Mandela Arrives on Robben Island

As Nelson Mandela spends his fifth day in hospital, we reflect back to this day in 1964, where leader of the anti-apartheid struggle in South Africa, Nelson Mandela was jailed for life for sabbotage

 

Seven other defendants, including the former secretary-general of the banned African National Congress (ANC), Walter Sisulu, were also given life prison sentences.

 

 

 

Police join hands to hold back demonstrators outside court in Pretoria on 12 June 1964 after eight of ANC leaders, including Nelson Mandela and Walter Sisulu, were sentenced to life in prison. Photograph: AP

 

This story about Nelson Mandela’s first imprisonment on Robben Island strongly demonstrates his iron will and indelible sense of dignity that helped him to survive 27 years in prison.

 

 

 

 

He shows, on the one hand, that from day one, the prison warders were determined to treat the prisoners as nothing more than cattle as they tried aggressively to bring them under their control. It was not to be.

 

Mr Mandela immediately took charge and showed how one can turn the tables even in the more dire circumstances. It was this dignity and strength demonstrated by Mr Mandela and that of his colleagues later that marked their imprisonment and subsequent demeanour.

 

 

- Jacanews / Nelson Mandela AV Archives