Miss B.'s African Adventure: July 2013

A former prisoner named Ntando Mbatha discussed his experience at the Robben Island prison. He was sentenced to 7 years’ imprisonment on Robben Island for being a member of the ANC and for illegally entering and exiting South Africa.

Ntando spoke of a hunger strike they had at the prison and by the eighth day, he was too tired to climb up the few steps to his top bunk so he slept on the concrete floor.

This chart explains the varying privileges for the prisoners and were based on different categories such as race, crime, and behavior and it impacted things such as clothing, food rations, basic accommodations, and communications.

Ntando ended the discussion by saying the he has learned that the only way to truly be free was to work through the reconciliation process with their former persecutors. He was directly influenced by Nelson Mandela and Ntando’s spirit was just as inspiring!!!

Some information was summarized from the following site retrieved in July 22, 12013 at: http://goosterontheloose.wordpress.com/2012/12/22/a-million-miles-from-cape-town-robben-island/#more-1176

Each trip I make to Robben Island, it reminds me just how strong and resilient the human spirit can be!

During the next part of our tour of the Robben Island, we learned about the stone quarry where the political prisoners worked.

It was in this cave in the limestone quarry that was so filthy that the guards wouldn’t enter it because the prisoners had to use it as a bathroom, that the educated prisoners taught the uneducated men to read and write in the sand and through intellectual dialogues.

It was in this garden that Nelson Mandela hide his manuscript that would later become “Long Walk to Freedom!”

The rock pile below was built as an unplanned creation during a reunion for the political prisoners at Robben Island. Mandela placed the first rock down and then the other former prisoners present added one until the now-monument was formed.

With all of the different shapes, sizes and colors of stones, our guide stated that it symbolized how different people can be too.