Robben Island

You may never have heard of Robben Island, but Nelson Mandela did. The island is a 45 minute boat ride from Cape Town, and we rode over the rocking Atlantic in the same boat he and other inmates did- without the chains and shackles of course. It was here that he spent 18 of his 25 years as a political prisoner under the system of apartheid. Kept in a single cell, his days were largely filled busting rocks in a lime quarry under the blazing sun. Despite this, he and his fellow inmates communicated, educated one another, and kept their spirits of hope alive until the eventual closure of the prison in 1991. Today it is a historical monument.
The most remarkable thing is that these men emerged from prison wanting reconciliation and peace rather than revenge. In fact, our guide for the tour was Ntando, a prisoner from 1986 – 1991. He now lives on the island and describes the prison to visitors. His story is a testimony to the resilience of the human spirit. He also had a great baritone voice and would make a great teacher.