South Africans swim from Robben Island in support of Palestine

Twelve swimmers braved the cold water of Table Bay as they swam from Robben Island to Bloubergstrand to mark Freedom Day and show solidarity with the people of Palestine.

The relay swim was also a way of raising funds for Gift of the Givers to continue its support of Palestinians. During colonial times and apartheid, Robben Island was used as a prison whose political prisoners tried to escape by boat or by swimming the 7.4 km to the coast. The most well-known successful escape was that of Khoi leader, David Stuurman. According to The Land is Ours, a book by Advocate Tembeka Ngcukaitobi, Stuurman alongside a Xhosa prophet and military doctor, Makana (Nxele), tried to escape from Robben Island in December 1819 using a boat. The boat capsized and Stuurman managed to swim to the shore but Makana did not make it.

Speaking to Elitsha, the swimmers described the fight for freedom, justice and dignity for all as the main motivator for their involvement. Marion Stevens, one of the swimmers, said that even though she has done the Robben Island crossing before, doing it in a way that symbolically acknowledges the significance of the island and the freedoms that were won by political prisoners, is important.

“So when we came up with our idea, it just seemed like such an important thing to do, to create awareness about our history, our political history and also to acknowledge our freedoms and then to match that with the struggle in Palestine and to acknowledge that our struggles are linked,” Stevens said.

Swimming coach and coordinator of the swim, Anwar Rinquest said that he participated as a way of raising awareness and raising funds for the Gift of the Givers. “We are happy that people came out in numbers in support of the Palestinian movement and Gift of the Givers. We have raised funds for Gift of the Givers so that they can help every Palestinian in need. But there’s much more to do. This is only a small drop in the ocean but you know what, I will do this over and over and over again,” he said.

Kelly Gillespie from SAJFP said it was important to highlight the shared struggles between South Africa and Palestine on Freedom day.

Kelly Gillespie, a member of South African Jews for Free Palestine shared with Elitsha her own tribulations.

“For us to swim from Robben Island, we went out early this morning to the island, and we were all very conscious as we were going out on the boat about how it’s a place that isn’t often spoken about or remembered much on Freedom Day. We swam to insist on remembering the number of our freedom fighters who were incarcerated there, held there for so many years, and to hold that history on Freedom Day, and to link it to the ongoing struggle for a free Palestine, and to remember that for us here, our freedom is incomplete without the freedom of Palestine; but also, our freedom is incomplete because it remains an incomplete struggle.

There’s so much more to be done in order to reach Azania. We hold in mind Azania as we hold in mind a free Palestine. It’s their shared projects, their shared struggles, and it’s still a long way to go for both of them,” said Gillespie.

18-year-old swimmer, Amaan Fataar said that she will not forget the experience. “This is more than just a swim to me, this is a deep personal act of solidarity and it means so much to so many people and seeing all the people come out here today, it’s really heartwarming. The swim is, like I said, it’s more than a swim, it’s a message of hope, a message of solidarity and unity and swimming for Palestine will be something I will cherish forever in my heart,” she said.

Amaan Fataar said the experience of the relay and its political significance will stay with her forever.

Chairperson and founder of the Gift of the Givers, Dr Imtiaz Sooliman said that the organisation welcomed the support as their relief work in Gaza is under constant threat: “This is personal. They’ve attacked and destroyed my buildings, broken a child care centre, medical centre, desalination plants, trucks and they’ve attacked everything – totally inhumane.”

He continued, “I know what Robben Island means to me. So when people come and say we’re going to swim from Robben Island on the 27th of April, of course Mandela’s words come to mind, that the freedom of South Africa is not complete without the freedom of the Palestinian people. We are going to love his dream even though it’s not here and we will fulfill that dream and we’ll see the freedom of Palestine.”

Former political prisoner at Robben Island and now activist, Marcus Solomon said that the event provided an opportunity to build a mass-based movement in support of the people of Palestine. “We need to take the struggle in support of the Palestinian people to another level. And I think this event, of course there have been other events, but this event is taking it to another level.”

He hopes the event, if recorded and reported by the media well, will build the kind of mass solidarity movement for Palestine that helped fell apartheid in South Africa. “There’s much more to be done. Much more. It’s very important that we build a mass-based solidarity movement based on internationalism, which basically means that our humanity must unite us,” said Solomon.