Gassiot, Gibert, Giró
CHAPTER 6: ROBBEN ISLAND (1964-1970)
1. SUMMARY
This chapter explains us the life that Nelson Mandela had in the prison of Robben
Island, the main facts that happened when Mandela was in the prison and what did
he do there. These things were:
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Asked better conditions.(long trousers, and desks)
His eldest son Thembekile died and his mother.
Mandela helped people.
“the university” school themselves.
Caught reading a newspaper- punished.
The conditions in the prison were:
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Cells two meters square.
Slept on floor and walls always wet.
Short trousers all the year.
Sun damaged their eyes.
They woke at 5:30 pm
They broke stones. Only a break in lunch.
One letter every six months.
One visitor every six months
30 minutes
Only Afrikaans or English.
No information.
Robben island
2. VOCABULARY
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Blanket: a large piece of thick cloth for use as a bed covering,
animal covering, etc, enabling a person or animal to retain natural
body head.
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Bar: a rigid usually straight length of metal, wood, etc, that is longer
than it is wide or thick, used esp as a barrier or as a structural or
mechanical part.
Porridge: a dish made from oatmeal or another cereal, cooked in
water or milk to a thick consistency.
Lime: any of certain calcium compounds, esp calcium hydroxide,
spread as a dressing on lime-deficient land.
Quarry: an open surface excavation for the extraction of building
stone, slate, marble, etc, by drilling, blasting, or cutting.
Dig: to form or excavate (a hole, tunnel, passage, etc) by digging,
usually with an implement or (of animals) with feet, claws, etc.
Trucks: lorry, wagon.
Dust: dry fine powdery material, such as particles of dirt, earth or
pollen.
Although: even though.
Whisper: to speak or utter (something) in a soft hushed tone, esp
without vibration of the vocal cords.
Punishment: a penalty or sanction given for any crime or offence.
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3. IMPORTANT CHARACTERS
- ALBERTINA SISULU
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She was born on 21st October 1918 and she was an anti-apartheid activist.
She married with Walter Sisulu in 1944.
She was a nurse and worked with Evely Mase, the first wife of Nelson
Mandela.
She died on 2nd June 2011 in her home in Johannesburg at the age of 92.
-WINNIE MADIKIZELA MANDELA
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She was born on 26th September 1936 and she was a member of the ANC’s
national executive committee.
In 1958 she married with Nelson Mandela so she was the second wife of
Mandela for 38 years, including 27 years during while he was imprisoned.
Despite this they divorced on 1996, two years later than Mandela became
president.
Winnie Madikizine Mandela
-MAC MAHARAY
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He was born on 22nd April 1935 in Newcastle, (South Africa) and he was a
member of ANC.
In 1964 He was imprisoned on Robben Island where he met Mandela
In 1994 he became South Africa’s minister of transports during the mandate
of Mandela until 1999.
Mac Maharay
-ZEPHANIA MOTHPENG
 He was born on September 1913 in Vrede, South Africa and he was
imprisoned on Robben Island to participate in PAC, there he met Mandela.
-AHMED KATHRADA
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He was born on August 1929 in South Africa, but he was Indian. He was
jailed on Robben Island at same time that Mandela for his political antiapartheid ideas.
Ahmet katrada
-WALTER SISULU
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He was born on May 1912 and he died in 2003. He was an anti-apartheid
activist of ANC.
He was jailed at same years that Mandela.
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Walter Sisulu
-ROBERT SOBUKWE
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He was born on 22nd October 1936 in Eastern Cape, South Africa.
He involved in many radicalize group and he was imprisoned on Robben
Island for 10 years.
Robert Sobukwe
-DR. HENDRIK VERWOERD
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He was born in Netherlands in 1901.
He was minister of education in South Africa.
He was the Prime Minister of South Africa since 1958 until 1966 when he
was killed in Parliament.
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DR. Hendrik Verwoerd
-MAKGATHO AND MAKAZIWE
 They were the two sons of Mandela and his first wife Evelyn.
 Makaziwe was born on 1954 and she is still in live.
 Makgatho was born on 1950 and died of AIDS on 2005.
Makaziwe
Makgatho
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-EVELYN MASE
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She was born in South Africa on 1922. She studied at same place than
Albertina Sisulu.
She was the first wife of Mandela in 1944 and they had 4 children.
Evelyn Mase
-THEMBEKILE
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The eldest son of Mandela, he died at the age of 25 in a car accident.
Thembekile
-NELSON MANDELA
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Nelson Mandela was born in Qunu on 1918 his real name was Madiba.
He founded with other people the ANC and suported the MK.
He spend 27years of his life in the prison.
He received a Nobel Peace Prize and also became the president of South
Africa.
-JOHN VOSTER
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His real name was Balthazar Johannes Vorster.
John Vorster, served as the Prime Minister of South Africa
Vorster was born on 1915 at Uitenhage.
Vorster graduated to become the judge president of the Cape Provincial
Division.
John Voster
4.COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS
Answer the following questions using YOUR OWN WORDS. Do NOT copy
from the text!
1. Why did Nelson Mandela have 466/64 as his number?
Mandela had 466/64 as his number because he was the 466 th prisoner in Robben
Island in 1964.
2. What was the black prisoner’s routine? Describe it.
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The black prisoner’s routine was the following:
The prisoners got up at 5:30 am; after cleaning their cells, the prisoners went
outside to have breakfast. After that, they started working outside on breaking
stones without stopping until 12:00 to have lunch. After lunch, the work continues
until 4 o’clock, when prisoners took a shower and return to their cells to eat. Later,
prisoners was able to study until 10 or 11 p.m.
3. Why did political prisoners receive only a few words of the letters they
received? How often did they keep in touch with their friends and
family?
Political prisoners received only a few words in the letters. They received because
often the prison guards cut out a big part of each letter.
4. Why does Mandela say “a letter was like the summer rain”?
Mandela says that “a letter was like the summer rain” because the rain was the
only thing which flowers could grow even in the driest land and brought prisoners
new hope.
5. Why did some men not receive any visitors for years?
Some men did not receive visitors because Robben Island was far away from their
homes and lands. Moreover it was too expensive for them and they couldn’t afford
it.
6. What was Winnie’s first visit to Robben Island like? Describe it.
Winnie and Albertina Sisulu travelled together to Robben Island. Mandela had to
talk to Winnie through a window made of thick glass and they had to speak in
English or Afrikaans, not in Xhosa, because prison officials had to be able to listen
to and understand the content of their conversations.
7. When did the last political prisoners leave Robben Island?
The last political prisoners left Robben Island in 1991.
8. Did the last ordinary African prisoners leave that same year?
No they didn’t. In fact, the last ordinary African prisoners left the prison in 1996.
9. Why were the prisoners covered in white dust by the end of the day?
Why did they cry?
Because they had to break the stones in the quarry and then dig out the white
stone and pack in to trucks. They cried because the sun damages their eyes, too
10.Why did Robben Island become known as “the university”?
Because prisoners organised a school for other prisoners.
11.What happened in 1965? What did Mandela do? What was the result of
this?
Some international officers visited the prison. Mandela met them, he
protested about conditions and he asked for better conditions. The result was to
give to prisoners long trousers and desks (without chairs).
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12.What is Madiba?
Madiba was the name witch Thembu people knew Mandela
13.Why did some prisoners sometimes whisper “thank you” to Mandela?
Because Mandela helped some of them in the prison as a lawyer.
14.How did political prisoners find out about what was happening in South
Africa?
They took the newspapers of the guards. And some ordinary prisoners told them
some news when they brought food to political prisoners.
15.What happened to Bram Fischer?
He had gone underground for a year and then the police caught him and he was
put in the same prison than Mandela.
16.What happened in September 1966? What two consequences were
derived from this?
Verwoerd was murdered, he was a Primer minister. He was one of the inventors of
the apartheid. The police of the prison got angry and become more strict. John
Vorster was chosen as a president and he continued Verwoerdwas’s politic.
17.Who visited Mandela in spring 1968? Why was Mandela sad soon after
that?
His mother visited him but few weeks later she died.
18.What happened to Winnie in May 1969? What was the result of this?
She was arrested, accused of trying to reorganise ANC. And then 17 months later
she was released without an explanation.
19.What happened on a cold July morning in 1969? How did Mandela feel
as a result?
His son (25 years) died in a car accident. He felt very bad and he couldn’t go
funeral
5.SENTENCE TRANSFORMATION
Transform the following sentences using the words in bold below.
a) During the day, the door was locked; during the night it was locked as
well.
also
too
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During the day the door was also locked.
…during the night, the door was locked too.
b) Mandela was the 446th prisoner on Robben Island that year of 1964, so
his number was 466/64.
because
That’s why
Mandela’s number was 466 64, because he was the 446th prisoner in
Robben Island that year of 1964.
c) Ahmed Kathrada was given long trousers because he was an Indian.
so
That’s why
Ahmed Kathrada was an Indian, that’s why he was given long trousers.
Ahmed Kathrada was an Indian, so was given long trousers.
d) Political prisoners could write and receive one letter every six months.
They could also have a visitor every six months.
Too
As well as
Political prisoners could write and receive one letter every six months, as
well as having a visitor every six months.
Political prisoners could write and receive one letter every six months, and
had a visitor every six months, too.
e) White dust covered the prisoners by the end of the day. Tears ran down
their faces because the bright sunlight shone on the white lime and
damaged their eyes.
so
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That’s why
The bright sunlight shone on the white lime, so it damaged the prisoner’s
eyes.
That’s why tears ran down their faces.
f) Mandela became the leader who continued to speak for the others,
although he always discussed things with Sisulu.
However,
but
Mandela became the leader. However, he continued to speak for the others,
and he always discussed things with Sisulu.
g) The guards soon stopped them from singing songs in Xhosa. However,
the prisoners were able to talk together in the quarry.
although
but
The guards soon stopped them from singing songs in Xhosa, although the
prisoners were able to talk together in the quarry.
The guards soon stopped them from singing songs in Xhosa, but the
prisoners were able to talk together in the quarry.
h) Mandela remembered the difficulties and suffering of his mother’s life.
He had put the struggle for freedom first, and because of that, he had been
unable to make her life easier.
That’s why
Mandela remembered the difficulties and suffering of his mother’s life. He
had put the struggle for freedom first, and that’s why he had been unable to
make her life easier.
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i) Mandela’s children had grown into young adults, but his mother looked
thin and old.
However,
Mandela’s children had grown into young adults. However, his mother
looked thin and old.