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h3. Search Controls

The buttons below the map hide/show locations by type – eg Accommodation, Airports, Reserves, Borders.

h3. Map Control

The buttons on the right apply to the map as a whole
Lassoo – zooms the map to include all visible items
Show – make ALL items visible – this may clutter the map
Hide – removes all items from the maps
Ruler – provide a simple scale tool – the endpoints can be dragged to measure the distance of interest
Help – you are here!

h3. Google Controls

Zoom & pan – handled by the controls on the left or more directly by dragging and double-click
Streetview – drag the ‘person’ to the area of interest. Available views are highlighted in blue. Click ‘X’ top right to close Streetview
Map type – top right menu

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Cape Town's offshore prison, symbol of apartheid resistance, African penguin

Cape Town

Robben Island

Link

Robben Island became known worldwide as Nelson Mandela's prison during Apartheid years. He was kept here for 18 of his 27 years in jail. The island became a symbol of the regime's brutality.

A long history of isolation saw problematic Xhosa leaders detained by the British and periods as a hospital, in spite of the absence of water on the island. The presence of many liberation leaders alongside Mandela saw it become a hotbed of ANC planning.

The granite island is located in Table Bay a few kilometres from Cape Town. The presence of the lighthouse indicates the maritime peril that has wrecked many ships. The island is an important breeding ground for the African penguin.

Now a museum, the island and prison buildings can be visited on scheduled tours from Cape Town's Waterfront. The tour ferry gives excellent views back across the sea to Table Mountain and the city below.