Porter reformatory

In his will an ex-attorney-general of the Cape of Good Hope Left money to finance the building of a reform school in the Cape. It was built in 1892  and housed minors who were considered serious offenders. The school was officially closed in early 2000. The buildings are quite derelict and have been vandalized. A large congregated iron-covered steel structure stands in the courtyard, THis is the only form of shelter. There are two types of cells. The communal cells with single toilets would probably have slept 6 to 8 convicts and solitary cells. There are heavily bared windows and heavy steel-clad wooden doors that would have made escape very difficult. The conditions here must have been horrific. there are many of these isolation cells and the punishment and harsh discipline must have been terrible, graffiti on the walls attests to this.

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