Solitary confinement
posted by Kerry-Anne
The brownish building on the left is the smallest prison in South Africa, and only ever housed one prisoner - Robert Mangaliso Sobukwe. Sobukwe was the leader of the Pan Africanist Congress (PAC), and was first arrested in 1960. He was sentenced to three years' imprisonment, but upon his release he was immediately re-arrested under a special Act of Parliament, and sent to Robben Island. The government evidently saw him as a greater threat than many of the other leaders on the island, and so he was placed in solitary confinement in this house, and was not allowed to make contact with any other prisoners.
It was fitting that we visited the island on Human Rights Day (21 March), as this holiday marks the event that led to Sobukwe's arrest - the 1960 PAC-led march against the pass laws in place at the time. On this day, 69 people were killed - including 8 women and 10 children - and scores more injured when police opened fire on protesters in Sharpeville.
5 Comments:
Ah yes, Sobukwe--another brave man. I remember this area from my visit to Robben Island. You could create a whole theme of many days recounting the history thru your photos. Hope that you will!!
Wow. What a story and photograph. You sure stirred a lot of emotions with this post and it is excellent. Thanks for publishing it.
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Thanks to both of you for stopping by and commenting.
>kate, I will keep posting pictures of Robben Island in between others - you're right, there is so much to tell. We have an eventful history, to put it mildly. :)
>mr lincoln, thanks for the kind words. I must admit that my own emotions were stirred yet again when I was researching the links for this post, even though I've heard the story of Sharpeville many times. It's good for us to feel our humanity deeply from time to time.
Hello Kerry-Anne!
You must forgive me for being a lazy cow and not realizing that DP has the pleasure of seeing Cape Town. Thanks for popping by KLDP cos now i know.
Your pictures (and Paul's) have great colour and resolution. Fantastic!
that was an interesting story - it reminds me of guantanamo bay - it must be difficult not being able to communicate with humans - as social animals, that must be a deprivation unimaginable...thanks for an interesting post =)
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