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Robben Island Item English
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Smuggled Letter - Nelson Mandela

This item consists of a letter written by Nelson Mandela to the legal firm of Seedat Pillay & Co. that was smuggled out of Robben Island Prison. Mandela wished to appoint the firm to act on his behalf in legal proceedings against the Department of Prisons. Since the authorities refused to allow him contact with his attorneys, he had to use this "illegal" method to seek legal representation.

Mandela, Nelson Rolihlahla

1980 Desk Calendar

The item consists of 1 printed desk calendar with handwritten notes covering the year of 1980. The calendar was used as a diary by Nelson Mandela while in prison and contains entries concerning matters such as visits, dreams, films, books, personal health and politics.

1981 Desk Calendar

The item consists of 1 printed desk calendar with handwritten notes covering the year of 1981. The calendar was used as a diary by Nelson Mandela while in prison and contains entries concerning matters such as visits, dreams, films, books, personal health and politics.

1979 Desk Calendar

The item consists of 1 printed desk calendar with handwritten notes covering the year of 1979. The calendar was used as a diary by Nelson Mandela while in prison and contains entries concerning matters such as visits, dreams, films, books, personal health and politics.

Envelope

This item consists of an envelope addressed to the legal firm of Pillay Seedat & Co. For security reasons, Judge Pillay had a family member mail an empty envelope to the firm. This precaution was taken to protect Mac Maharaj and Judge Pillay in the event of an interrogation by Security Police. The Judge could then say that he had received the documents from an unknown source through the post.

Pillay, Thumba

Smuggled Letter - Ahmed Kathrada

This item consists of a letter written by Ahmed Kathrada to the legal firm of Seedat Pillay & Co. that was smuggled out of Robben Island Prison. Kathrada wished to appoint the firm to act on his behalf in legal proceedings against the Department of Prisons. Since the authorities refused to allow him contact with his attorneys, he had to use this "illegal" method to seek legal representation.

1982 Desk Calendar

The item consists of 1 printed desk calendar with handwritten notes covering the year of 1982. The calendar was used as a diary by Nelson Mandela while in prison and contains entries concerning matters such as visits, dreams, films, books, personal health and politics.

1976 Desk Calendar

The item consists of 1 printed desk calendar with handwritten notes covering the year of 1976. The calendar was used as a diary by Nelson Mandela while in prison and contains entries concerning matters such as visits, dreams, films, books, personal health and politics.

Mandela, Nelson Rolihlahla

1977 Desk Calendar

The item consists of 1 printed desk calendar with handwritten notes covering the year of 1977. The calendar was used as a diary by Nelson Mandela while in prison and contains entries concerning matters such as visits, dreams, films, books, personal health and politics.

Mandela, Nelson Rolihlahla

Proceedings of the launch of the exhibition Reflections on prison life and Nelson Mandela receiving his two personal Notebooks from an ex prison official Donald Card.

Proceedings of the launch of the exhibition Reflections in prison include Nelson Mandela receiving his two personal Notebooks that mysteriously went missing after a raid in Robben Island prison. Donald Card an ex-prison official in Robben Island at the time of the notebooks going missing returns them to Nelson Mandela at the Nelson Mandela Foundation offices in Johannesburg in 2004. Video recording of the proceedings of the launch of the exhibition Reflections in prison together with the return of the two of personal notebooks of that belonged to Nelson Mandela while he was serving a prison sentence in Robben Island. The two Notebooks mysteriously went missing after a raid at the prison.

Nelson Mandela Foundation (NMF)

Attention: Col. van Aarde

  • ZA COM NMPP-PC-NMPP-PC-2009/6-NMF_Dcard_V1_035
  • Item
  • 1969-07-22
  • Part of Prison Collection

This item consists of a letter of 1 page written by Mandela to the Commanding officer of Robben Island, Colonel van Aarde requesting permission to attend the funeral of his son, Thembekile.

Mandela, Nelson Rolihlahla