"A man’s pass contains his life history in brief detail. It tells his name, where he comes from, which tribe he belongs to, the name of his tribal chief, the place and date of birth, and his father’s birth date. The African must carry his passbook with him religiously twenty-four hours a day. If he is caught without it, or his papers are out of order (if he has no job, for instance or has not paid his tax, if his residence permit is made out for another city than the one he is in), the result is almost always a fast trip to jail."
'I developed my own style of how to respond to the daily pass challenge, especially when it came from a White cop. I learned that you must grab quickly inside your coat for the pass and hand it to him without a word. Then he gives it back to you and lets you go. But if you are perhaps well-dressed and you know your pass is in order and you casually take it out and hand it to him with a trace of self-confidence – aha! – then he is liable to throw the book in your face or slap it down in the dust. That is a way of trying to provoke you into saying something, anything, that will give him an excuse to pull you in and if it comes to that, beat you up." - Ernest Cole, House of Bondage
Ernest Cole archive : House of Bondage (1966)Photography Legacy Project
Handcuffed Blacks were arrested for being in White area illegally.
Ernest Cole archive : House of Bondage (1966)Photography Legacy Project
During a “swoop” police are everywhere, checking passes. A young boy is stopped for his pass as a White plainclothes policeman looks on.
Ernest Cole archive : House of Bondage (1966)Photography Legacy Project
Checks go on in the township too. A student who said he was going to fetch his textbook is pulled in. To prove he was still at school he showed a fountain pen and ink-stained fingers. But that was not good enough; in long pants he looked older than sixteen.
Ernest Cole archive : House of Bondage (1966)Photography Legacy Project
Men who have finished their sentences depart under guard for their homes.
Ernest Cole archive: South Africa (1966)Photography Legacy Project
People line up at Bantu Administration building to apply for passes. The line starts at 5.30 a.m. and latecomers may not get in. Without passes they are liable for arrest.
Ernest Cole archive : House of Bondage (1966)Photography Legacy Project
Relatives of the arrested come to door of jail. Some bring money for fines, others bring food.
Ernest Cole archive : House of Bondage (1966)Photography Legacy Project
Every morning police trucks from all over the city and surrounding townships converge on the Bantu Commissioner’s court building and dump their pass offenders to await trial.
Ernest Cole archive : House of Bondage (1966)Photography Legacy Project
Pass raid outside Johannesburg station. Every African must show his pass before being allowed to go about his business.
House of Bondage (1966) by Ernest ColePhotography Legacy Project
These boys were caught trespassing in a White area.
House of Bondage (1966) by Ernest ColePhotography Legacy Project
Sometimes a check broadens into a search of a man’s belongings.
House of Bondage (1966) by Ernest ColePhotography Legacy Project
Police check passes for employer’s signature, proof that taxes are paid, and legality of presence in a White area.
Ernest Cole's influential 1967 photobook, House of Bondage, captured the everyday hardship faced by Black South Africans during apartheid. A new edition of this pivotal book published by Aperture in 2022, preserves Cole's original writings and images, and includes contemporary perspectives on his life and lasting impact.
This digitization of Ernest Cole's archives, along with his first-person accounts, offers the opportunity to appreciate and comprehend the work of one of South Africa’s most significant photographers. This accessible digital collection makes his legacy available for educational purposes, academic study, and research, effectively integrating Cole's contributions into the global visual heritage.
Read more about Ernest Cole’s biography in the title story, Ernest Cole Archives: House of Bondage.
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