This past weekend I had the privilege of visiting Robben Island, which is off the Cape of South Africa that was used as a political prison for many years. From the early 1960’s to 1991, this was a place for individuals who were standing up for social injustices and fighting for freedom from segregation. The apartheid government in South Africa segregated its people and the color of your skin determined how you were treated. There were many who stood up to resist the oppression, the most famous one being Nelson Mandela, who was imprisoned for nearly 20 years. While in prison he wrote his famous book, “Journey to Freedom” which was later published after his release. Many of these prisoners later became leaders in the post apartheid government and helped in the development of the country. In 1991, Robben Island was officially shut down and later became a museum.
Even in this prison there were different levels among the prisoners: A, B, C, and D. “A” was the highest level of ranking and “D” was the lowest ranking. This affected the amount of food served daily, size of your room, your work duties, number of prisoners in your room, quality and quantity of bathroom facilities, and the overall way you were to be treated. Ranking was determined by skin color and level of leadership in the resistance movement. For example, Nelson Mandela was given the worst ranking and held in isolation for 23 hours a day. Many prisoners slept on a very thin foam mat on the floor and were given only 4 blankets to keep warm in the very harsh winter. It wasn’t until the later years that bunk beds were added and offered as a place to find better rest from the day of hard labor.
It was educational for me to visit Robben Island and to truly understand the history of South Africa. Learning where this country has been and what they have experienced helps me understand where they are today. In my time here, I saw plenty of evidence of segregation as the effects of apartheid continue on even 20 years later. Even though this country is being rebuilt, there is still a long road ahead.
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