Robben Island

Let "Southbound" take you back in time and uncover the rich history of a South African icon - Robben Island - a desolate little island off that coast of Cape Town in the bleak Atlantic, that has come to symbolise to the world the very essence of the struggle for freedom. It looks at: how the island came to prominence with the arrival of the early Dutch seafarers; how the British took control and used the island as a political prison for the rebellious Xhosa chiefs during the Frontier Wars of the nineteenth century; the island as a military and naval outpost during World War II; the brutal apartheid years and Robben Island becomes the dumping ground for ANC and PAC political prisoners; and, how the prisoners organised the resistance struggle from the inside, how they maintained their sanity and how they never lost hope. It includes: an exclusive interview with Matlakana Philemon Tefu - former political prisoner incarcerated for 21 years; Detailed maps, colour photographs and route guides; and comprehensive listings of tours on offer, museums and other places of interest.