died. There was a lot of talk about demolishing the remaining building and creating a "freedom square", but the SA Heritage Resources Agency, quite rightly, dug its heels in and the council made R10-million available for creating a heritage asset.
The JDA was appointed to manage the project: its goal was to restore and develop the Drill Hall as a place of historical significance; a public open space that would form part of the historical and cultural tourism trail of the inner city.
The revamped building was officially opened a few months back. I missed it due to other commitments but was invited for a tour of the site a couple of weeks ago by the Joubert Park Project (JPP) team, now housed in the building.
Part of the main western facade and balcony has been saved and has a new roof and a double-storey extension built behind it. The upper area provides a light-filled exhibition space. This overlooks an open square that would have been the area occupied by the previous main hall.
There are some single-storey structures on the south of the square, linked to Plein Street. The northern wing has been retained in its entirety and refurbished. The square is lined with brick columns on which plates have been mounted; each plate is engraved with the name of one of the treason trialists.
Michael Hart, the architect, has done a great job. I believe his work earned him recognition from the Cape Institute for Architects. The project is another important asset in the inner city's emergence from the past decades of degradation.
The Rand Light Infantry - which, after moving out of the Drill Hall, was housed for some years in the Fort - is now back and occupies the north wing. Other tenants are the Johannesburg Community Chest, Johannesburg Child Welfare and the JPP.
The JPP was initiated in January 2000 to revitalise cultural life of the Joubert Park precinct, particularly its relationship to the Johannesburg Art Gallery. It is an independent non-profit initiative whose projects are supported through fundraising.
The JPP says the exhibition space will allow it to expand historic relationships and create new ones. It is inviting artists to research and depict the rich and often troubled history of the site.
Plans for the permanent exhibition include a timeline, spanning 100 years of the history of the Drill Hall and marking significant points such as the trial.
The history of the precinct and its changing shape will be depicted by a floor plan installed on the site. This will show the different visions for the Drill Hall: the initial structure in 1904, the addition of the underground rifle range about 10 years later, the building of the south and north blocks during the 1920s, the destruction of much of the original building by the fire in 2002 and the plans for its reconstruction in 2004.
Text displays will outline the themes - political, military and social - that weave through the building and its surrounds. The JPP also plans to involve artists in the public installations that will enable other points of access to the human archaeology of the site.
The JPP points out that Joubert Park is one of the few green spaces in inner-city Johannesburg; although it is marked by general urban decay, it constitutes the vibrant centre of many community initiatives and activities.
The Drill Hall is in what I would describe as a gritty but unbelievably busy - some may say chaotic - part of the city. Its neglect over the past decade added not inconsiderably to the degeneration in the area.
However, in the past few years there has been a great deal of activity in the area: the conversion of the Landdrost Hotel into apartments, the massive taxi rank and the R50-million Union Square retail development north of the rank.
The area provides about 22 000 residential units. It also houses the Johannesburg Art Gallery (JAG), a community centre, a clinic and a hothouse. It is business territory for the park photographers and street vendors, a meeting ground for religious groups and a recreational space for commuters, children and chess players.
The Drill Hall may be too small to create a ripple through the area, but a general upgrade of the precinct is planned.
Organisations such as the JPP do amazing work with limited funding but huge energy, enthusiasm and commitment. They deserve all the support the city can muster.
And, talking of JAG and support, last week was the launch of Johannesburg Circa Now (another launch I missed, regretfully). It is a project of two highly talented artists who have a great passion for the inner city, clearly demonstrated through their photography.
They have brought together the works of Zola Gule, Lwazi Hlope Andile Komanise, Terry Kurgan, Lebo Mashiloane, Sabelo Mlangeni, Nhlanhla Mngadi, Jo Ractliffe, Siphiwe Zwane and the Joubert Park Freelance Photographers' Association
The focus is on Johannesburg's transforming inner city as seen, interpreted, mediated and constructed through photography. The public project will have visitors to the exhibition making their own portraits in a studio constructed inside the gallery. Public participation will reflect how we have come to see our world and ourselves this past decade.
The exhibition runs until 15 October 2004; there is secure parking at the Gallery. Don't miss it.
Also not to be missed: Cities in Change, a conference that will focus on urban regeneration and the part creativity plays in the process. It runs from August 16 to 19. Details, programmes and registration forms from katherine@kum.co.za - see you there!
