Situated in the area of the V & A Waterfront is the Nelson Mandela Gateway to Robben Island. It is from here that one takes a ferry boat to the island to view the prison where Mandela and other political prisoners were detained. There is quite a history to the island which is carefully explained during a fascinating tour which lasts two and one-half hours. The ferry ride is 30 minutes each way and beautiful views of Table Mountain can be seen both going & coming.
Check out the website above to learn more about this fascinating place. One can't help but be moved upon completion of the tour. At the prison itself the tour is conducted by former prisoners. In our case the man's name was Benjamin. He was convicted of high treason and described what motivated him to embrace the cause and rise up against his oppressors: the security forces shot his pregnant girlfriend through the mouth, killing her.
Mandela's cell is pictured top left. Our guide, Benjamin, is wearing a sweater & jeans in the photo at left. He answered any & all questions posed to him by the group. Also of note was his amusement that all the political prisoners were kept together where they were free to talk. The murderers & rapists were sent back to the mainland to be incarcerated there rather than having them mix with political prisoners. Who was the more dangerous?
Although typically remembered only as a place primarily for political prisoners during the apartheid era, the island was also once a leper colony. A visit to Robben Island is a must.
The breathtakingly beautiful view of Table Mountain from Robben Island.
