Mandela's prison cell

This is the furniture inside Nelson Mandela's cell in the Robbin Island prison. To the left is a toilet bucket. Next to the toilet bucket a table / chair and eating utensils. To the right of that a bed roll. Due to international pressure the bed roll was eventually replaced with a simple bunk style bed.

Robbin Island Prison

The entrance to the Robbin Island prison complex.

Table Mountain from Robbin Island

This is Table Mountain as seen from Robbin Island. It must have added to the feeling of being banned from society, having to see this every day but not being allowed to be there.

Robbin Island

This is the harbor at Robbin Island where Nelson Mandela was jailed for 18 years. The prison itself is in good condition but it is sad to see how the rest of the island is slowly deteriorating. The house where the first leader of the ANC Youth League was held is overgrown by weeds. During the war the island was used as base to defend the waters around the cape. Significant block houses housing some of the biggest guns used were built on the island. These are in a sad state of repair. Previously the island also housed a leper colony. Their grave yard is in a sad state of repair.

Probably the result of nepotism and political interference. Maybe one of the instances of about ½ the staff employed on the island actually “working” on the island.