Latest news with #RobbenIslandMuseum
20-05-2025
Why you should AVOID the Robben Island ferry for your own safety
The Robben Island Museum (RIM) is facing serious scrutiny following revelations that it operated a ferry with significant safety defects during peak tourist season, potentially endangering passengers en route to the UNESCO World Heritage Site. An investigation by the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) uncovered alarming deficiencies in the ferry's condition. The report highlighted inadequate maintenance, poor monitoring of weather conditions, and non-compliance with basic maritime safety protocols. Notably, the ferry was operated without full awareness of prevailing sea conditions – a factor previously linked to other safety incidents involving RIM ferries. Critics say the findings reflect a deeper issue of operational negligence. The ferry, tasked with transporting thousands of visitors between Cape Town and Robben Island, was not adequately equipped for the often-treacherous waters in the region. The use of substandard vessels and a failure to adopt improved safety practices have prompted calls for stronger oversight and stricter enforcement of maritime safety standards. Following past incidents, RIM had promised to implement several safety enhancements, including better weather monitoring systems and a stricter maintenance regime. However, the latest SAMSA findings suggest these commitments have not been fully realised. The museum's management has yet to issue a comprehensive response, deepening public concern over whether safety is being prioritised adequately. As investigations continue, tourism industry stakeholders and safety advocates are calling for greater transparency and accountability. They argue that the safety of visitors – and the reputation of one of South Africa's most important historical sites – must be protected. The incident has reignited discussions about the need for robust governance within heritage institutions and a renewed focus on public safety. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
IOL News
14-05-2025
- General
- IOL News
The Unboxing Mayibuye Project: a digital journey through South Africa's apartheid history
The Unboxing Mayibuye has become like a walk through South African history Image: Instagram Preserving South Africa's liberation history is a gift to future generations. This according to David Martinon, Ambassador of France to South Africa, at the closing event of the Unboxing Mayibuye project on 8 May 2025. The event, held at the Nelson Mandela Gateway in Cape Town's V&A Waterfront, marked the successful conclusion of the Unboxing Mayibuye Project—a collaboration between the Robben Island Museum (RIM), the French National Audiovisual Institute (INA), and the Agence Française de Développement (AFD). This initiative aimed to digitally preserve South Africa's liberation history and make it accessible to future generations. Robben Island, symbolising the struggle against apartheid, houses the Mayibuye Archives at the University of the Western Cape (UWC). These archives hold crucial collections documenting resistance to apartheid, both within South Africa and globally, spanning from 1948 to 1994. The three year project was hosted at Robben Island Museum Image: Instagram Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ The successful completion of the project was a significant milestone for UWC. Professor Shaun Pather, advisor to the Rector and Vice-Chancellor at UWC, explained: 'This project has been about more than preserving artefacts. It has been about memory and justice, and making sure that the stories of struggle remain accessible and meaningful into the future.' In his keynote address, Professor Pather highlighted the project's impact on future generations: 'When youth engage with heritage, they become active participants in democracy, co-creating knowledge for the future. Our struggle for freedom wasn't just a national effort—it was global, and the Unboxing Mayibuye Project allows us to share that story with the world.' Pather went on to emphasise the importance of making South Africa's liberation history accessible in new, innovative ways: 'Our archives are not just national treasures; they are part of the collective memory of the world. Through this project, we've made sure that the legacy of our struggle is not locked away but is available for all, everywhere.' Every part of the exhibition held a special purpose Image: Instagram The project also showcased how academic institutions like UWC can link heritage, technology, and social justice. By leveraging digital tools, such as augmented reality, it ensured South Africa's liberation history reached a global audience, making it accessible to people worldwide. Over the past three years, RIM and INA worked to enhance the archives' digital preservation efforts, training six young assistants in preservation, documentation, and digitisation. A key outcome of the project was the creation of a website showcasing collections such as the International Defence and Aid Fund (IDAF) and the Apple Box Archives. The IDAF supported anti-apartheid activists, while the Apple Box Archives feature items donated by former Robben Island prisoners after their release in 1991. Many prisoners carried their belongings in apple boxes, which became a powerful symbol of their struggle. Professor Saths Cooper, Chairperson of the Robben Island Museum, highlighted how the project had made these historical treasures more accessible. 'This is a significant development, allowing us all, especially our children, to access the contributions made by those who fought for our freedom.' Echoing South Africa's G20 presidency theme of 'Solidarity, Equality, Sustainability,' Professor Pather emphasised the project's role in engaging young people with history: 'When youth engage with heritage, they become active participants in democracy, co-creating knowledge for the future.'
TimesLIVE
02-05-2025
- Politics
- TimesLIVE
McKenzie cracks down on employment of foreigners
Sport, arts and culture minister Gayton McKenzie has written to chairpersons and accounting officers of the department's entities requesting detailed information about non-South Africans employed by these entities. Members of parliament's sport, arts and culture portfolio committee alleged the Robben Island Museum prioritises foreigners for vacancies, urging McKenzie to take action. 'When I became minister, the first thing I asked was: how many foreigners are there in the department? I was told none,' he said during the committee meeting last week. 'I am drafting a letter to the acting director-general and I will CC Robben Island Museum. I assure the committee I will handle this matter personally and consider it dealt with. We cannot have a situation where foreigners are being given jobs while our children do not have jobs in the Western Cape.' In the letter, McKenzie has requested all entities provide information about foreigners employed by them within three working days. This includes: name, nationality and length of stay in South Africa; status and nature of work permit if they are not permanent residents (date of issue and expiry); critical or scarce skills possessed that could not be found in the local workforce; expiry date of work contract; and person responsible for signing off on their appointment. The exercise would not be limited to the Robben Island Museum. 'To limit the exercise to only one entity would be incorrect and the decision has therefore been made to include all entities for review.'
The Citizen
29-04-2025
- Politics
- The Citizen
McKenzie demands answers on the employment of foreign nationals on Robben Island
Members of the portfolio committee on Sports, Arts & Culture say it is essential for staff at the Robben Island Museum to understand the correct history of the Island and South Africa. The Minister of Sports, Arts & Culture, Gayton McKenzie, says his department will investigate the hiring of foreign nationals at the Robben Island Museum. McKenzie was speaking at a parliament portfolio committee meeting on Friday. He was responding to allegations that foreign nationals were being prioritised more than South Africans regarding vacancies at the museum. 'When I became minister, the first thing I asked was, 'How many foreign nationals are there in the department?' I was told none. ALSO READ: 'Who did they call?' – Gayton McKenzie on claims of interference in Joshlin Smith investigation 'I am busy drafting a letter to the ADG and I will CC Robben Island Museum on it. I want to assure the committee that I will handle this matter personally and consider it dealt with today. We cannot have a situation where foreign nationals are being given jobs while our children do not have jobs in the Western Cape,' he said. MPs demand answers on employment processes at Robben Island Museum Some portfolio committee members of parliament (MPs) raised concerns about the knowledge of South African history displayed by some foreign nationals employed at the museum. They also requested that the Robben Island Museum provide parliament with a report on the number of foreign nationals hired, how they were hired and why other candidates were rejected. The acting CEO of the Robben Island Museum, Jonty Tshipa, told the committee that he did not have the number of foreign nationals that have been hired at the top of his head. 'I do not have the numbers at the top of my head, but we have received from the department how many foreign nationals we have. May I request that I should provide accurate information to the committee through the secretary? I do not have the numbers at the top of my head now,' he said. There are also concerns about the maintenance of buildings on the Island and complaints about the Robben Island ferry. McKenzie on preservation of history on Robben Island McKenzie said the Robben Island Museum must be fully functional and equipped because of the expected tourists who will attend the G20 summit later this year in South Africa. Meanwhile, McKenzie also announced plans to build a wall of remembrance on Robben Island. He said this gesture is to honour all political activists who were locked up on the Island. 'We cannot have people spend half their lives on Robben Island, and there is not even a stone with their name on it. That is not right,' he said. McKenzie told MPs that he understood the importance of the Robben Island Museum because he himself had played a role in the fight against apartheid. 'I was not just a gangster, I had my own role to play, I may have not been on Robben Island, but I had my role. NOW READ: SA had to fork out R27.9m for athletes to show their mettle at Olympics – Gayton McKenzie
