Infamous former prison island is a must-see attraction

Used as a place of banishment for decades, this grim UNESCO-listed island in Table Bay, off the coast of South Africa’s Cape Town, houses the former maximum security prison where Nelson Mandela and other political prisoners were locked away during apartheid.

1. See the graves of lepers

Robben Island’s infamous 500-year history reads like a depraved thriller. Between the 17th and 20th centuries it was a mental asylum, a military base and a maximum security prison. Nearly a century before Nelson Mandela served his 18 years in prison here, lepers were sent to Robben Island to isolate them from the community. The Leprosarium cemetery can be seen north of the Church of the Good Shepherd and features numerous gravestones of those who died and were buried between 1846 and 1931.

2. See the cave at the limestone quarry

Forced labour was a part of life for political prisoners on Robben Island, many of whom were kept in detention without trial. Prisoners were ordered to break up the stone and then move it from one end of the quarry to the next as punishment. With no safety gear or masks, most suffered eye damage and many later died from silicosis. Notice the small cave dug into the quarry that former political prisoners used to hide from the sun and guards. Former prisoners reveal this spot became their university; a place to learn.

3. Enter the maximum security prison

The prison was built in 1961 during apartheid, and the majority of it sits on top of graves. It was divided into sections and segregation was enforced. In the general prison section, you can see replica evidence of this, including segregated menus for black prisoners (no jam or syrup). Black prisoners were not allowed to wear shoes and were given two mats to sleep on, whereas “coloured” or Asian prisoners had four. Note the enlarged photos of letters that the prisoners smuggled to the outside world.

4. Visit Mandela’s cell

“It is said that no one truly knows a nation until one has been inside its jail,” Mandela wrote in his autobiography. In total, Madiba spent 27 years in incarceration and went on to be elected president of South Africa in 1994, just four years after being released. He spent 18 of those years in a tiny, concrete, five-square-metre cell in B Block of the prison on Robben Island. At 193 centimetres, he could not lie down straight or stretch out. His cell bears a thin mat, a wooden table and a bucket. Each day, he was allowed one hour of exercise in the adjoining courtyard.

5. Spot native wildlife

In the 1600s, Dutch colonialists in South Africa called Robben Island “seal island” because of the abundance of seals. But there’s a zoo’s worth of wildlife that calls it home today, including cormorants, springboks, tortoises and chameleons. Spot African penguins at Murray’s Bay Harbour, close to the Robben Island Museum gift shop, which on a clear day also offers dramatic views of Cape Town’s Table Mountain and Lion’s Head.

6. See the exterior of Robert Sobukwe’s house

Political leaders faced harsher treatment on Robben Island. Among them was Robert Sobukwe, who was held in solitary confinement for six years in a two-room house on the eastern side of the island. The anti-apartheid activist was leader of the Pan Africanist Congress and led the anti-pass campaign during apartheid. You can see nearby the kennels that kept the dogs that were trained to attack and intimidate prisoners.

7. Talk to your guide

The most compelling part of a visit to Robben Island is listening to the tour guides who were once incarcerated here. Former political prisoners turned tour guides, such as Modise Phekonyane and Ntozelizwe Talakumeni, who introduce themselves by their prison numbers. Both get emotional when describing the conditions and treatment of others they witnessed. Bring cash because they are well deserving of a tip.

The writer travelled as a guest of Bunnik Tours. See bunniktours.com.au