Robben Island is a small oval outcrop, 10 km north of Mouille Point, guarding the entrance to Table Bay. Its name is derived from "robbe", the Dutch word for seals. Today it is one of the most significant historical sites in South Africa.

Publications on the history of Robben Island has focused mainly on the harshness of its role as a political prison. Many ANC and other political prisoners (including Nelson Mandela, Zephania Mothopeng, Walter Sisulu and Goven Mbeki) were held here for several year.

Jan van Riebeeck started the practice of banishing troublesome individuals on Robben Island. His successor, Zacharias Wagenaar, turned it into a major prison. The island has also been the last resting-place of sailors, drowned in nearly shipwrecks. The first, the Schapenjacht, foundered in August 1660.

The Island and its shores have continuously been exploited of its natural resources. Since 1652, it has been controlled by the prevailing government of the southern part of Africa; today it is still owned by the state as Cape Farm no. 432. The authorities have been careful to control access to the Island by sailors, fishermen, sports people, churchmen and the general public.

For the fist two centuries after Dias first rounded the Cape of Storms in 1488, Robben Island was used to feed the sailors on passing ships. It was also used as a postbox for their letters and occasionally as a prison for miscreant sailors. During the period of Dutch rule at the Cape (1652 - 1806), the Island continued to be used as a pantry, but also became increasingly important as a prison, mainly for Cape criminals, black and white and political prisoners from the East Indies. It was during this period that the commercial exploitation of the Island's natural resources began. Limestone and shells were used for lime burning and stone and slate were collected for buildings.

In 1806, the island was used as a prison, under the British Government. Prisoners were made up of those awaiting banishment, dangerous Cape criminals and political prisoners from the frontiers of the growing colony.

Robben Island also became a whaling station in 1806, under the control of John Murray, secretary to the Government. The island's bay and harbour are named after him. Occasionally, Robben Island housed quarantine cases (measles and smallpox) and insane people.

In 1846, the prison on Robben Island was closed. The prisoners were sent to do hard labour in mainland convict stations. They were especially used in roadbuilding. In the old prison buildings the colonial government set up a hospital. It housed chronically sick patients, lunatics and lepers. All but the lepers did hard labour. The men collected rocks to build a new jetty; the women sewed for the government. Robben Island acted mainly as a hospital in the nineteenth century. It had become quite thriving communities, with its own newspaper, the Robben Island Times. The island had also a couple of teachers, priests, medical staff and storekeepers.

By 1920 the islands 2000 strong community had a bakery, fire station, library, mule-drawn train and dairy. In 1931 the leper colony was transferred to Pretoria and their wards burnt down. In the 1950's the South African navy took control of the island. During 1959, however, it was decided that the island should be taken over by the Prisons Department.

From 1961 until 1991 the island once more became a maximum-security prison, housing political prisoners considered most threatening to the stability of the apartheid government, including the first black president of the country, Nelson Mandela.

The representation of Robben Island as the South Africa's Alcatraz, an impregnable place of banishment for those who have opposed the status quo has long been dominant. But as South Africa became liberated, it has also came to symbolize the great spirit of resistance against first colonialism and then injustice and oppression.

Daily trips are departing from the Cape Town V&A Waterfront.