Brille is a bespectacled Black South African political prisoner serving time for his anti-apartheid activism. His nickname, the Afrikaans word for someone who wears glasses, reflects his physical appearance. He has a frail frame with a hollowed-out chest and knobbly knees. Before his imprisonment, he worked as a teacher and struggled to provide financially for his large family in the Eastern Cape.

Jacobus Stephanus Hannetjie is a young Dutch South African prison guard assigned to oversee the Black political prisoners of Span One. Indoctrinated by the racist ideology of the apartheid government, he views himself as inherently superior to the men he guards. He relies on severe brutality and strictness to force submission from the inmates.

Span One is a close work detail composed of 10 Black South African political prisoners. Imprisoned for their resistance to apartheid, they draw strength from their shared innocence and unified political beliefs. They operate collectively rather than as individuals, utilizing secret communication and shared resources to survive the harsh conditions of their incarceration.

Martha is Brille's wife who lives in the Eastern Cape, left to raise their 12 hungry and aggressive children alone while he serves his sentence. The family constantly struggled with poverty, requiring Martha to tolerate the children's daily fighting until Brille returned from teaching to enforce strict discipline. The chaotic household initially drove Brille to seek order through political activism.

The prison commander is the administrative head of the facility where Span One is held. He holds authority over both the guards and the inmates, enforcing the strict rules of the apartheid prison system and maintaining order among the warders.