The Portfolio Committee on Arts and Culture has undertook a study tour to Robben

Island as part of its oversight function to the institution on the 04 August 2004.

During the budget speech of Arts and Culture the Minister mentioned that Robben

Island Museum was allocated R35.5 million to invest in more effective management,

maintenance and refurbishment. Robben Island Museum is one of the defining symbols

of democracy and the World Heritage site in South Africa.

Robben Island is one of our World Heritage Sites. The intention of the visit is to see all

the work that has been done in terms of maintenance and refurbishment of the Island.

Robben Island is one of the defining symbols of our democracy. The Committee

wanted to assess the building as it carries our rich history.

3. DELEGATION

(i) Mr. SL Tsenoli (Chairperson) ANC

(ii) Mr. CL Gololo ANC

(iii) Mr. P Maluleke ANC

(iv) Mr. MH Matlala ANC

(v) Ms ND Mbombo ANC

(vi) Ms D Kohler-Barnard DA

(vii) Mr. LW Greyling ID

(viii) Dr CP Mulder FFP

(ix) Ms TR Cawe (Committee Secretary)

4. OFFICIALS IN ROBBEN ISLAND

Mr. P Langa (Chief Executive Officer)

Mr. B Martins (Council Deputy Chairperson)

Mr. A Kathrada (Chairperson)

Mr. T Nemaheni

Mrs. D Prins-Solani (Senior Manager for the Pubic Programming Department)

Mr. J Makola Exhibition (Unit Manager)

5. INTRODUCTION BY MR. A. KATHRADA

The Robben Island Officials at the Nelson Mandela Gateway welcomed the delegation.

Mr. Kathrada in his welcome mentioned that they felt honored to be visited by members

of Parliament as sometimes they feel that they are neglected. He started by explaining

the importance of the gateway in their auditorium, as it is the last point to the museum.

It took three years to build the auditorium. The cost for the building was R44m the

funds were raised privately and R8m from the Department of Arts and Culture (DAC).

The auditorium accommodates 150 people and is open to be hired for conferences and

meetings etc.

6. VISITING ALL THE SITES

The committee received an overview on World Heritage Status and Integrated

Management Process, and organizational structure after viewing the following sites that

are of significance on the Island: Visitors Centre, OU Trong, Blue Stone Quarry, Lepper

Swimming Pool, Desalination Plant, WWII Guns, Light House, Medium B Prison,

Lime Quarry, Sobukhwe Complex, Maximum Prison, Kramat and Penguins.

6.1. MURRAY BAY HABOUR

The Island has spent R66m during a period of three years to rehabilitate the habour.

The repair and improvement of the habour was to make it user friendly for even those

who are physically challenged. The history of the habour is derived from time to time

from the former prisoners who narrate the stories of Robben Island according to

experience.

6.2 VISITORS CENTRE

The visitors’ centre will be renovated but it will keep the old image of the centre. The

old structure has not been changed in that there are still barriers between the visitor and

the prisoner; there is no direct contact.

6.3. BLUE STONE QUARRY

The Island management is in the process of rehabilitating the quarry. The manner in

which the rehabilitation will done, it will be build similar shape to the blue stone quarry,

the wall will be made to be able to stand the harsh weather of the island. They applied to

South African Heritage Resource Agency to build the wall. The challenges they are

faced with they cannot mine in heritage site, but to try to balance the culture and

heritage.

6.4. LEPER SWIMMING POOL

Sick females who were suffering from leprosy used this tidal pool. It was treated, as the

pools of Bethesda in the Old Testament were they believed that the seawater would heal

their wounds. In the new project the researchers investigate people who have a real

story and are living with leprosy to be sent to the island. The researchers also collect

the dates around leprosy in Robben Island.

6.7. WWII GUNS

In the island they also have some 9.2-inch guns that were never used during the war.

The estimated costs for transport were more than a million rands from England just to

be used for practice.

6.8. LIME QUARRY

The lime quarry is the place where the prisoners used to work and the advantages to this

kind of work was that the prisoners could work in groups and discuss some crucial

political issues. They used this time to study, share information and to understand the

different cultures.

6.9. MEDUIM B PRISON (Multi purpose centre)

In 1970 the complex was converted into a prison for common law prisoners. The

Medium B Prison was officially closed in 1996. When the museum was opened the

Medium B required a new use for the structure. It was converted to a resource centre

where programmes and courses are held. The facilitators, train students from all over

the African countries on Robben Island Training Programme (RITP), which helped

increase the number of black heritage practitioners.

The learner’s centre is used during school holidays and school term for specific

curriculum activities. Seventy learners can be accommodated. The project was made

possible by funds made available by the Department of Arts and Culture.

The Robben Island Museum also has a library facility that is used by the students from

University of the Western Cape and University of Cape Town (UCT) for research

purposes. The library has books and powerful collection and was assisted by UCT on

how to conserve books. In the entrance there is a garden of Indigenous plants, where

they have medicinal plants that are taken by HIV/AIDS people.

Mr. Robert Sobukhwe is one of the early prisoners of the island. During his stay in the

island he was housed in isolation to other prisoners. He had his own house and used it

alone with the security around him. The prison officials allowed his family to stay over

and provided him with newspapers. According to Mr. Kathrada the former government

wanted to create the impression that Mr. Sobukwe was a special prisoner so that other

prisoners can convey the message to his organization to discredit him and his views.

The site has dog kennels where Sobukwe’s children used to stay. The RIM researchers

have decided to destroy the walls of the kennels but are working on the whole

interpretation of the complex. The DAC has made available R1, 2m for repairs and

maintenance and R2m for photographic and other exhibitions.

Mr. Nemaheni started his address by mentioning that the Robben Island Museum had a

visit from the IUCN-ICOMOS-ICCROM Monitoring Mission to inspect Robben Island

in February 2004. The Monitoring group highlighted nineteen recommendations for

Robben Island to qualify to be a World Heritage Site. It was mentioned to the World

Heritage Committee that some of the recommendations they mentioned the RIM is

already working on them. They were also commended for the work they have done.

They have started with the integrated management plan that is one of the

recommendations; they have an existing operational plan and identified five areas and

have worked on four already. In implementing these recommendations they will have

to prioritize.

7.1 MANAGEMENT FRAMEWORK

The organization structure for RIM has been reviewed and consolidated based on the

KPMG. RIM council has adopted the new organogram in principle.

On the vacancies to be filled in by qualified and experienced staff they managed to fill

some of them and are working on few post. RIM got a 3.5million from the Department

of Arts and Culture to work on the integrated management plan.

Robben Island Museum has worked extensively on some of the requirements by the

World Heritage Committee.

Members raised concerns as to what extent can the Robben Island Museum continue as

an institution. What do they have to teach people on how they survived the crucial part

of heritage and how do people learn from the RIM legacy. Did the RIM consider

bringing together the relevant departments that have an interest in some of the areas

such as the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism?

The management should bring together the provincial and local government to assist in

funding, not to depend on the Department of Arts and Culture for funding while other

departments are taking credits. Members asked about the changing of the street names

that are not reflecting people of South Africa. What is the RIM doing about fire

management and members wanted to be informed more on disaster management

strategy.

Mr. P Langa the responded by stating that the RIM has a whole range of issues such as

the endangered site, they are working on the relation between the conservation and

whole list of sites that are in danger. At the moment they are concentrating on issues

that need attention such as providing sufficient water and emergency services to run the

RIM.

RIM invited a representative from the Cape Town City Council to attend their meetings

to be informed of the processes taking place. World Heritage Committee recommended

that they should rectify their Human resources and they already worked on that. By

improving the RIM with slight changes they intend to make people aware of the

institution rather than making money. The problems they have with RIM it falls under

the Department Environmental Affairs and Tourism and the Department of Arts and

Culture legislation were the RIM has to comply with. Ideally they are supposed to

account to Department of Arts and Culture and the Department of Environmental

Affairs but its not so. In terms of the Legacy of the RIM they have drawn a public

programme in consultation with the Department of Education, former prisoners and

collected relevant information. They produced to a documentary that is used in

Universities.

They also work with Nelson Mandela Municipality that is building museums they

requested museum information from the RIM. The rescue services is their priority

because Koeberg fire station is almost 10km from RIM, they have sent people for

training in first aid and medical training. On Fridays they exercise and work on fire

fighting. A plan is in place for more training.

RIM has a lot of challenges, as it is not just an ordinary museum, but a historical site

and the resources to preserve it are very scarce. The management hopes the review

planned by the Department of Arts and Culture on Heritage Act will be able to clarify

issues.