Day 5

Thursday

The focus of our day today was a trip to Robben Island, Nelson Mandela's home for 18 years of his 27 year incarceration. It was a very moving visit which began with a boat trip across the bay to the Island; a journey Mandela took in chains.

Once on the Island, our first guide, Nicholas took us on a bus ride which was very informative, particularly about the terrible conditions the political prisoners endured when doing hard labour in the Lime Quarry. This daily 8 hour grind has resulted in permanent damage to Mandela's eyes as the blinding African sun was reflected back by the white of the limestone and the prisoners were not allowed to wear any form of protective eyewear. Prisoners were also not allowed to wear masks or gloves and some of these men have subsequently died of lung diseases. Nicholas also told us about the life and death of Robert Sobukwe, the founder of the PAC who endured 6 years on Robben Island without being spoken to or being allowed to speak to anyone - not even his guards, who were regularly changed to ensure no bond could be formed.

After driving us around the Island, we were dropped off at the gates of the maximum security prison where the political prisoners like Nelson Mandela and Walter Sisulu were held. Our guide was a previous detainee who now lives and works on the island, and his work as a tour guide forms part of his therapy to help him deal with the hardships and injustices he experienced during the apartheid era. He showed us Mandela's cell and the small yard that was his domain for 18 years. He also spoke at length about how they managed to smuggle information in and out of the prison, and between the prisoners in different sections of the prison. Mandela's manuscript for his autobiography, The Long Walk to Freedom, was smuggled out in the soles of a released prisoners shoes!

One of the most shocking aspects of the life experienced by prisoners, was the calculated way the system was weighted to ensure Black prisoners were treated more harshly than prisoners who were mixed race or Asian (no white political prisoners were held on Robben Island). For example, Black prisoners were forced to wear short trousers and were not allowed to wear shoes, unlike the other prisoners and their food ration was smaller. It seems to beggar belief that human beings would go to such lengths to degrade and humiliate other human beings.

We ended the day with a bit of shopping and a thwarted attempt to visit the outdoor swimming pool around the corner from our B&B. To console ourselves we all enjoyed a milkshake (Mr Cuthill's first for many years!)