Robben Island hosts medal event on 31 October
Published on 10/04/2026 at 07:05 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS
Robben Island is due to host a medal event on 31 October 2026, linking Cape Town's World Heritage site with the continuing work to recognise former political prisoners. The announcement follows reporting on the island's Wall of Remembrance and its effort to preserve names and stories from South Africa's liberation history.
Former prisoners are due to receive medals on 31 October
More former political prisoners are expected to receive medals for their contributions at an event on 31 October 2026. The date and island location were reported by Mail & Guardian in a report about the museum's work to recover and preserve historical records.
The event follows the creation of the Wall of Remembrance, which was unveiled in September 2025. It records the names of political prisoners whose contributions to the struggle against apartheid were not always fully represented in historical accounts. The report identifies Lusiba Esdras Ntloko among those remembered on the wall and describes the museum's continuing archival work.
The medal event extends the island's memorial work
The Robben Island Museum's Memories Project began in 1997 to collect memories of significance from former political prisoners. Its Ex-Political Prisoners Database covers people imprisoned on the island for political reasons between 1961 and 1991, providing material for the Wall of Remembrance.
The setting gives the October event a direct connection to the history it commemorates. UNESCO says the island was used between the seventeenth and twentieth centuries as a prison, a hospital and a military base, while its maximum-security prison for political prisoners represents the history of oppression and the later triumph of democracy. UNESCO describes the World Heritage site as a place whose buildings bear witness to that history.
The museum is managed by Robben Island Museum, a public entity established in 1997. Its official site identifies the island as a national estate and World Heritage Site and sets out the museum's role in conservation, education, research and archiving. The museum's official overview also places its visitor operations in Cape Town.
Visiting Robben Island: what travellers from Western Europe should know
- The medal event is scheduled for 31 October 2026 on Robben Island, according to the report published on 2 October 2026.
- The reported event concerns recognition of former political prisoners. The available announcement does not describe a closure or a change to the standard visitor route.
- Regular museum tours depart from the Nelson Mandela Gateway at the V & A Waterfront in Cape Town, with the island reached by ferry.
- Entry requirements depend on your nationality; UK travellers can check the FCDO travel advice at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice, Irish travellers the Department of Foreign Affairs at ireland.ie.
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Frequently asked questions about Robben Island
When does the medal event take place at Robben Island?
The event is scheduled for 31 October 2026 and is expected to recognise former political prisoners.
What is Robben Island?
It is a World Heritage site in Table Bay whose historic buildings include a former maximum-security prison for political prisoners.
Where is Robben Island and how do you get there?
The island lies off Cape Town and is reached by ferry from the Nelson Mandela Gateway at the V & A Waterfront.
