University of the Western Cape2026-10-202026-10-201999https://hdl.handle.net/10566/25706Robben Island lies about 10 km north of Cape Town harbour and 7 km west of Bloubergstrand. It is roughly oval in shape with the longest axis running north to south. Its maximum length is 3.4 km, while its maximum width is 1.8 km. It has an area of about 507 hectares. The Island has, over the years, become synonymous with the struggle for democracy in South Africa. It was here that activists like Nelson Mandela, Walter Sisulu, Govan Mbeki, Ahmed Kathrada, Robert Sobukwe, and Neville Alexander, amongst others, were imprisoned because of their opposition to apartheid.enImage