A Journey Into South Africa's Apartheid Era

Sikhululekile, the new luxurious Robben Island ferry,the political prisoners in 1991) or since South Africa
cruised across Table Bay at a strong 25knot pacebecame a democracy (1994), or did he still hold anger
with a full load of 285 passengers. This was the startand blame towards South Africa's apartheid era?
of our 3hr30min journey into South Africa's bumpyMuthe and the other ex-political prisoners, are a
apartheid history. Standing on the outer deck, theproduct of decades of violent conflict, one that will
strong wind playing havoc with my long hair whileprobably take many years still to change at core
Sikhululekile bounded powerfully over the huge swell,level.
I was being entertained by a school of dolphinsRobben Island became a museum in 1997 and a
playfully following alongside the motor yacht. WithinWorld Heritage Site 1999. Robben Island signifies the
30min we had arrived at the island only 12km from"Triumph of Freedom" and although one tends to
the Cape Town harbour, the potent stench of thecome away from the 3hr30min tour with a dreadful
seal colony at the entrance to the harbour maliciouslyfeeling of desperate struggle having being adversely
reawakened my senses, completely knocking me offaffected by the horrific stories of our ex-political
guard. Thankfully it was short lived and I could regainprisoner tour guide, it tries to reveal the positive
my composure as the smell dissipated when wechange. Sikhululekile, the apt name chosen for the
disembarked.ferry, means, "We are Free" and commemorates the
The island itself is relatively small at only 570 hectaresrelease of all political prisoners. Large blue writing on
and was used predominantly as a maximum-securitythe sides of the busses called out "Driven by
prison for both political prisoners and convicts. In theFreedom". A quote by Ahmed Kathrada, a Robben
19th century it was used as a leper colony. Back inIsland political prisoner (1964 - 1982) is displayed on
1892, it was believed that leprosy was contagiousthe island and at the Robben Island Gateway
and those with leprosy were banished to the island.Museum; "We want Robben Island to reflect the
Today one can see the graveyard of the remainingtriumph of freedom and human dignity over
bodies. During World War 2, the island was fortifiedoppression and humiliation"
and guns were installed as part of the defences forThis year 11 February 2010, South Africa celebrates
Cape Town.the 20th anniversary of our much-respected former
All 285 passengers embarked the waiting tour bussespresident, Nelson Mandela's release from more than
to partake in a 45 min scenic tour around the island,27 years of imprisonment. Nelson Mandela was
each with its own tour guide offering an informativereleased on 11 February 1990 from the low-security
commentary. The busses then pulled up outside theVictor Verster prison, now known as the Drakenstein
maximum-security prison and we were taken insideCorrectional Centre, in the Dwars River valley near
on a journey of desperate struggle, of harsh labourPaarl, Western Cape. Mandela had been relocated
and terrible living conditions. (The large group of 300from Robben Island to the maximum-security
tourists were again split up into smaller groups). OurPollsmoor Prison in Cape Town's southern suburbs in
guide, Muthe, an ex-political prisoner, described many1984, and a few years later he was moved to a
horrific scenes that he encountered first hand and stillprivate house within the prison walls of Victor
remembers vividly today. I could sense an intenseVerster.
anger in him over South Africa's past, how thingsThe tour is a fascinating journey, one I would
used to be, how black people in our country wererecommend to all South Africans, let alone all
treated only because of their colour. I wondered ifinternational tourists. It's imperative for us to be
Muthe felt there had been in a change in our countryaware of, and understand, our past and move
over the last 19 years (since the final release of allforward together as a nation.