Reflections from South Africa 3-- Robben Island
Prisoners have been housed in this island for centuries, but it was in the 1960s that a Maximum security prison was built. The island was used as a leper colony from 1846 to 1931. One of the former inmates greeted us yesterday when we visited the place. He showed us one room where sixty political prisoners, including him, spent about two decades of their valuable life together.
Karen and myself are in front of a jail cell in Robben Island, that changed the history of the world. This is the cell where the legendary Nelson Mandela spent more than 17 years of his total imprisonment of 27 long years. There have been so many struggles for freedom, but only a few become epic stories, as in the case of Mandela. Walter Sisulu, Govan Mbeki, Mac Maharaj were all imprisoned in this island.
Prisoners have been housed in this island for centuries, but it was in the 1960s that a Maximum security prison was built. The island was used as a leper colony from 1846 to 1931. One of the former inmates greeted us yesterday when we visited the place. He showed us one room where sixty political prisoners, including him, spent about two decades of their valuable life together.
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