When prisoners arrived at the prison they were issued with ID-cards. The example here, for Billy Nair, was prisoner number 69/64 (the 69th prisoner of 1964), and was sentenced to 20 years for sabotage. (Nelson Mandela was prisoner 466/64.)
Prisoners were classified according to four different levels of privilege, A to D:
Category A prisoners, the most privileged, were allowed access to radios, newspapers, and to buy their own food (such as coffee, peanut butter, margarine, and jam) from the prison shop. They were allowed to receive and send up to three letters a month, and to receive two visits a month (visits could be swapped for an extra two letters each month).
Category D prisoners were not allowed access to radios, newspapers ,or the shop. They could only have letters twice a year (these could not exceed 500 words, any longer and the end would just be cut off), and one half-hour visit every six months. In addition, category D prisoners were expected to do hard labor in the limestone quarry (see Limestone Quarry).
Race and religion were taken into consideration in terms of how prisoners were treated. The standard prison outfit was sandals, short pants and a canvas jacket (no underwear or socks). Coloured or Indian prisoners were, however, issued with shoes, socks, long trousers and a jersey.
