Instead of crushing political prisoners, Robben Island motivated their ideals

Former inmate Dumisani Mwandla, a guide today, recalls the harshness of the times. “Prisoners housed in this section (B) were not granted any visitors and only allowed to write and receive only one letter every six months. But these conditions made us mentally and physically stronger.”

On the Island, the tingly emotions of what political prisoners had to cope with before its closure in 1991, paint a whole new picture to abuse of humanity, writes Mark Namanya.

On the ship to Robben Island, 12km from Cape Town, the feeling of a sea journey to Nelson Mandela’s home of 18-years is, for a first timer, laden with expectations.

When we travelled there as global football journalists, the purpose was to attend the Fifa Executive Committee conference. Yet, by the close of the day’s activities, the horror of living conditions as narrated by former inmates left everyone in fear and awe.

“Welcome to Robben Island: we serve with pride.” The wording, conspicuous above the entrance of the prison, hangs for visitors. Back in the day, manacled prisoners arrived there with no hope. In chains and with nothing but the view of Table Mountain, Robben Island was meant to be the end of the world.

Imprisoned in the winter of 1964, Mandela remains the most famous inmate and his room, 46664, which symbolises the ex-South Africa President as the 466th prisoner of the year he was incarcerated, is by far the most popular. It’s as small as you can envisage; a room big enough for a chair, mat, bowl and mattress. It was a maximum prison in the B section for those regarded as most notorious. Up until 1982 when he was transferred to Pollsmoor Prison in-land, the 7ft by 7ft 46664 was Mandela’s home.

Outside Mandela’s window is a lawn tennis-sized area, surrounded by high concrete walls, where he and other prisoners were allowed one hour of ‘freedom’. It was here that inmates started playing tennis and unearthed the method of communicating to their colleagues on the other side of the wall by astutely inserting notes in balls, before hitting them over. They did it in such a discreet manner that warders never found out.

Former inmate Dumisani Mwandla, a guide today, recalls the harshness of the times. “Prisoners housed in this section (B) were not granted any visitors and only allowed to write and receive only one letter every six months. But these conditions made us mentally and physically stronger.”

Hours of hard labour in granite quarries became a routine – all in the name of punishing people whose crime was to steer a movement that sought change from apartheid. The mental torture and back-breaking excessive hours of work caused permanent damage for prisoners. Mandela’s tear ducts ceased functioning during his brutal time on Robben Island. Stripping and beating of prisoners by all-white warders were not uncommon every now and then. There were other challenges of extreme cold and solitude to go along with physical implications.

Prison diets were according to race. The portions for Coloureds and Asians were significantly either different or larger than those reserved for blacks. For instance, Coloureds and Asians took coffee or tea twice a day but their African colleagues had to settle for one. Bread was not offered to Blacks, who were also known as Bantus. No white prisoner was held on Robben Island, they were jailed inland.

Other political activists who suffered the same include Robert Subukwe, former South Africa President, Thabo Mbeki’s father Govan Mbeki, Walter Sisulu, current South Africa Minister for Human Settlement Tokyo Sexwale, Ahmed Kathrada and reigning President Jacob Zuma. “The only hope on Robben Island,” said Sexwale at the Fifa Executive Committee conference, “was the view of Table Mountain. It gave us hope of freedom and made us believe that we would be free one day.”

Three years ago, the Makana Football Association were given honorary membership by Fifa. Formed in 1966, they ran a league until 1973, adhering strictly to the laws of the game. Sexwale and Zuma were involved in the organisation but the Mandelas and Sisulus were barred from participating or watching.

Football on the Island was only allowed after unrelenting persistence from prisoners who felt the game would soothe the pain of a life without hope.

Once the cruelest form of discrimination, Robben Island is now a world heritage site and symbol of how far South Africa has come. It stands out as a mark of personal liberation for generations of South Africans who withstood the brunt of apartheid.