South Africa: commemorating 150 years since the battle of Solferino
02-07-2009 Field Newsletter
This compilation of testimonies, photos and artwork pays tribute to the ICRC's work in South Africa between 1963 and 1991 and celebrates the 150th anniversary of the Red Cross. The ICRC started visiting political detainees on Robben Island in 1963. Over the next three decades, the ICRC visited thousands of prisoners all over South Africa and gave their families food and travel tickets so that they too could visit them.
This booklet pays tribute to all the ICRC delegates and national employees who worked endlessly to help those who suffered under apartheid. The ICRC wishes to thank the former detainees for their contributions, the Robben Island Museum, the Nelson Mandela Foundation and Luthuli House for their assistance and Anna Mueller for the amazing artwork that gave life to this booklet.
Testimonies
Nelson Mandela, imprisoned on Robben Island between 1963 and 1990
Johnson Mlambo, imprisoned on Robben Island between 1963 and 1983
Philip Silwana, imprisoned on Robben Island between 1966 and 1976. Chairperson of the committee in charge of prisoners’ affairs.
James April, imprisoned on Robben Island between 1971 and 1986
Tito Maleka, imprisoned on Robben Island between 1979 and 1990
Eddie Daniels, imprisoned on Robben Island between 1964 and 1979
Deborah “Debs” Matshoba-Mabale, held in several prisons in the late 1970s and early 1980s
Bennie Ntoele, imprisoned on Robben Island from 1963 to 1973 and again from 1979 to 1989
Nicolas de Rougemont, ICRC Regional Delegate for Southern Africa from 1991 to 1993. Worked in Africa on a number of occasions and visited Robben Island ten times between 1974 and 1991.
... and others.
Artwork: Anna Mueller
Photos